Fostering Hope (Silver Lining Book 1) Read online

  “It’s fine.” He grabs some paper towels to clean the mess. I follow his lead and get some of my own along with a bottle of cleaning spray. The floor needs a good wipe.“These boots have seen worse.”

  “Who are you?” I ask, glancing around the suddenly empty kitchen. I have no idea where Maggie went, but it appears she took the waffles with her.

  “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” he counters, arching a brow. “You’re in my parents’ house, after all.”

  “Right.” I huff, kneeling down to clean the egg goo off the floor. “I’m Parker, the foster kid.”

  “Well, Parker the foster kid, do you mind if I just call you Parker?” he quips, tossing his used paper towels in the trash can.

  Snorting out a laugh, I shake my head. “Only if I can get your name, too.”

  “I’m Declan,” he introduces himself with a crooked grin. “How’d you know I wasn’t Duncan?”

  “Erm, I’m not sure. You’re just… Different somehow.”

  “Huh, interesting. No one has ever been able to tell us apart before. Unless you count our parents and brothers.” He crosses his arms and uses one hand to pull his lower lip through his thumb and forefinger as he watches me. “So anyway, you’re Parker. You’re not at all what I expected.”

  “I’m starting to get that feeling from everyone I meet,” I mutter, tossing my paper towels in the trash and putting the cleaning spray back under the sink.

  Declan leans against the counter and continues to watch me move around the kitchen. Luckily, Maggie comes back into the room and saves me from an awkward silence.

  “I’m guessing the egg frying didn’t work?” She muses, her gaze going from me to the empty frying pan.

  Shrugging sheepishly, I grin at her. “I told you putting me near a stove would be a bad idea. I threw an egg on him.” I point to Declan who laughs loudly at me.

  “Don’t pull me into this,” he argues, putting his hands out in front of him. “You had the wrong burner on. I just tried to help and got assaulted.”

  “Fair enough,” I sigh, surrendering. “I’m hopeless in a kitchen unless it’s a box or a can.”

  “Same, girl, same,” Austyn chimes in, strolling into the room. His blonde hair now impressively styled and his outfit perfectly coordinated. The pair of maroon skinny jeans and a dark blue button up with maroon anchors look amazing on him. “I can make a kick ass can of chili.”

  “Language, Austyn,” Maggie scolds, cracking an egg into the hot pan like an expert.

  “Sorry, Ma.” Austyn grins around a piece of bacon he picked up from the filled plate on the island. “Let’s make a run for it before she starts asking us to cook crap.”

  Giggling, I follow Austyn, each of us grabbing a plate and heading out of the kitchen and into the dining room. Stopping dead in my tracks, I gaze around the dining table. Almost every seat has a person in it, a male person. On the left side sits Jack, Lochlan, and Duncan. Austyn slides into the empty seat next to Duncan, oblivious to my awkwardness. On the right side of the table sits Collin, Dominic, Talen, and Greyson.

  I’m not sure how long I stand gawking at the occupants of the room, but it’s long enough for Maggie to cook up enough eggs for us all. She enters the room behind me, followed by Declan. She places the plate of eggs on the table then takes a seat at an end chair next to Collin and Jack. Declan slides in next to Lochlan. One seat at the far end next to Lochlan and Greyson remains empty. I take the empty chair, though I’d bet money Lochlan isn’t happy about my presence.

  “Parker!” Greyson jumps around in his seat when he spots me. “Sit wif me, sit wif me.”

  “Sure, little dude.” I chuckle, taking my seat. “I’d love to sit with you.”

  Lochlan scowls as I sit. Ignoring his royal grumpiness, I address Collin and Jack. “So, how long have you three been together?”

  Lochlan, Duncan, Declan, and Dominic noticeably stiffen while Talen smirks. Frowning at the strange reactions, I decide to keep my focus on Jack and Collin. I assume if they told me about it, I can ask questions.

  “Ah, they told you then.” Collin grins between bites. “It’s a very long story, but Jack, Maggie, and I have been in a relationship for twenty-five years now.”

  Austyn hisses through his teeth and shakes his head at Collin. “Uh-oh.”

  “Twenty-six, Collin.” Jack chortles, eyeing Maggie. “You really want that couch, huh?”

  “I was testing him.” Collin squirms, giving Maggie a sheepish grin.

  I continue on, hoping to save Collin. “What are your last names?” I ask, not sure if they’re all the Harper family or something different. “I mean, I know Collin said his last name is Harper, but how does that work when you have two husbands?”

  “Actually, my last name is Smith,” Jack informs me, wiping his mouth with his napkin then placing it beside his plate on the table. “Maggie hyphenated so she’s Harper-Smith. All the boys hyphenated as well so they’re all Harper-Smith.”

  “How’d you decide which name to put first?” I wonder, genuinely curious about how their relationship works for reasons unknown to me.

  Jack and Collin glance at each other, and then answer at the same time. “Rock, paper, scissors.”

  The table erupts in laughter as this is clearly an inside joke amongst the family.

  Maggie playfully glares at her husbands. “You two can share the couch.”

  “You wouldn’t.” Jack grabs Maggie’s hand and pouts. “I just got home today, hon. You can’t kick me to the couch on my first night home.”

  Allowing curiosity to get the better of me again, I interrupt the three of them. “Where were you?”

  Again, the guys stiffen when I speak, Talen included this time. They must not like it when I ask questions or something. I refuse to allow their discomfort to halt my inquiring mind, though. If Maggie, Collin, and Jack continue to answer me willingly, I’ll continue to ask my questions.

  Greyson perks up, answering for Jack. “Papa went to Afa-stag-nan to help people.”

  “Afghanistan, buddy,” Jack corrects with a gentle smile directed at Greyson before turning his attention to me. “It was my last deployment before I retire from the Army. I was gone for a year and just got back today.”

  “Wow,” I mutter, setting my fork down. “I’m sorry for intruding at such a personal time. I could go upstairs if you want some time with everyone.”

  “Oh, Parker,” Maggie exclaims loudly. “Your timing is perfectly fine. I called Jack before he boarded his flight, and we spoke to him about you. The three of us agreed to bring you into our home before he ever got on the plane. Please don’t think you intruded on anything.”

  My shoulders relax slightly, only to tighten back up when Lochlan scoffs his obvious disagreement. Talen rolls his eyes dramatically. “Ignore the Grinch. Mom’s right, we want you here. Even if you’re not what we expected.”

  “Why does everyone keep saying that?” I huff, glancing around the table for an answer.

  Austyn barks out a laugh. “You’re a chick, dude.”

  “So you keep reminding me, dude,” I throw back.

  “As my brother so eloquently put it”—Duncan sighs, rubbing the bridge of his nose—“we thought you’d be a boy.”

  “Erm, why?” I cough, my brows rising with surprise.

  “Your name mostly,” Duncan admits with a sheepish smile.

  “But also because we haven’t fostered a girl in a long time,” Maggie adds, standing and grabbing her empty plate.

  Following her lead, I grab my plate and stand. Greyson wipes his messy mouth on his napkin, only managing to remove half of the crumbs, and hops out of his chair, running off to do whatever four-year-olds do. It’s clear he’s finished eating, so I grab his plate as well and take it with me to the kitchen. I notice Lochlan frown as I walk off, though he appears more confused than grouchy for once.

  After catching up to Maggie, I continue my inquisition. “Why haven’t you fostered a girl in a long time?”
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  Declan pops up behind me in the kitchen as I rinse dishes, answering for Maggie. “Girls tend to be more judgmental. No offense or anything. Just the way it’s gone for us. When we had girls show up, they’d get all weird about our parents and our family. They’d request to leave or make things really awkward.”

  “Are you always going to pop out of nowhere and scare me?” I grumble to Declan.

  He smirks happily and simply shrugs.

  “When Greyson was born we decided to stop fostering,” Collin adds, bringing us back to our conversation as he sets his plate next to the sink. “We felt like our family was complete then.”

  The idea of never being considered part of this family doesn’t shock me, but it doesn’t sting any less. Their family was complete four years ago. I have no business being here.

  “It’s not my turn for dishes again, is it?” Talen whines, ending the conversation.

  Jack chuckles at him. “I’ll help you, buddy. We can catch up while we clean.”

  The rest of the guys come into the kitchen, surrounding the island and chatting with Jack, catching up on the events he missed.

  With everyone distracted, I try to make myself scarce and explore the backyard. Sneaking out the sliding glass door, I stroll across the patio and through the grass. A beautiful rock pool with a lazy waterfall takes up half of the vast area. Making my way to the pool, I peer in and admire the way the sun sparkles off the surface of the water.

  My time in this house has been short, but it seems like ages have passed. Maggie, Jack, and Collin make their house a home. I never experienced anything like their family before. Over breakfast I made a few observations, and even now as I turn and watch them through the glass door I notice some things I didn’t before.

  Greyson and Lochlan clearly have a special bond. Greyson follows Lochlan around, copying everything he does. Talen seems rather chill and laid back, though his odd smirks and mischievous glances throw me off. Dominic appears to be the quietest of the bunch. He doesn’t say a lot, content with watching and observing. Duncan and Declan couldn’t be more opposite. The two of them are identical in looks, but their personalities go two completely separate ways. Declan laughs and jokes a lot, Duncan takes things seriously. Declan seems to like working with his hands if his calluses are any indication; Duncan always has a book in his hands. The only other difference between the two, a physical difference that sets them apart, is a freckle. I noticed it during breakfast. Declan has the smallest, lightest freckle just below his bottom lip. Of course, my perverted mind would find it. Why can’t I stop staring at these guys and their mouths and bodies? I never took a single interest in any guy until now, and suddenly, I find myself fascinated with all five of them. It doesn’t help that they’re all fit and sexy as sin. Even Duncan’s lean muscles makes my mouth water. I don’t know what has gotten into me, but I need to snap out of it before I screw this arrangement up for myself.

  A deep growl suddenly sounds behind me, and I freeze in place. The growl gets louder, and I turn my body slowly to find the culprit. My eyes lock on a giant dog at the same instant he leaps up and puts his giant paws on my stomach. The force pushes me backward into the ice-cold water. It wouldn’t be a big deal if I knew how to swim, but I don’t. Panicking, I try to kick myself to the surface but get twisted around and confused. I struggle to right my body and find my way to precious air. The need to breathe becomes overwhelming. Panic sets in, and my mouth opens without my permission. I gasp and suck in a lung full of water. Everything instantly goes black.

  CHAPTER SIX

  I’m ninety percent sure I’m not dead. If I died, I wouldn’t be freezing, and my lungs wouldn’t burn. At least, I don’t think dying would be like that. The voices shouting and yelling at full volume around me also gives me a clue I’m completely alive. It takes me a few seconds to realize my lungs have no air in them, and I try to take a sudden breath only to end up coughing up water and gasping.

  A hand on my shoulder rolls me over onto my side. The new position makes coughing a bit easier. The shouting stops while I continue to gag and cough, and the silence is almost worse than the chaos. I roll back over onto my back and take some deep breaths. The air feels amazing to my deprived lungs.

  “Okay, muñeca,” Dominic murmurs close to me. “Take your time, deep breaths. You’re okay now.”

  His words confuse me until I realize I’m whimpering and shaking. How embarrassing. First, I nearly drown because I can’t swim, and now, I act like a total wimp. The damn dog tried to kill me, though. He must belong to Lochlan.

  “Can you open your eyes for me, sweetie?” Duncan asks from my left side. His voice is soothing, and the shaking slows. With my eyes still closed, I realize I can pick out Duncan’s voice over Declan’s. Duncan’s is smoother, calmer. Declan’s is rougher, feistier.

  “Duncan?” With more effort than I expect it to take, I force my eyes to open and blink a few times to clear the blur of water still in my eyes. When my vision comes into focus I find I guessed right. Duncan kneels over me to my left. Everyone else stands around me in a circle, even Lochlan and Greyson. Surprise lights Duncan’s eyes. “How’d you know it was me talking?”

  “Hey, Parker,” Declan exclaims with a bright smile, not allowing me to answer his twin. “Maybe don’t scare the shit out of us like that so early in the day.” He finishes with a wink, and I almost want to smile at his playfulness. I notice the water puddle around him and realize he must have jumped in after me. His eyes grow serious as he scans my face and body. “Are you okay? Do you think you can sit up?”

  After surveying my body, I realize I’m tired, but I can probably sit up. I simply nod and begin to push into a sitting position. Dominic puts a gentle hand on my back and helps me. All of the guys take a few steps back, giving me some room to move. A bark from some place close by draws a slight whimper from me, and I scramble back a few feet.

  “Hey, you’re fine. No one will hurt you, Parker,” Dominic whispers, still sitting down next to me. “Pup didn’t mean to scare you. He’s just a naturally playful guy.”

  “Pup?” I rasp, searching the yard for the giant dog. “You call the massive killing machine Pup? Wait, how did you know he tried to eat me?” It wouldn’t surprise me if Lochlan set the dog on his killing mission.

  “It’s short for Puppy,” Declan admits, holding a hand out to help me to my feet. “The one laying under the tree in the corner is Kitten, or Kit. Lucky for you Greyson was searching for you. He saw Pup jump on you and called for us. I’m sorry he jumped on you, though. He really needs some training or something.”

  “Kitten?” I snort, seeking out the other dog laying belly up under a tree in the yard. Kitten and Pup appear exactly the same. Both come to about my hip in height with pointed ears and long tails. Their coats shine with browns and blacks. “You named your German Shepherds Puppy and Kitten?”

  “Greyson picked the names,” Lochlan grumbles defensively.

  Rolling my eyes, I choose to ignore him and his attitude. I don’t understand his hostility toward me, but it’s nothing I haven’t dealt with in the past.

  “We should get you checked out by a doctor, Parker,” Maggie insists, her face etched with concern. “Did you hit your head or anything? What happened exactly? Only Greyson saw it.”

  “No!” I shout, stepping away from her. “I mean, I’m fine. I don’t need to see a doctor. The dog just pushed me in. I can’t swim so it wasn’t exactly a good combination. I didn’t hit my head. I didn’t hit anything but the water.”

  “Just as a precaution,” Jack urges with a deep frown. “It won’t take long.”

  “I really don’t need to go,” I assure them, my heart rate spiking. “I’ll be fine, it was just a little water.”

  “Parker, you were unconscious for a good five minutes,” Collin reasons, glancing between Maggie and Jack. “We really need to take you in.”

  “Please don’t,” I beg, my body shaking partly from the fear of going to a doctor and partly
from the ice-cold water I’m covered in. “I don’t want to go.”

  “Are you afraid of doctors?” Talen asks, stepping up next to me.

  My face scrunches and I cringe at his choice of words. “I don’t like going to doctors. They’re no good.”

  “What do you mean by that?” Maggie asks.

  “Nothing.” I shake my head, crossing my arms in hopes of stopping the shaking. “I’m really okay. I don’t need a doctor.”

  “Bullshit,” Lochlan growls, not bothering to look at me. If he did, he’d find me glaring hatefully at him.

  “Let’s get you dried off and talk about this, okay?” Collin offers, stepping to the side and gesturing to the back door.

  Readily agreeing, I hurry into the house and to my room. I don’t want to go to a doctor. Every time I’ve been to the doctor, it’s been a terrible experience, especially the last time. My old social worker always picked out who I went to see when I needed to go, and as I got older, I realized I was better off not going. After my last visit, I refused to ever go back. Taking my time, I warm up in a hot shower and put on my only sweater and long cotton pants. My feet drag slowly as I make my way downstairs. The whole family has gathered in the kitchen.

  Greyson runs to me and wraps his little arms around my legs the moment I enter the room. My hands automatically go to his back hugging him to me. This little boy has won my heart and it didn’t take him any time at all. “Don’t worry, Parker. I can teach you to swim in the water when the sun warms it up. You can use my arm floaties if you wanna, even. They have dinosaurs on them.”

  Giggling, I kneel in front of him and give him a proper hug. “Thank you, Greyson. I think I’ll let you keep the floaties, but I’d love for you to teach me how to swim.”

  “It’s a deal!” He exclaims, holding his hand out to shake mine.

  Scrunching my brow, I glance around for an explanation to the handshake. Austyn snorts out a laugh. “It’s how he makes deals. If you say deal and shake his hand, you’re basically signing a contract with the kid. He won’t forget about it. Ever.”