Dutch was staring at his mother.
She was glaring at Hound.
But before Georgie could catch Hound’s hand, Keely snapped,“If that book is what I think it is, don’t you take one single step out of thisroom, Hound Ironside.”Her eyes swung to Georgie.“You either, Georgiana.”
“Woman, this needs to be Black’s,” Hound returned.
Dutch felt his throat close and his arm around Georgie, whowas nestled into him in a cuddle chair, tightened.
“Okay, it wasn’t my place—” Georgie started.
“It is absolutely our place.And you were right, it’s hightime and was about twenty years ago,” Keely decreed, reached for the book,opened it and lifted her gaze to Hound.“The brothers help with this?”
“Yeah,” he grunted.
She looked down at the opened scrapbook.
And her face got soft.
“Seriously, your father was one good-lookin’man,” she whispered.
Dutch’s attention shot to Hound.
But he just said, “That brother got all the good pussy.”
“He sure did,” Keely agreed.
Georgie giggled, somewhat nervously, mostly with humor.
“Someone, kill me,” Jagger said.“I mean it.Right now.Killme dead.”
“Shut up, Jagger, and come sit by your momma,” Keely cooed,flipping through the pages.
“She’stalkin’ to me like I’mWilder’s age, so, seriously,” Jag was staring at Dutch, “kill me.”
It was then it struck Dutch for the first time that his babybrother was at the age Dutch was when he’d lost his dad.
But Wilder was asleep in his bed, and outside in his livingroom was a mom and a dad, two brothers, a sister, a ridiculously social cat,and so many presents waiting for him to open up the next morning, it was morethan a little insane.
And that was when it occurred to him that God took his dadaway so they could have Hound, Wilder and all of this.
Dutch did not know if he’d trade it to have his dad back.Hedid not know, if his dad knew this was what would happen, if he’d welcome thatblade at his throat to give them the precious things that would come to theirlives after he was gone.
He just knew his father loved Keely, Dutch, Jagger, Hound,he’d adore Georgie because he’d know Dutch did, as well as Wilder.
So in the end, it didn’t matter.
This was what they had.
And it was beautiful.
And Graham Black would think the same thing.
He pushed Georgie up in front of him then took her hand andguided her down on his lap as he sat beside his mother who had shifted to themiddle of the couch.
She didn’t stay seated for long.
Hound pulled her up, sat in her place, then yanked her downon his lap.
