He kept their hands joined until the left turn into the Pinecrest lakefront community loomed. Settled now, more secure than she’d felt all morning, Holly eyed the tall home Sue loved so much. The deep red brick and white trim had been the height of fashion back when D had had the home built for her and Pinecrest was theitsuburb around Coney. The man wanted her to be happy, and it showed in every decision he made. The house was as much an assertion of love as Colt’s cabin was his independence and maybe a touch of rebellion. She bet his little home made Sue crazy.
And that was kinda crazy because he was more of a lowkey mama’s boy than Tick was. He adored Sue, despite her issues, and went out of his way to keep her life calm.
Drawing the truck to a halt behind his daddy’s silver Ford, he lifted a brow. “Remember, I warned you.”
She pushed her door open and stepped out on the pristine concrete walkway. “Stop being mean about Sue.”
“You know you’re supposed to let me come around and open that.” He tossed the words across the hood before meeting her at the front of the truck.
“Only when we’re going out somewhere.” She gestured toward the house, the garage door open, everything neatly in its place. “This is lunch at your mama’s.”
“Oh, little girl.” He grimaced. “That is going out.”
“I’m not sure little girl is any better than babe.” She slipped her hand into his as they approached the garage.
He smirked. “You do realize Gene’s pet name for Louise is ‘hot mama,’ right?”
“I do.” Because Tick knew it and melted down over that endearment on the regular. Of course he called Caitlin ‘precious’ and how lame and gag-inducing was that? “Don’t you dare.”
“Oh, no.” He swung the storm door open and perched on the steps to wave her ahead of him. “When he’s not calling her Sue Ellen, D calls Sue ‘sweetness,’ and we are not going there, either.”
“What does she call him?” She paused with her hand on the doorknob, looking at him over her shoulder, which wasn’t a hardship, since his stance highlighted those rockhard thighs under tight denim and the length of his body. My Lord, he was put together well.
“Sugarbear.” His pained expression tickled her, drawing a helpless smile to her lips. “Don’t even think about it. Colton is just fine since you’re theonlyperson who calls me that.”
“Really?” She wrinkled her nose. Shoot, she’d called him Colton since high school. She liked being the only person to use that name, like it was some kind of secret between them.
“Really.” He came up a step, closer to her, chest brushing her shoulder, surrounding her with cedar and ocean salt, maybe a hint of starch from his shirt and leather from his boots. He dropped his head, not quite kissing her, so she felt his whisper over her lips. “I kinda like it.”
“Good.” She tilted her chin, bringing their mouths together. “What else do you like?”
His palm made contact with her right butt cheek, hard enough to sting through the thin knit of her dress. “Stop teasing when I have to go in here and deal with my mama.”
“You make it sound like a hardship.” She spun and pushed the door open, stepping into the perfectly organized laundry room. “I know how much she loves you.”
His mutter behind her almost sounded like “That’s the problem,” muffled by whatever tumbled in the dryer.
“Colt, is that you?” Sue called from the kitchen, and his sigh was audible.
“Yes, ma’am.” His perfectly even tone concealed the sarcastic reply he was biting back. Holly walked ahead of him to the kitchen. She’d been in and out of this house for years when they’d done homework together in high school and when she’d been included in a handful of family events, wedding or baby showers, as his or Tick’s or Del’s friend.
“Holly, sweetheart, it’s so good to see you. I’m glad he brought you.” Sue bestowed a tight hug on her. The bright yellow kitchen with Mrs. Sue’s collection of blueware hadn’t changed a bit since Deanne’s last baby shower.
“Thank you for having me.” Holly returned her hug. Something spicy and cheesy hung in the air, melding with the yeasty smell of rolls. Salad makings waited on the counter with a large wooden bowl.
Sue released her to lean up and kiss Colt’s cheek. “A little advance notice would have been nice.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He dropped his mouth atop her hair. “I’ll do better.”
Holly sucked in a sharp breath and everything she wanted to say with it. Oh, Sue . . . they really needed to spend some time together.
His mother patted between his shoulder blades. “Go speak to your daddy.”
Pinning on a bright smile, Holly swept a hand toward the salad makings and the bread basket waiting beside the range. “What can I do to help?”
“Not a thing.” Sue shooed her toward the kitchen door and the formal dining room beyond. “Go with him to say hey to D.”
Colt ushered her ahead of him. In the dining room, perfect table settings gleamed under the brass and crystal chandelier, one of Mrs. Sue’s fresh floral arrangements, low enough to allow for conversation and brimming with fall colors, in the center.
