Page 83 of The Billionaire Who Saved My Cat From The Mafia

“Where’ve you been?”Phoebe comes around the corner right behind Summer.And following her are Victoria and Emma.

“We’d like a word,” Victoria says.

Two minutes later, my four sisters-in-law are circling me like a pack of hyenas around a gazelle.

“What’s going on?”Victoria asks me.She frowns and looks me up and down.“You’ve been with the woman up on the ridge, haven’t you?”

“I gotta go,” I say.”

“Stop right there.”That’s Emma.I don’t think I’ve ever heard her speak so sharply to me.To anyone, really.Even Finn, who most definitely deserves it.

Emma’s usually focused on feeding folks at her restaurant or her home while being a loving mom to Jasmine and wife to Finn.But here she is scowling at me.Snapping.I don’t like it.

“We just wondered what’s going on with you and Harper,” Phoebe says.“It’s a little confusing, and Evander says he has no idea what the deal is.Your dad and Aunt Phyllis are annoyed that you left them to deal with it.”

“Finn said the same,” Emma notes.“He claims he’s got no insight into the situation.”

“Cal won’t even talk about it,” Victoria says.“I have a feeling he knows more than he feels comfortable sharing.”

I stop in my tracks and close my eyes.This can’t be happening.Not now.

Summer walks right up to me and intentionally stands on the toe of my cowboy boot.I hate when she does that.I open one eye and snarl down at her.

“Listen up, hot stuff,” she says.“You have to deal with this situation.Harper says she’s still in love with you, but I told her that if she’s looking for emotional fulfillment she’d be way better off getting a hobby, you know, like collecting discarded cigarette butts off the sidewalk.”

“Excuse me.”I place my hands on either side of Summer’s expanding waist and pick her straight up off my shoe, setting her aside.Then I head toward the safety of my own home.

“She’s been very nice to everyone, but something’s off,” Emma says.

“Too nice,” Victoria says.“She’s trying too hard.I think she’s been waiting for you to come back.She’s determined to hash it out with you, Special K.”

“That’s unfortunate,” I say.

“I’m not sure you should give her another chance,” Emma says.

“And she’s still at our house!”Phoebe throws up her arms in frustration.

I stop.I eye them all.

“Wait a second,” I say, finally hearing what they’re telling me.“Harper’s stillhere?Oh, fucking hell.”I wipe my eyes with my open palm.

“We just want you to be happy,” Emma explains.

“Tell us about the woman on the mountain.”Summer says.“Is she hot?How hot?”

I shake my head and march toward my front porch.All four women are at my heels.I open the door, and they walk in behind me, following me to the kitchen.I open the refrigerator and grab myself a beer.“Anybody else want one?”I ask without turning around.

When I do turn, I find them waiting.All their heads are tipped at the exact same angle, like birds on a telephone cable.

“What?”I take a swig and swallow it down.“I don’t know what you want from me here.Are you trying to play matchmaker with me and Harper, because if that’s the plan, you’ve completely missed the plot.”

They look at each other, confused.

“Listen,” I say.“Harper isn’t MacLaine material.MacLaines have each other’s backs no matter what.Harper is no MacLaine.You get me?”

“Whoa,” Summer says.“You’ve never said anything like that about her before.”

“Because I’ve never talked about her before.There’s nothing to say.”