“Distracted.Hunter sent me a new children’s movie from that studio in Texas.The kids really enjoyed it.It’s not even in theaters yet.Sage made popcorn balls with the older girls.Shane’s kids are both here, too.Jan’s been distracted, and I think Jules knows, as well, though.”
“I’ll talk to them.”
“Truth—how badly did he hurt you?”Her cousin cupped her cheek and looked into her eyes.Cal and Gil had tangled before, but there was no denying he loved his family.
“I’m good, Gil.I promise.He mostly just shoved me away from the desk so he could get to the door.Cal is the one who fought with him.Not me.”
Gil looked at him.He and Auggie favored each other strongly.“You good, Grady?Thanks for driving her home.”
Here’s your hat, where’s your hurry?Cal smirked right at him.Hell, he understood—he did have Claudia-, Cloe-, and Clancy-beasts of his own to watch over.“I’m good.The day I can’t take a Tyler on, is the day I’m done for.”
“You two will behave,” Auggie told them both.“Or else.And Grady—I will take you up on that bet.”
“It wouldn’t be a fair fight.I am already yours to do with as you wish.”
Her cheeks flamed bright red at that.He knew exactly what she was thinking now.
“Behave yourself with her.That’s all I am saying.And don’t ever hurt her.Or you’ll have more thanoneTyler to take on.”Gil practically growled the words.Cal understood.
“You have my word.I willneverdo anything to hurt her.Or the rest of her little feral pack of she-devils.”He looked at her, holding that precious little girl.“Any of them.I promise.”
“Then, come on inside.There are rum-flavored popcorn balls left.I saved some for us grown ups, just in case.”
Just like that, Cal was in the inner sanctum with his woman.
He reached out and took his favorite preschooler when Markie leaned toward him.“Hi, Mister Cow-way.Me have popcorn stickies.Baby Miss Missy, too.They good.”
“Sage cut the popcorn balls into small pieces for her,” Gil said, leading the way into the big house.
Cal adjusted her more comfortably—and the sticky-covered doll in question.Poor Baby Miss Missy.That doll had really been through hell in the last twenty-five years, that was for sure.Cal had definitely gotten his money’s worth when he’d picked that doll out so long ago.That thing hadlasted.
“Oh, I bet she loved that.Aunt Claudia always loved sticky things, too.She’d get sticky handprints on everything when she was three.”
Markie just nodded and let him carry her.Cal ignored the twinge in his ribs.Some things were worth it.
“Don’t overdo it with the ribs, Cow-way,” Auggie said, smirking at him.“Mister Tough Guy.”
“I have my reputation to uphold.”
48
The girls wereall over them.Tobi wanted to sit next to her—right between Auggie and Cal.Markie had apparently claimed him and was telling him all about the upcoming Tyler weddings she was going to be in, with pretty dresses.And then she proclaimed she was going to marry Kam-run next week because he liked numbers and she liked numbers.
Markie was a girl who knew what she wanted, that was for sure.
Jules and January were still a bit tense.Auggie would pull those two aside and have a heart-to-heart after the younger girls were asleep.Avril and Tobi were blissfully unaware of why they were staying at Gil’s now.They were just happy they were—and why not, movie theater and indoor pool in the basement, arcade games, horses to ride—it was a kids’ playground at Gil and Sage’s.And they were safe.
She hadn’t missed the armed security guards at the driveway entrance now.Gil had built them a small guard shack to use asheadquarters,after what had happened to Sage before.Gil was almost fanatical about protecting the people he loved.The girls were safe here.She could breathe again now.
“She’s asleep,” Cal whispered in her ear.“Markie is almost out, too.”
Auggie looked down at the monster curled up against her side.Tobi’s eyes were closed and she was drooling.Maeya was on Auggie’s lap, and had been asleep for a long while.Markie was draped across Cal’s chest.She definitely had claimed him as one of her favorite people.Avril was watching the movie, curled up in one of the larger theater chairs, her head on Sage’s knee.Sage’s niece Larkin, a few years younger than Avril, was on Sage’s other knee.The lone boy, Langton, was a year older than Markie.He and Gil werebuddies,completely.He was sitting in a recliner identical to Gil’s just on a much smaller scale.He had said he was going to be a cowboy like Uncle Gilanda doctor like his daddy.
Jules was reading in one corner, next to a recessed light.That child would rather read than do anything.Especially when something was stressing her.And January…was just sitting there, watching over them all.
That just left Em and Junie—she checked on them quickly.They were in seats on Cal’s other side.Theywere both sound asleep, too.
“None of us slept well last night.”
