Page 1 of Falling for the Unexpected

Prologue

Kyle

Two Years Ago

I had just finished getting dressed in jeans, a gray T-shirt, and black Chucks when I heard my sister’s ringtone blaring from my phone. Knowing her flight was due to take off shortly, I rushed over to my nightstand to grab it.

“Hey, Addie, what’s up?” I asked, answering the call just before it was sent to voicemail.

“Hi, Kyle,” she greeted. “My flight is about to board, but I wanted to make sure you were still able to pick me up from the airport.”

“Of course,” I answered as I headed out of my room. “You think I’dnotpick up my little sister from the airport?”

It was spring break and Addie was coming home from college to spend the next two weeks finalizing the details for her summer wedding. She was marrying her fiancé, Brad, as soon as she graduated in a couple months. Brad was the younger brother of one of my best friends, Trent, but that didn’t mean I liked Brad or thought he was a good match for my sister. At twenty-two, I thought Addie was too young to get married and Brad’s lack of ambition was worrisome. Add to that his arrogant and entitled attitude—well, you could say I wasn’t his biggest fan.

“Are you sure?” she asked again, hesitating. “I could just call a cab—”

“Hey, relax,” I interrupted, not wanting her to worry. “The guys and I want to be there when you get off the plane. I think they’ve missed you as much as I have.”

The guys I referred to were my closest friends: Trent and Erik. There was actually one more, but Ian was stationed across the country in South Carolina so he was going to miss out on this visit and the wedding. I’m sure he didn’t mind since he disliked Brad just as much as I did. I knew Addie was disappointed he wouldn’t be there since she and Ian had been super close growing up. I’d never told her, or the guys, but I had a feeling Ian was using his job as an excuse to get out of having to witness one of his best friends marry an asshole. Unfortunately, I couldn’t do the same.

The four of us had met in kindergarten and had been best friends ever since. We had gone to school together, played sports together, and continued to be a huge presence in each other’s lives. In fact, Trent and I were attending the same law school with the intention of us both joining his father’s law firm once we finished next year.

I checked the time when I reached the bottom of the stairs, grabbing my wallet and keys off the side table near the front door. It was only a twenty-minute drive to the airport, but San Diego traffic—on a Friday, mid-morning—was going to be hectic. Plus, I had a couple errands to run before I picked up Trent and Erik.

“All of you are coming to pick me up?” she asked, sounding a little surprised, but pleased as well.

I smiled. “Trent is skipping a couple classes and Erik is taking the afternoon off from his shop to come with me,” I said.

“Well… I can’t wait to see all of you. I’ve missed everyonesomuch,” she said, a slight tremor in her voice.

I knew it was hard on her being away from all of us. Growing up, there was hardly a time where we could escape Addie following us around. Sure, it annoyed us at times, but the guys knew that things at home weren’t the best so they never made her feel unwanted. Instead, Trent, Ian, and Erik had become quite protective of her like she was their own little sister.

“Remind me why Brad isn’t coming with us to pick you up?” I inquired, only half-heartedly masking my irritation. I didn’t usually bring up her fiancé because it often resulted in an argument. At the same time, someone had to point out his obvious flaws. “I’m assuming you asked him to come to the airport?”

“I already told you,” she huffed. “Brad has to work this afternoon.”

I rolled my eyes. “Addison, he’s a waiter. Are you telling me he couldn’t get the afternoon off to come pick up the fiancée he hasn’t seen in four months?”

“He said the restaurant has been super busy,” she quipped back.

I took a calming breath because now we were both annoyed, but it ticked me off that she continued to defend Brad’s lame excuses for everything. Trent and his parents were hardworking, kind, and humble people, which made Brad’s obnoxious demeanor all the more baffling. I decided to opt for diplomacy because in a few months’ time, the asshole was going to be my brother-in-law. Exercising some restraint, I suppose, should start now. But it wasn’t going to be easy.

I rubbed my forehead, trying to erase the headache that Brad always brought on and tempered my own attitude. “Okay, fine, whatever,” I eventually mumbled but continued, “I’ll see you soon, little sis. Travel safe.”

“Okay…” she said, pausing for a second. “And thanks. I love you.”

“Love you, too,” I said and hung up.

Finally leaving the house, I ran my errands and picked up my buddies. Two hours later we were waiting near baggage claim for my sister. It would be easy to find Addie. At five-foot-nine, she was a few inches taller than most women. We both got our height from our father’s side of the family, along with our light brown hair and green eyes. I was thankful it was onlyphysicalattributes that we’d inherited from him.

The minute she came off the escalator, she came running over to hug all of us. “I can’t believe you’re all here!” she exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.

She hooked her arm through mine as we walked toward the carousels. “Hope you boys are ready! There issomuch to do for the wedding and this is my last visit before the big day.”

I might not have been thrilled about her upcoming nuptials, but hearing the excitement in her voice convinced me to remain positive. Our grandmother and I were the only family Addie had left and she needed to feel supported by us.

Erik and I grabbed her bags from the conveyor belt and we all headed out the automatic doors. The April sun was shining and a cool breeze was coming off from the ocean. I put on my sunglasses, looking around the busy airport and pedestrian traffic, and guided our group to the parking lot. We loaded her bags into the trunk of my old Jetta and piled in to start the drive home. The conversation in the car was filled with crazy college and law school stories and catching up with each other’s lives. There was never a dull moment when we were all together.