Free Un-Shattering Lucy (The Lucy & Harris Novella Series) (Volume 4) by Terri Anne Browning Page A

It was only a two-minute cab ride to my parents’ house, and thankfully there were several cabs already waiting downstairs. I told the driver where I was going, tossed him a twenty, then sat back. Closing my eyes, I tried to ignore the pain in my head.
    Most people didn’t have a cookout on Mondays, but my family wasn’t most people. They didn’t work the normal nine to five. So I wasn’t surprised when I stepped out of the cab and found not only my parents’ driveway full of cars, but Aunt Emmie’s as well. Knowing everyone would be at the latter’s house, I walked past the house that separated the Thorntons from the Armstrongs. Instead of going into the house, I walked around to the back yard where I could already hear kids laughing and splashing in the pool.
    “She lives!”
    I tried not to flinch at Nik’s loud voice as he brought my appearance to everyone’s attention. I would have happily murdered someone for a pair of sunglasses and a bottle of aspirin right then. Everyone was there: Mia and Jagger swimming in their pool, Drake and Lana with their four girls, Shane and Harper with Violet and Mason, Axton and Dallas with Cannon and Shaw, Liam and Gabriella with Asher and Piper, Zander and Annabelle with their son Jaco. I didn’t see my mom or Aunt Emmie, who must have still been in the house getting things ready.
    “Lu!” my dad’s booming voice called out. “You hungry?”
    The smell of whatever he was grilling suddenly hit me as the breeze shifted. I couldn’t control my gag reflexes but thankfully I didn’t puke right there. Trying to breathe through my mouth, I clutched my stomach and shook my head. My reaction only had my dad and the rest of the rockers already spread around the patio chuckling.
    “It’s okay, baby-cakes. I’ll get you fixed right up.” I welcomed the warmth of Drake’s arm as he draped it over my shoulders and guided me toward the French doors that led into the kitchen.
    “Is this your first hangover?”
    There was no use in trying to lie. Drake was the king of hangovers from his days before my sister had tamed him. “Yeah,” I muttered, still trying to breathe through my mouth to avoid gagging again.
    My brother-in-law laughed. “Okay, Lu. This is gonna suck for a few minutes. Bear with me. I won’t lead you wrong.”
    I just nodded as we stepped into the kitchen. I trusted Drake with my life.
    Mom and Aunt Emmie had been talking until we walked in. As soon as they saw me, they both shut up quick, but I was too distracted from the pain in my head and the new aches in my body to focus on that. Drake left me at the island and moved to the refrigerator to pull out random things. Tomato juice, eggs, celery and countless other things.
    “You look miserable, baby,” Mom said with a smile as she picked up a knife and started slicing onions.
    “Pretty sure I’m dying,” I mumbled truthfully, causing all three of them to laugh out loud at me.
    “I’m sure it feels like that,” Mom said with a grin as she hugged me. “Drake will fix you up. Just a small warning. It’s going to get worse before it gets better.”
    I folded my arms on the island and laid my head down. “I’m never drinking again.”
    “Good idea,” Drake said with a nod.
    “Can I have some aspirin?”
    “You won’t need it after Drake is done,” Aunt Emmie assured me as she continued to slice fresh tomatoes. “Just be ready to run.”
    That only confused me, but I didn’t bother to move, especially when Mom started rubbing my back. I hadn’t been babied like that in forever, but I wanted to soak it all up. My mom gave the best back rubs in the world.
    “Okay, Lu.” Drake set a glass of something that looked like tar in front of me. I lifted my head reluctantly and as soon as I caught a smell of the contents my gag reflex started working overtime.
    “No,” I said, backing away from the island. “No way.”
    Drake picked the glass up and walked toward me. “Do you trust me?”
    “Usually.