Junie had dumped a glass of soda over a somewhat inebriated man’s head after he’d copped a feel when she’d been walking by—with that redheaded baby in her arms.What kind of idiot copped a feel with a woman carrying a baby around that obviously looked like her?Hair that red was distinctive.Anyone looking would think Maeya was Junie’s baby.
A baby that young usually meant there was amanin the equation.Junie could have had a former linebacker husband watching from somewhere nearby.
Callowayhadwatched; he had been ready to deal with the guy himself, if needed.He felt just as protective over Junie and Em now as he did his sisters.Something about the way Claudia had said Auggie, Em, and Junie had been there for her and Cloe and Clancy when the cards were really down.Cal owed them for that.
Four Tylers had beaten him to Junie’s side, first.He didn’t know which ones, but…he doubted the guy would be giving Junie any more trouble after that.
Quade Davis seemed to be enamored of Em, so her night had gotten better.Quade’s brother Royal was paying a bit too much attention to Clancy, though.The guy had to be close to thirty.Far too old for Clancy.
Barand Hauffman was a bit put out by that, apparently.He and Clancy had apparently had a falling out—and there was a famous guy flirting with Clancy almost right in front of him.It had potential to be a nasty situation.Cal was keeping his eye on that situation, too.Until Em’s cousin Mason stepped between them all and said something that had Em and Clancy stomping off to the restrooms.
Were these dances always so much chaos now?It had been a few years since he’d been to one, but he didn’t remember them being like this.It was almost like a soap opera.
Jennifer Smith stopped by his table to ask him to dance.Again.She was a clerk at the county assessor’s office he’d met before.She wanted to further their acquaintance in a way Cal was definitely not interested in.She and her older sister Joanie were not nice women.And were after men with money.He knew that well enough.
Cal barely escaped her in time.And then he looked up and saw the woman he was really there to see.
Hell.Auggie was next to the actor that everyone drooled over.Slater Davis.
And that asshole wastalkingto Auggie, a fascinated look on his face.
He’d seen some of the man’s movies.The guy was damned talented, but he had no business looking at Auggie like that.Talking to her that intently.Cal had retreated himself, needing time to strategize.He was going to get that woman to dance with him tonight—he just hadn’t figured out how to manage it.
But...she looked damned good in that blue dress.It showed every beautiful curve the woman possessed to excellent advantage.She’d pulled half the wild curls up, too.The rest trailed down her back, seductively.
Hell, she looked like a soccer mommy dressed up for date night out with the daddy, but she made his mouth water.In a way heneverwould have expected Auggie Tyler to ever do.He’d never found soccer mom attractive before.Until now.
Damn it.
Slater Davis was obviously hitting on her.The man was staring at her like she was a goddess and he just a mere mortal man.Calunderstood,of course.
But…
Cal straightened.Something waswrong.
Auggie’s attention wasn’t on the actor.Even though other women were obviously drooling over him.She was scanning the crowd, a pinched look on her beautiful face that he couldn’t miss, even where he was across the room.
Auggie was looking for someone.
There was worry on her face.And…he’d seen her wince, from clear across the hall.Saw the way she swayed a bit.Saw the way that damned Slater Davis put his hand on her back to help steady her.
She was hurting.And she was worried.
He didn’t know what made him do it, but he started counting.
Counting redheaded devil creatures one through nine.
Auggie and Em were with the Davis brothers and Clancy.Two.Junie was talking to Dusty and Daisy Talley, the baby held in her arms, across the room.Four.He saw the teenager and the preschooler near the refreshment table.Six.It was the lisper and the gross kissing one and the bloodthirsty little one in between them that were missing.Tobi, Jules, and Avril.Those three.
Where were those three little demon creatures?Cal knew exactly how much trouble three sisters could get into.He’d lived the experience time and time again, with his own.
Cal started across to the edge of where the tables ended and the dancing began.To Auggie.
He slipped between her and Slater Davis and wrapped his fingers around her elbow.He gently pulled her closer, until she could rest her weight against him a bit.“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”
She turned, looked up at him.Leaned closer.
“Have you seen Tobi, Avril, and Jules?They were right here a minute ago.I just turned around for a minute…” She swayed again.She was definitely hurting.She needed to sit.“They took off.”
