“I appreciate that, Reno.” I step closer and hold out my hand.
He shakes it, but his eyes hold a hint of warning. “Don’t fucking hurt her or it won’t be Bubba you need to worry about.”
My gaze doesn’t waver. “I won’t, and if I do, I’ll drive myself up here so you can beat me with a hockey stick.”
His lips twitch. “Fair enough. Now let’s go inside and see what the girls are up to.”
I’m a little relieved. That was easier than I thought. As we turn to go inside, I feel a sharp pain on my backside. I snap my head toward Reno, rubbing my right butt cheek. “Dude, did you just pinch my ass?”
He frowns for a second before whirling around with his hands on his hips. “Billy! Did you bite our guest?”
The male goat grins. Literally grins with big, crooked teeth before trotting off.
Reno grips my shoulder and turns me around, bending to inspect my ass. “Sorry about that, man. It doesn’t look like he tore your jeans or anything. You all right?”
“I’m fine,” I say with a chuckle. “Just a nip.”
He stands. “Seriously, I’m sorry. He’s never bitten anyone but me. With the kids, he hops around and plays like a goddamn puppy, but for some reason he thinks my ass is tasty.”
“Apparently mine is too. I feel like you and I are bonded now or something.”
Reno shakes his head as we walk toward the house. “Don’t push your luck, Hale. You’re still on thin ice with me.”
The meeting with the rest of the family goes better than expected. Or at least there's no melee, and I’m pretty sure that’s because Reno had a talk with Bubba outside before the big family meeting. Xander isn’t here because he’s studying for some big exam he’s got coming up in the new year, but the rest of them are all here. Both fathers, Reno, Bubba, Juliette, and Bubba’s wife, Holly.
Reno’s mom has the kids upstairs while we talk, and I patiently answer all the questions they throw at me. Well, everyone except Bubba, who remains quiet. The man has scowling down to an art form, and if his eyes were laser beams, I’d be toast. Through it all, Jordie holds my hand and gives me encouraging squeezes.
Finally she asks, “So is everyone satisfied, or are we continuing the inquisition aboutmylove life?”
“I think he’s too old for you,” Bubba grumbles, speaking for the first time from the chair across from where we’re seated on the couch.
“He’s younger than you,” she shoots back.
That takes him down a notch, and he crosses his arms over his chest. Jordie adopts the same posture, and they engage in a stare down. After a tense silence, her brother heaves out an aggrieved breath.
“Fine. I know you’re a grownup now, and maybe I’m having trouble coming to terms with that.”
Jordie relaxes her own posture and replies, “Well, that’s ayouproblem. Not ameproblem. And we have bigger things to worry about than your sullen attitude.”
All attention is on her now, and I grasp her hand, letting her feel my support. This is what she’s been most worried about.
“The reason we decided to tell everyone now is because our relationship is about to go public.” She pauses. “Because I’m being blackmailed.”
That throws the room into an uproar with everyone yellingquestions at once, wanting to know who and why and if she’s called the police.
Jordie holds up a hand, and eventually everyone settles down. “They want a quarter of a million dollars or they’re going to release photos of me and Phoenix to the press.”
“What kind of pictures?” Emmett, her biological dad growls, shooting me a look.
“Notthatkind,” she assures him. “They have pictures of me arriving at Phoenix’s house, hugging, a few kissing shots. In the photos, we’re obviously a couple. The blackmailers think the press will paint it as some kind of illicit affair and it will tarnish my reputation.”
“That’s fucking bullshit,” Bubba snaps. “You’re an adult capable of making your own decisions, and you’re not doing anything wrong.”
Holly turns her head slowly toward her husband, giving him the side-eye for his obvious change in attitude. “Really, Bubba?”
He lets out an annoyed sound before giving his attention back to Jordie. “Do you know who’s blackmailing you, hon? Because I can pay them a fucking visit.”
“It’s…” I put my arm protectively around her shoulders, and she swallows hard before finishing. “Delphine.”
