She shook her head against him.
He tightened his hold and kissed the top of her head. “We’ll get through this.”
She stepped back and lifted her glasses to wipe her eyes. “It won’t be easy.”
“Just hold onto all the good times,” Shane said, tugging her hair. Shane wasn’t affectionate like Max and Dom, but that was his way of showing brotherly love.
“Like when they put mud cakes in my slippers?” Jordan asked with a small giggle.
“Or when they left a raw fish in my car?” Dom added.
Shane laughed. “Or when we went hunting last year?”
“I’ll never forget that day.” Dom read the questioning look on her face and elaborated. “I can’t believe we never told you about it. So Dad sees this deer and he tells all of us to keep it down. So we try to be quiet as we move closer, but then Perry hears rustling behind us.”
“He thinks it’s a goddamn bear,” Shane filled in.
“And he starts tugging on Kevin’s sleeve, saying it’s a bear, Kev. I’m telling you it’s a bear. Dad keeps shushing him, but he’s convinced.”
Shane chuckled, obviously knowing where the story was going.
“And then he hears a twig snap and he’s just like: I’m out. He takes off and Kevin races after him. I’ve never seen them run so fast. He’s got a gun, Jo-jo, and he’s running through the woods screaming:they always eat the black dude first!” They were all laughing, but then Dom’s smile dropped and he shook his head, sadness settling over the kitchen again “Ah, Perry…You know what? We had fifteen good years with him.”
Jordan nodded, a bittersweet smile still tugging at her lips as she reminisced. Somehow remembering all the good times actually made her feel worse. Where the hell was Max?
“You boys ready to go?” Dad asked from behind her.
“Yeah,” Dom responded.
“We’re going to Momma B’s,” he said, giving her mom a quick kiss. “We have a few things to sort out before the funeraltomorrow.” He turned to Jordan. “He’s a good guy, Jo. I like him.”
She smiled, trying very hard to keep herself contained. Approval wasn’t necessary at this stage, but she was glad she got it.
“Who’s a good guy?” Shane asked. “Jordan brought a boy home?”
“A man,” she corrected.
“Well, let’s go meet him.” Shane was eagerly walking out the kitchen when Dom caught the back of his shirt and pulled him back.
“Ease up, Shane. We have other things to do right now.” And just when she thought she was off the hook, Dom gave her a knowing smile. “We’ll have alongchat with him later.”
Jordan groaned inwardly as they headed out the back door. Her brothers never treated her like a girl unless there was a man involved. She sent up a silent prayer, hoping that they would go easy on poor Tyler.
Although her mother still wore a vacant expression, her mood seemed to have lifted a little. “You brought a man home?” she asked, a slight gleam in her eyes.
Jordan knew that look too well. She’d seen it a million times when Max and Danny were around. It was a look of hope, a silent expectation of more grandbabies. “Don’t even let your thoughts go there, Ma.”
“What star sign is he?”
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t know. What star sign is non-committal and indecisive about what they want.”
“Oh, honey, that’s not a star sign. That’s just men.” She smiled. “I’m gonna go talk to him.”
“No, mom. Just—” Her words were cut short when an arm caught her around her neck and forced her down into a chokehold. Only one idiot would do that, the idiot she’d beenwaiting impatiently to see. “Max,” she yelled, jabbing her fists into his ribs. And then his knuckles rubbed hard against her head. She’d wanted to see him, but this she could have done without. Time for reinforcement. “Mom!”
“Max, let go of your sister.”
He let her out of the chokehold but kept his arm around her shoulder. “Hey, Jo-jo,” he said. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before shifting his attention. “Momma, how come you always take her side?”
