“That’s sweet, Mom,” Mel remarks softly.
Sebastian’s voice is opposite of hers. “And boring.”
“Yeah, yeah, you go, Mister Adventure.”
He grins and then closes his eyes. “I hope that I can stop missing Dad so much, I meet some cool kids, and I get to see Jacob Arrowood, tell him how amazing he is, get to go on set, and become a famous actor.”
Melanie and I share a look because Sebastian might just get a part of that wish.
Chapter Two
Jacob
~One month later~
“I am not staying in that thing!” I tell Declan for the tenth time as I stand at his porch with boxes.
“You’re not staying here, Jacob. I’m married with a newborn. I love you, brother, but you really don’t want to stay here either.”
If he thinks that is going to deter me, he’s wrong. “Better than staying in that shack.”
“It’s not a shack. I stayed in it for six months, and Sean managed it as well. Your spoiled ass can handle it too.”
He’s out of his damn mind. He stayed there voluntarily because he didn’t want to stay with Connor. Sean did it because he was trying to win over Devney. I don’t have a damn reason to. “I’d rather not attempt it.”
“Go to Connor’s then.”
“He’s got two kids. You only have one. When it comes to chaos, that’s better.”
Declan huffs. “I swear, we should’ve tossed you off the mountain as a kid.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t. Now, let me in.”
He shakes his head, arms crossed over his chest. To anyone who didn’t know him, he might look intimidating. Not me. I find it hilarious.
I start to make my way up the porch steps but then see the only thing in this house that is scary shove her way past him. All five-foot-two inches of Sydney Arrowood stands there, brow raised and ready for battle. “Jacob Arrowood, you try it, and I’ll knee you so hard in the balls that they never come back down.”
I wince because I don’t doubt that she’ll do it. “Syd.”
“No.”
“I can’t stay in that box. I’m claustrophobic.”
“You are not! You used to lock yourself in that chest your mother had as a hiding spot and you loved the dried out well down on Mrs. Beackerson’s land. Not to mention, you know you have to stay on Arrowood land. That’s the agreement.”
“Yes, but you merged your land with ours, so really, this is Arrowood land.” It’s a stretch, but I don’t care. The damn thing doesn’t even have running water. It’s a compost toilet. Seriously, I didn’t know that was a thing.
She sighs and steps toward me. “I love you, Jacob. I do, but I don’t love you that much. You are not moving in for six months. Not when I have a baby and Declan.”
“He’s worse than the baby, isn’t he?”
Syd nods with a grin.
“Nice,” Declan adds.
“Glad to see your hearing works, old man.”
Declan gives me the middle finger before Syd’s hand touches my arm. “Ellie has the tender heart. You should try her. Devney would let you stay in the main house if you begged enough. But seeing how they’re getting married in a few days and will probably be humping like rabbits when they get back from their honeymoon, I’m not sure you could beg enough. Plus, they have Austin, who needs stability, not their homeless uncle . . .”
“Syd, I’m begging. I’m begging you to let me in this house, you won’t even know I’m here.” I’m the damn charity case in the family.
She rolls her eyes. “No.”
“You know I’m a big fucking deal in the real world, right?”
“Yes, but you’re in Sugarloaf now, and we really don’t care how big of a deal you’ve become. Here, you’re just Jacob, the idiot brother who once starred on that horrible sitcom that I made a meme out of.”
“Wait, you made the meme?”
She grins. “It doesn’t matter who made the meme, the point is that you’re not staying here.”
I should’ve known it was her repaying me for putting a rubber snake in her bed or when I convinced her a bear ate Declan. That was a fun one.
It was also when I realized that acting might just be something I was good at.
Right now, all I want is a normal house to sleep in. So, I play nice. “You’re seriously going to turn me, your favorite brother-in-law, out?”
Not like I’m really homeless, I just don’t want to stay in that tiny house.
Sydney doesn’t look apologetic. “I really am, but for the record, you’re not my favorite, Sean is.”
My mouth drops at that. “Sean? Why the hell is he everyone’s favorite?”
“He’s the nice one.”
Okay, that’s true, but who cares about that? Nice is overrated. “I’m the attractive one,” I counter.
“True.” Sydney looks back at her husband and shrugs. “But it doesn’t change the fact that your ass isn’t staying here.”
Declan shakes his head. “Wait. You think he’s the attractive one? What the hell does that make me?”
Sydney’s fingers slide against his face. “The perfect one.”
Well, this is a bust and making me nauseated. “It’s not a great idea to start a marriage off on lies,” I shout as I stalk off to the car.
“And this is another reason you’re not staying here,” Syd yells back.
“Some welcome home I get!” I say.
“Welcome home, idiot!” Declan calls back.
If I didn’t have a box in my arms, he’d get a fist to the face.
I’m clearly going to have to stay in that damn thing or with Connor. The tiny house is a more appealing option. I love my brother, and he’s great and all, but we’ve always been the ones who bicker. It doesn’t matter how old we get, when we are around each other, my inner ten-year-old comes out. God only knows what the hell living together would be like.
Also, I love my nieces, but I’m not ready to have that twenty-four seven. Hadley is a handful—a loving, beautiful, adorable handful who never stops talking. I need to study my lines and prepare for my movie that begins shooting as soon as I get back.
“Come for dinner tomorrow, Jacob,” Syd says as she wraps her arms around the jackass she married.
“Oh, I will. If I have to sleep in that damn thing, you’re all feeding me!”
She laughs while Declan shakes his head. They might think I’m kidding, but I’m not. I’ve lived in Hollywood for the last nine years without having to cook. I am a pro at takeout and delivery, but this is Sugarloaf, and there’s none of that here.
I’m not sure how I’m going to survive without help. Hopefully, Mrs. Maxwell is still on the welcoming committee and will bring over a casserole or some shit. I make a mental note to stop by and visit with as many neighbors as I can.
Mom was always part of that crew. If someone came by, she fed them. If that’s still part of the town’s MO, I’m all for it.
I get the box back into the car and stand with the door open, leaning against the frame. “I really expected more from you, Syd. You could’ve offered the barn at least!”