Downhill From Here (#1)

37. Mistletoe

Nathan's POV
6:22 pm

I laughed a full belly laugh as Scarlet kept talking.

"Okay, I think he's heard enough," Bowie warned, giving her sister squinty eyes from across the table. Her other sisters were struggling to keep their laughs in, all looking away and trying to fake cough.

Nalu and Stevie sat at the end of the dining table, near each other speaking in hushed tones. I didn't know what was going on with those two because Nalu doesn't tell me shit but they had been like this all day. Speaking in low whispers, giving glances that had heavy weight to 'em, not sitting too close but being in each other's personal space...it was obvious to me. But because they had also argued while cooking earlier, Bowie probably thought nothing of it.

If I asked him though, he'd probably give me some vague explanation. I pulled my phone out from my pocket and quickly texted Ozais, knowing that his nosey ass probably knew something.

We'd spent most of the afternoon today showing everyone around the house and then hanging out on the beach. I was pretty sure Whitney thought I was connected to some mafia of some sort and Scarlet was already planning her next trip here. Not for Hawaii, but the house.

Stitch had alread proved to be a handful, peeing on a pillow and disappearing a few times without a sound. I was scared Lilo would accidentally choke him by the way she kept picking him up by his neck.

"What's the big deal with telling the story?" Scarlet said, with lifted shoulders. She was struggling to hold back a giggle. "I mean your eyebrows grew back."

I smiled, watching their dynamic unfold. Scarlet was the poker and Bowie the older sister with looks that could kill.

"Plus Nathan over here doesn't know everything there is to know about Miss Bowie Parker," Scarlet added, elbowing her younger and curlier headed sister in the side.

"Yes, I agree." Whitney echoed, wearing a matching look of mischief. Bowie wasn't kidding when she said she was the calmest and more reserved one of her sisters. Although Poppy was quietly feeding Lilo her dinner and had the appearance of innocence, I assumed every one of the sisters had an air of mischief about them.

"Hearing about how I accidently set my hair on fire in 9th grade doesn't qualify as important information," Bowie argued, rolling her eyes and stuffing a piece of baked potato in her mouth.

I looked over to my left and smirked down at Bowie who, despite her irriation with her sisters, was wearing a small smile, happy that they were here.

"Plus I don't really think I need a quiz..."I countered. Bowie's eyes lifted, holding mine. "I know everything there is to know about Miss Bowie Parker." She tried to hide her smile by looking back down at her plate and eating, but I caught it.

"Doing a background check on her doesn't tell you anything really important," Whitney argued, crossing her arms.

"That's a bold statement you're trying to make there Nathan," Scarlet teased. "Would you like to put it to the test?"

"No, he wouldn't," Bowie said immediately.

"I would actually," I disagreed.

"Wait we're playing a game?" Stevie chimed in, shifting in her chair beside Bowie. "Who knows Bowie best?"

"Oh, that's so easy," Nalu added, winking at her. "She's an open book."