“Why are you smirking like that?”
“You want sausage with your beans?” he asks, grabbing his crotch.
I roll my eyes. “You’re disgusting.”
“My point stands.”
My Colt is back.
We finish our makeshift breakfast, and just as I’m clearing the plates, there’s a knock at the front door. Colt and I glance at each other.
“Expecting someone?” he asks.
I shake my head. “Nope.”
We walk to the door together, and I brace for Hux, but it’s Joseph standing there with Princess barreling inside at full speed. She jumps up at my legs.
“Mummy missed you,” I coo, scooping her into my arms.
“I think you love that dog more than me,” Colt mutters.
“Sometimes I do,” I tease.
Joseph laughs. “So, I take it… things are back to normal?”
Colt wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me in. “Yeah. I’ve got my girls back. Thanks for bringing her home.”
“They belong here.”
But then another car’s wheels crunch up the driveway.
Colt stiffens. “What the fuck ishedoing here?”
I place a calming hand on his arm. “Let him explain. You two need to sort this out.”
He folds his arms but doesn’t argue.
“Hey Joseph,” I say brightly. “Have you seen the willow tree?”
Everyone turns to me like I’ve grown an extra head.
“Uh, yeah. You got married under it, remember?” Joseph replies.
I give him a wide-eyed get-with-the-program look.
“Oh!Thatwillow tree. Yeah, you better show me again.”
“Subtle, Dee,” Colt mutters, but I shoot him a pleading glance.
“No violence,” I whisper.
He exhales and nods as Joseph and I step outside, Princess trotting after us. It’s freezing, and I instantly regret my lack of layers, but we need to give the Slade brothers their space.
After what feels like forever—and losing all feeling in my toes—we head back in. I brace for shouting or bloodshed, but what I hear instead is music.
Joseph glances at me, and I can’t fight the bright smile lighting my face.
We follow the sound to the music room and find the brothers sitting with their guitars, playing together, grinning like nothing ever happened.
