Three men look up as we enter, and the room goes silent.
"Well, well," one of them says, a grin spreading across his face. He's got dark hair and an easy smile that probably gets him in trouble. "Mason brought home a stray."
"Fuck off, Rhett," Mason says, but there's no heat in it.
"Language!" Tucker warns, gesturing at the two little girls who've already climbed onto chairs at the table.
Rhett has the grace to look sheepish. "Sorry. Mason brought home a guest."
"This is Lily," Mason says, his hand settling on the small of my back. The touch is possessive and comforting at the same time. "And her daughter Rosie. They're staying in Wade and Sierra's cottage while those two are off being disgustingly romantic somewhere."
A tall man with brown hair steps forward, extending his hand. "Boone Sullivan. Nice to meet you."
"Lily." I shake his hand, noting the gentle strength there. "Thank you for having us."
"Another Sullivan here," a younger man says, also standing. He looks like Boone but younger and with more volatile energy. "Colt. Boone's better-looking younger brother."
"By six years and debatable on the looks," Boone says dryly.
"And I'm Garrett Palmer," the one called Rhett says, "but everyone calls me Rhett. I handle the business side of things, which means I'm the only one here who can actually do math."
"That's bullshit," Mason protests. "I can do math."
"Adding up how many beers you drank last night doesn't count," Colt shoots back.
The banter is easy, natural. These men have clearly been together for years, their relationships worn smooth by time and trust. It reminds me of what I never had—siblings, family, people who knew you well enough to tease you and love you anyway.
"Ignore them," Tucker says, setting plates on the table. "They're like children. Speaking of which, Emma, Rosie, what do you want to drink? We've got milk, juice, water."
"Juice!" both girls chorus together, and I can already see Emma taking Rosie under her wing, the seven-year-old acting like a protective big sister.
"Sit," Mason murmurs to me, pulling out a chair. "I'll help Tucker with lunch."
I sink into the chair, Rosie immediately climbing into my lap despite the empty seat beside me. She's overwhelmed, I can tell. New place, new people, too much stimulation. She buries her face in my neck, and I stroke her curls, murmuring reassurances.
"She's adorable," Boone says from across the table, his voice gentle. "How old?"
"Two." I adjust Rosie on my lap. "She'll warm up once she gets used to everyone. She's just shy at first."
"Emma was the same way at that age," Tucker says, bringing over sandwiches. "Now we can't get her to stop talking."
"I heard that, Dad!" Emma calls from where she's coloring at the end of the table.
The men laugh, and slowly the conversation flows around me. They ask polite questions—where I'm from (I stay vague), what brought me to Blackwater Falls (looking for work), what I think of Montana so far (beautiful but cold). They don't pry, don't push for details I'm not ready to give.
Mason and Tucker work together in the kitchen, assembling sandwiches and pouring drinks. These men take care of each other. Cook for each other. Create a home together.
"So, Mason said you're looking at the job at Sarah's place?" Tucker asks, taking a massive bite of his sandwich.
"Yeah. He offered to introduce me, put in a good word." I glance at Mason, who's setting a plate in front of me. "If you don't mind me asking, what exactly do you know about the position?"
"Sarah needs help behind the bar and with the books," Rhett explains. "She's getting older, doesn't want to work seven nights a week anymore. The nighttime daycare thing is new. She set it up about six months ago when one of her bartenders needed it. Figured other people might too."
"That's incredibly generous of her."
"Sarah's good people," Colt says. "Tough as nails, doesn't take shit from anyone, but fair. If she hires you, she'll treat you right."
Mason slides into the chair beside me, his thigh pressing against mine under the table. It's casual, probably unconscious, but it sends heat flooding through my body. I shift slightly, trying toput some distance between us, but there's nowhere to go without being obvious.
