“Ian? It would be Warren barreling in here with Emery egging him on, claiming he definitely wasn't strong enough.” Bowen rolls his eyes, but I can see the humor in them.
I blink.
“Warren? Emery?”
He barks a laugh. “Don't you remember any of Ian's brothers? He has at least twelve different obnoxious ones.”
“Twelve?” I balk. I remember a few other boys now that he mentions it, but they were never at the lake as much as Ian was.
“Feels like it sometimes. There are five Bennet boys, and Jo and Clint, their parents.” Bowen pushes my hair back and smirks. “Jo will love you.”
I don't miss the fondness in his voice, or the way his lips quirk in a genuine tilt that I don't see often.
“I wasn't invited.”
“Uh, I think Ian's exact words were, ‘Mom already set Kit a plate. Don't break her heart; she's got really good aim and a hundred wooden spoons.’”
I guess I'm going to meet the Bennets.
Kit
The long driveway is similar to the one for our cabin. Gravel, lined with just a strip of grass on either side, before the tree line starts. The truck tires crunch as Bowen drives us down, and I keep glancing over at him.
It's so surreal.
Especially when he glances back, always flicking his eyes down to my mouth before they go back to the road. I asked him why we didn’t just walk over, but apparently, the Bennet property is three times the size, with many different homes on it. Ian happens to live in the cabin closest to the lake now, the one that used to be the Bennet boy hangout.
The main house is towards the front of the property. And it's beautiful. A pristine white two-story house that looks like it came straight out of a farmhouse magazine. Wraparound porch with hanging ferns, rocking chairs and pots of colorful flowers up the steps. There are bushes in the front garden, a chicken coop off to the side and a massive man wearinga leather vest, cargo shorts and combat boots watering what looks like a vegetable garden.
“Who is that?” And why am I so nervous? I feel like I’m about to meet his parents. Which is really bizarre considering his actual mom is like a second Mother to me.
“Clint. He looks intimidating, but he’s soft,” Bowen says. He does not look soft. Just intimidating. Especially when he looks over at the truck as we park next to the line of cars. Nothing soft about the way he glares, making the purple hose in his hand look like a weapon.
“Boe…” I’m about to tell him maybe I shouldn’t have come when the screen door in the front of the house bangs open, and a man that’s somehow bigger than Clint comes out with Ian’s head tucked into the crook of his arm.
“You’re fine, kitten. Just don’t ask about the missing brother. Don’t look Emery in the eye for more than five seconds. Don’t forget to take seconds of whatever Jo cooked. Don’t engage with Gus.” Bowen swings open his door, twirling the keys around his finger. “And don’t let Zane embarrass you about the hickey on your neck.”
The assholelaughsas he closes the door.
“Bowen,” I hiss-yell after him, frantically pulling down the visor. No mirror.
Who doesn’t have a mirror in their visor?
I don’t have long to panic, not even long enough to break off the damn rear-view mirror to inspect my neck before my door is opened, and a grinning Ian is standing there.
“Kit! Why are you still in here?” His smile is just as sunny as it was the other day at the lake.
“Uh.” My laugh is awkward, and I scratch at my neck. “Considering some life choices?”
Ian zeros in on my neck and makes an “Oooohhhhh” sound right before Bowen hip checks him out of the way and holds a hand out for me to climb down.
“Don’t be weird,” he says, and I honestly don’t know if he’s talking to me or the maniacally grinning Ian. He’s got his hands on his hips, looking at us with a smug grin, like a proud dad.
I’m going to break out in hives.
“You’re going to scare him away, Eeyore. Back the muscles up,” someone yells, and I look to the porch to see a much smaller man leaning against the banister. He’s got long, perfectly styled brown hair, and he’s wearing a baby pink romper. Huh.
I let Bowen lead me to the porch, past a still-glaring Clint, who moves his whole body to follow us with it. Hose watering nothing but the grass. The guy who had Ian in a headlock is picking berries off a bush…also watching us.
