Page 65 of Wilde Ride

“It’s called working out.” He winked. Then, as if he could sense my stare, he looked over to me. I quickly started down the steps, my eyes focused on the grass in front of me.

“Emeline!” Gatlin cried out. “Thank fuck!”

“Gatlin!” Ensley cried out. “Rhett is right here!”

My brother slapped a hand over his mouth. “I’m sorry, little dude, I keep forgetting!”

Rhett shrugged and went back to playing tug with Moose. He’d somehow found a tug toy in the backyard. I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Get in here and play with us. We need you!”

I looked around at everyone except Levi. I did everything I could to avoid him, in fact. “As fun as that sounds, Mom said dinner’s almost finished.”

“No!” Caden and Gatlin shouted at the same time.

“They’re up by one!” Gatlin added.

I put my hands up, a silent way of saying don’t shoot the messenger. “Sorry, but I didn’t come here to play; I came to eat.”

Turning to Rhett, I held out my hand. “Want to sit next to me? We can talk about camp, which starts soon.”

Rhett quickly took me up on my offer, leaving poor Moose standing there with his tug toy.

“Can your dog sit by us too?” Rhett asked.

“Moose usually sits by my father, but I bet if you sneak him a cucumber from your salad, he’ll be your very best friend.”

Rhett jumped in excitement. “Come on, Moose! I’ll give you a cucumber!”

Moose barreled by us and straight to the back door. I glanced in Levi’s direction and saw he was putting on his T-shirt. He looked up, and our eyes caught. He smiled, and I returned the gesture before he could see my cheeks heat for getting busted ogling his body. I dashed up the steps and into the house, Rhett in tow.

Once inside, Rhett let go of my hand and rushed over to my mother. “Is there anything you need me to do?”

My mother and father both smiled down at him, with Dad ruffling Rhett’s hair. “You are such a great kid. Go wash your hands is all you need to do.”

Rhett rushed off to the half bathroom, Moose running behind him. My mother and father both looked at me with quizzical expressions.

“What?”

Neither said anything, and before I could ask why they were looking at me that way, everyone else walked in and chatter quickly filled the kitchen.

“Wash up!” my mother shouted, and people splintered off in different directions.

Rhett reappeared in the kitchen first and was tasked with bringing the breadbasket into the dining room. I helped bring out the lasagna, while Dad put the salad and four different bottles of dressing on the table.

“Where do you sit, Ms. Emeline?” Rhett asked.

I pointed to my usual spot. “Right there.”

“Is that someone else’s spot?” he asked, pointing to the chair at the end, next to mine.

The warmth that spread through my chest was foreign to me, but it made me smile. If I wasn’t careful, I was going to fall in love with another Tucker. “Nope, no one sits there, so you’re more than welcome to.”

Levi was the first to enter the dining room. He drew in a deep breath through his nose and smiled at my mother. “I’ve missed your lasagna.”

“Rhett, did you want your dad to make your plate, or may I?” I asked.

“You can, Ms. Emeline,” he answered. Taking his father’s hand, he led him to the seat next to mine. “Dad, you sit here.”