Page 31 of After You Returned

My stomach clenches. I want what they have. A woman who loves me. A woman who looks at me as if I hang the moon every night.

I glance over my shoulder. Hazel is greeting a new group at the front of the restaurant. And there’s the woman I want itall with. She notices me and smiles. My jealousy fades away. There’s no reason to be jealous when I will have a woman who loves me in my arms soon.

Jaxon pushes his glasses up his nose. “I’m merely wondering what the probability is of the six sons of a man who could only create boys, only creating girls.”

“Huh.” Paisley taps her chin. “This is interesting. We should calculate the odds.”

Eli wraps his arm around her shoulders and hauls her close to kiss her temple. “You’re not doing any calculations while we’re having a family dinner.”

The door flies open and bangs against the wall. Two men dressed as smugglers rush inside.

Pearl claps. “It’s starting!”

“We need to hide,” the first smuggler says.

The second smuggler glances around the room. “We need to hurry. The Prohis will be here soon.”

“We should have used the tunnels under City Hall. The Prohis wouldn’t follow us there.”

“I told you the tunnels are flooded.”

A whistle blows outside and the smugglers rush forward. “Let’s hide under the empty table over there.”

They’ve barely managed to crawl under the table when the door opens and two men dressed as Prohibition agents enter.

“Where are they?” The Prohi points his billy club at a woman diner.

“Can you be more specific? Where are who?”

He growls as he swaggers toward her. “Don’t make me arrest you for interfering with police business?”

Pearl climbs onto her chair. “I know where they are!”

Rhett wraps an arm around her thighs to steady her. “You’re supposed to pretend you don’t.”

“Is it a game?”

“Yes, it’s a game.”

“I love games.” Pearl giggles. “They went into the kitchen!”

The Prohibition agents saunter our way. “Are you certain, little lady?”

“Yep. They went that way.” She points to the kitchen.

“If you’re wrong, we’ll arrest you.”

She fists her hands at her hips. “No, you won’t. Daddy will protect me.”

Rhett nods and pulls her into his arms. No one is messing with his daughter.

“All right, little lady.” The Prohibition agents rush to the kitchen.

“You can come out now!” Pearl shouts once they’re gone.

The smugglers climb out from under the table. “Thanks, miss.” They tip their hats to her before scurrying out of the restaurant.

Applause breaks out.