Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 101758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
“I’ve already been accused of fathering more than my fair share of children,” Zack says. “All bullshit, of course.”
“That’s not the same thing, and you know it,” Tuck replies. “Also, learn to keep it in your pants.”
“Fuck you, I never even touched those girls.”
“Yeah, okay.”
“Where’s Ava?” I ask.
I haven’t seen our sister all night, and I notice that Easton’s jaw tightens as he scowls.
“She texted me earlier and said she’s running behind,” Easton replies. “Something about waiting for Chad to get off work.”
“Chad’s pissing me off,” I mutter.
“Same,” Zack says. “We need to talk to that guy.”
I love that Zack is basically one of the brothers. He pretty much grew up at our house, and my dad brought him into the fold the way our dad is known to do.
“Join the club.” Tucker exhales, and his eyes scan the room. When he finds Darby, he softens.
“You didn’t have to invite us all here tonight, you know,” I tell my oldest brother. “You should have kept tonight for just the two of you.”
“I’ll get her to myself in a little while. She likes the family time. She never really had it when she was younger.”
I notice the front door open, and Ava comes walking in, schooling her face from a scowl to a smile, and Chad walks in behind her, not bothering to paste a grin on his own face.
What a tool.
The thing is, none of us like Ava’s fiancé. He’s a decent attorney, but we don’t love the way he treats our sister.
However, Ava’s a grown woman, and if Chad is who she chooses, we’ll do our best to support her.
Doesn’t mean that Chad’s going to suddenly become one of the brothers. Fuck that.
Belle’s face crumples and she starts to cry.
“Chad must be here,” Easton says, earning a fist bump from me and Zack, and then I smell the reason the baby is wailing.
“Harpsichord! Come collect your infant. She needs to be changed.”
“You’re her uncle. You can do it.”
“I’m injured,” I reply with a charming smile, and Harper rolls her eyes as she walks over to take Belle from me. “But I want her back later. I have to make up for lost time.”
“Are you going to milk the injured leg thing for all it’s worth?” Ava asks as she sits next to me, already holding what looks like a dirty martini.
“Of course, I am. Hey, baby girl.”
She snuggles in next to me, crowding into this chair, and I swing my arm over her shoulders.
“I’m glad you’re home.”
I grin and kiss the top of her head. Ava, Harper, and I are the closest in age, so we naturally hung out together more than the others. Harper is the adopted kid of the group, having come to live with us when she was twelve. But she’s our sister in every way that counts.
“Me too. How are you? How’s the job?”
“Amazing,” she replies with a satisfied smile. “I’m designing and decorating all of the new condos at the ski resort, you know. It’s so much fun. You should buy one.”
“A condo?”
She nods.
“I already have a big-ass house that I only get to sleep in a couple months a year. What would I do with a condo?”
“I don’t know, but I’m designing them, and they’re amazing.”
I smirk and shake my head. “I’m sure they’re perfect, but I don’t need any extra real estate.”
“Fine.” She sighs against me, and I watch as Harper kisses a freshly changed Belle on the cheek, then passes the baby to her husband, Blake.
Tucker has wandered back to Darby, as if pulled to her by gravity, and Easton and Zack are chatting about . . . I have no idea what.
And it doesn’t matter. Because I haven’t been this relaxed in months.
Being here, with these people and in the house I grew up in, is exactly the medicine I needed.
CHAPTER TWO
IVY
I’m just finishing up my charting for the day when my phone rings, and I immediately get a bad feeling.
As I pull the device from my pocket and check it, that feeling is confirmed when I see that it’s Ben, one of the full-time bartenders at Lucky’s, my family’s bar.
“Hey, Ben,” I say in greeting as I close the laptop and rub my hand over the back of my neck.
“Hey, Ivy. Brenda didn’t come in for her shift today. I’m okay right now, but I haven’t heard from her, she’s not answering her phone, and I thought you should know.”
My mother is on my last damn nerve.
“Who’s on this evening?”
He sighs, and I close my eyes.
“Your mom is supposed to cover the evening shift,” he says.
“Got it. Thanks, Ben, I’ll swing through there soon and let you know what’s up.”
“Appreciate it.”
He hangs up, and I take a deep breath. Because what I want to do is cry, but there’s no time for that.