She studies me for a beat, then nods.
“Savvy, it’s good to see you out of the hospital,” Romans says.
Grey growls. Loudly.
Savvy sighs. “I’ll tell you what I’ve been telling Grey. It wasn’t your fault, Roman. You were hired to do a job, and you did everything you could have done…given the circumstances.”
Roman swallows and breaks eye contact, focusing on the ground.
“Damn stubborn assholes,” Savvy mutters as their other friend joins them.
“Now that’s something I hear a lot of,” Elle says, holding out her hand to Grant. “Hi, I’m Elle, we met briefly…before. Welcome to Happiness. We’re not usually this, ah, intense.”
“Yes, we are,” Madi corrects. “But we’re also excellent hosts. You guys must be starving. I’ve got lunch ready at the inn, and—” She glances at the wagon. “Pie. Obviously. We’re just dropping off some extras for Blissy to sell off for the girls’ basketball team.”
“I love pie.” Freaking Chase. He just can’t help but be goofily charming.
“Great,” Madi beams up at him. “Help me drag these inside, and then we can head over to the inn for lunch.”
“We’d like that,” Sterling says, and even he appears more relaxed than I’ve seen him in days. Perhaps there’s something in the air here.
“Well, don’t just stand there,” Madi says, handing them a pie for each hand. “Get these to Blissy. I’ve got rooms ready for you at the inn, hot food, and approximately seven thousand questions.”
“Madi,” Clover groans.
“What?” she huffs, still taking my measure. “I’m just being honest. You show up from your road trip with five hot men, one of whom looks as though he’s declared himself your possessive boyfriend who won’t let you out of his sight, and in this case, I don’t mind that particular trait, but did you seriously think I wouldn’t have questions?”
“Boyfriend?” Chase mouths at me while waggling his eyebrows. He stopped maturing at the age of thirteen.
I flip him off behind Clover’s back, carry the pies inside, then follow Clover’s directions back to the inn.
Madi leads the way, and even though I’ve been here before, it hits different when I look at it as a family home and not something I have to secure.
Roman’s gaze darts from one window to the next, and I relax even further, knowing he’s doing the job I’m not prepared to do right now—not when I’m so…invested.
Madi’s place may double as an inn, but it’s more of a home than any place I’ve ever owned.
The hardwood floors gleam, but it’s the photographs on every wall showing the family they’ve created that stops me in my tracks.
No wonder Clover feels so comfortable around these people. If the photos are any indication, this entire damn town adopted her and never let her go.
“Your rooms are upstairs, and don’t even think about telling me you’re staying at the old cracked-up Airbnb.” She scolds Grant with a finger pointed at his chest. “Moose was over thereyesterday. He said there isn’t even hot water. And hear me when I say this, we’re all sticking together this time.”
She winks, and one of my cousins audibly gulps. “Clover and Valen will be on the third floor. On the second floor, I’ve got three doubles and two singles available. You boys work out sleeping arrangements while I finish setting the table.”
“I’ll help,” Clover says, following her friend.
“No, you won’t.” Savvy grabs her arm. “You’re going to sit on that couch and tell us everything. Don’t even think about arguing.” She waves at herself in her wheelchair. “I almost died for my secrets. We’re not doing that shit anymore. Learn from my mistakes, Clover, and let us in.”
Clover appears so lost as she stares around the room, her gaze falling on me.
“Go,” I tell her, since we have teams surrounding the property. “I’ll referee the room negotiations.”
Chase scoffs.
“You can’t even correctly call a touchdown,” Grant mutters as Clover’s pulled into the sitting room, Elle and Savvy flanking her like bodyguards would.
As much as I don’t want to leave her side, I know she needs this time with them, so I begrudgingly follow my idiots up the stairs while she talks to hers.
