The woman chuckled. The male voices resumed their conversation. There was no explosion.
Rhett’s hand found my lower back, his breath brushing my ear. “You okay?”
“Should we give them a minute to cool off?”
I looked over my shoulder and saw him scowling. “They’re not angry. C’mon. They’re dying to meet you.”
“Rhett, get that girl in here before I hobble over there myself.”
Rhett laughed, leading me into an open living room. Muted sunlight was hitting the snow through the trees, casting a bright light through the floor to ceiling windows and reflecting off dozens more framed photographs.
I glanced around as we approached an older woman in a reclining chair. The furniture was mismatched in a charming way. Mixed in with family photos were beautifully pressed plants in ornate frames, and detailed paintings of wolves and wilderness that reminded me of the mural when we entered town.
“Welcome home, Rhett.” The woman held her arms open, and Rhett crossed the room in two strides. His hand caught mine as he went, dragging me with him to stand over the chair.
She lifted herself out of her seat, wrapping her arms snugly around Rhett’s middle and squeezing so hard he grunted. Her eyes closed, the lines around them crinkling as she smiled.
“I’m so glad you’re safe,” she murmured. Cupping his cheek, she said, “I was going to challenge Levi myself if he didn’t get you home in one piece.”
Rhett shook his head. “We’re all in good hands with Levi. You don’t have to worry.”
The woman twisted her head in my direction, brown eyes assessing me. I resisted the urge to squirm, offering her my hand and saying, “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Maddox.”
I could only imagine what I looked like next to Rhett. He was clean-shaven, neatly dressed, and confident. I had slept on hair, pink skulls on my sweater, and enough tattoos to make someone’s grandma faint. Suddenly I was second-guessing this entire agreement.
I was not the kind of girl a man like Rhett would bring home to his mom under normal circumstances.
Rhett’s mom ignored my outstretched hand, shoving her son out of the way and wrapping me in an equally fierce hug. She was much stronger than she looked.
I hugged her back, trying to ignore the feeling of something unraveling inside me. I’d never been hugged by a mom like this before.
“Call me Cindy. Mrs. Maddox makes me feel old.”
“You are old, Mom,” Ross said sweetly as he walked into the kitchen. Two men were standing behind the kitchen island. One was talking animatedly, and the other was scowling, arms crossed, looking like he wasn’t sure he wanted to be there. They were both tall and broad, like Rhett.
The bigger one held up his hand to pause the other from talking, stomping from the kitchen and touching Rhett on the shoulder.
His tone didn’t match his affectionate demeanor when he said, “She shouldn’t be up.”
Rhett lifted an eyebrow. “Are you going to make her sit?”
“Mom, sit down.”
Cindy glowered up at her son before huffing and obeying him.
Ross whistled from the kitchen, licking his finger and saying, “I’ll never understand how you do that.” He winced when a wooden spoon came down on his hand, his other brother scolding him and shooing him away.
“Keep your grubby hands out of my gravy.”
A twinge of homesickness hit me—sharp and unexpected. The banter and teasing reminded me of my sisters. I hadn’t seen them both together since—well, since everything fell apart.
I couldn’t figure out why I had let myself become so isolated. This was exactly the kind of thing that cured heartbreak.
Ross laughed, swiping another taste and dodging the spoon. “You’ve been starving us all day.”
Rhett had impeccable manners and impressive patience, but I was still a little surprised this was his family. I stole a glance at him, noticing the tension melting from his neck as his eyes softened on his brothers.
No, I wasn’t surprised at all.
