Having Madison at the family gathering fucked with my mind. My attention kept homing in on her. My personal beacon.
She was nervous, her hands so tightly her knuckles turned white as she chatted with Mom, Wynter, and Ruby. Summer, Autumn, and Scarlett were part of the girl group too, but they were chatting among themselves. Everyone had a piece of coconut or chocolate cake. Both were about gone, and they’d been fucking delicious. Myles and Wynter’s little girl, Elsa, was wandering around with chocolate frosting smudged over her chubby cheeks. Chance had inhaled most of the cookies and was getting himself another plate of pulled pork.
Now Madison was fiddling with the end of her braid. She glanced around, saw that flies were loving the empty container of veggies, and she jumped to roll it up and throw it in the trash. From there, she didn’t go back to the group but scurried around and rearranged food trays, consolidating them or stuffing them in the trash. I paid close attention when she was bent over the garbage bin, making sure it wasn’t overflowing. Her ass was cupped nicely by her jeans.
“I think we’ve lost him.” Tate’s words tugged at my attention.
“He doesn’t even know how lost he is,” Tenor replied.
I scowled at both of them. “What the hell are you two going on about?”
“I was asking you if the shipment of rye showed up on time or if you’re still expecting it.”
“It’ll be here Monday.” The pull to watch Madison roam the shop was strong.
“Third time in a row it’s been late,” Tenor pointed out. “Might be time to look into it more.”
It was on my to-do list. The supplier was as local as we could get for rye, and we were all about weathering the storms of family issues, climate change, and business hurdles, but three times was becoming a pattern. Especially when there was little communication and we were left hanging. If it wasn’t for Tenor’s tedious inventory programs, we might have gaps in our supply. “I’ll talk to them this week.”
Tate’s girl, Brinley, skipped to Madison and tugged on her hand. Madison’s expression transformed from determinedly busy into a radiant smile. She even kneeled down to Brinley’s level and propped an arm over her knee to chat with the girl. I heard Brinley ask if she had kids. Madison told her she had a nephew that was around her age, and he’d think this picnic was fun.
“And he’s gone again,” Tate muttered.
“You and her a thing?” Tenor asked.
I gave him an incredulous look, but the feel of her lips tingled against my mouth and the taste of her danced on my tongue. Her weight had been pleasing while she’d been on top of me, and not because it’d been a while since I’d had a woman that close. Strength radiated from her, yet she’d been uncertain. She had crawled over my lap like she couldn’t help herself, and for Madison Townsend to let me kiss her like that, to turn over the power while she possessed it all? Well, I was hooked.
However, the way she had scrambled off me, looking angrier at herself than me, didn’t hook me at all. “No. There’s nothing going on.”
Both guys studied me. Myles and Gideon approached, each holding a glass with a finger of Copper Summit Original that Mama swore paired well with the coconut cake. She hadn’t been wrong.
Myles was still dressed like the rest of us in his jeans, T-shirt, and cowboy boots. Same with Gideon. Two guys who had worn suits for their careers—Myles still did—fit right in. Meanwhile, Madison probably itched with the feeling of standing out. Until my niece had cornered her.
Now she was letting Brinley tow her away. There was a newly chalked, massive hopscotch board on the cement pad in front of the shop. Would Madison hopscotch?
I leaned over to see around Tate better and Myles chuckled.
Myles took a slow sip from his bourbon. “I’m not sure what you were talking about, but there is most definitely something going on.”
“That’s exactly what we’ve been saying,” Tenor said.
I glared at them both, then at Gideon for good measure since he was nodding.
Gideon swirled the glass, then wafted it in front of his nose. “You should marry her and figure it out later.”
“That only worked for you and Autumn,” I said.
Madison tried to navigate the hopscotch board and lost her balance after three jumps. Brinley squealed with laughter and Madison tossed her head back, laughing.
Fondness filled Tate’s expression as he watched his daughter coax the shyest party guest into trying again.
Elsa ran over, clapping her little hands together. Brinley put her hand up like a stop sign, but Madison said something I couldn’t hear. Elsa jumped into her arms. Madison lifted her to her hip and then tried again slower, careful of jostling Elsa too much.
Delighted giggles rang from the group.
Junie, holding Emma, wandered over and got in line next. Emma waved a chubby arm at the girls. When Madison reached the end, she turned and surprise lit her face, but she smiled at Junie.
“Isn’t there a saying about little kids?” Gideon asked. “That they can sense your energy?”
