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Broderick
Take care of my girl. Counting down to Chicago. Booked a place not far from Pax. Easy to sneak off to.
Elora
See you soon, handsome.
“Not so thin, not so thin,” Noel reprimanded, snaking her way under Jameson’s bulky arm to grab the rolling pin. More than a little amused, I went to set my phone on the counter before thinking better of it and sliding it in my back pocket. Last thing I needed was her brothers seeing her name pop up with a list of the filthy things we did together. Fuck, I loved that woman. Who would’ve thought the illustrious Elora Rhodes would have such a dirty mouth.
“Don’t crush it, Hulk hands. Sweet baby cheeses. Roll it gently.” Noel rushed to set down her Hot Toddy and take over to salvage it. She’d just poured two mugs, which felt a little ambitious for seven pm on pie night.
I snickered as he scowled at the top of her red curls, not dumb enough to argue with her. “Where the hell is Max? He’s always good at this shit,” Jameson groused.
“He’ll be here in a bit. Don’t be such a baby.”
Side-eyeing the thickness Noel expected for the crust, I did my best to mimic it before holding my hands out like a kid presenting their clay turtle to their teacher.
“Yes! Perfect, Brod, just transfer it over to the pie pan and stab the bottom a few times with a fork.”
Running my tongue over a molar, I arched my brows as I glanced at a still-scowling James, feeling a bit smug.
“Oh, fuck off,” he grumbled as Noel re-rolled his piece of dough.
“You’re just jealous.”
“I did not crush it.”
“Totally did,” Noel said lightly, shooting him a glance as a stray red curl fell in her face. I snickered, grabbing my whiskey and clinking it to his before raising my own in salute. James smirked and was still shaking his head when he picked his glass up and brought it to his lips. Much to my relief, my best friend had never been the one to chatter or gossip, and beyond learning I hadn’t won, had asked no pressing questions about me or El. Which meant I’d yet to have to outright lie. Honestly, that was a tremendous relief. One I thanked the universe for as I set down my glass.
Axel raised on his tiptoes to peer over at my approved pie dough, mouth pinched as he studied. “About a quarter inch?”
“That measurement should be real familiar to you, little brother,” James said, a wry, crude grin on his face. I shook my head.
“Fuck off,” Axel said, rolling his eyes. The fifth of the dozen, Axel was essentially a younger, more mountainous version of Rhyett. His long blonde hair gave him an unhinged, baby Brad Pitt circa Troy vibe, a fact his siblings weren’t shy about reminding him of. Stubborn fucker still wouldn’t cut it. This was the quietest a Rhodes gathering had ever been. Their parents were happily roasting in their Florida retirement escape. Rhyett and Brex, Jeanne, El, Hadlee, and Finn were all in their respective homes. Pax had a home game on Thanksgiving Day, so he was stuck in Chicago. The twins were visiting Alice in Emerald Bay, and Maverick was deep in his first semester at school—although I suspected he’d crash at El’s for Thanksgiving.
We’d have the cousins and their kids for the actual day, but tonight was…small. Freakishly intimate, having grown up around this enormous tribe of weirdos. Despite years of being overwhelmed by the noise and chaos, and barrage of physical affection, I kinda missed them all.
“That’s twice in as many minutes, Wolverine,” Noel chided, smirking over her hot toddy. “That might be a record, even for you.”
“Not my fault Axel’s worried about his quarter incher.”
“Personally, I think thicker is better,” Noel said, somehow keeping a straight face like Jameson wasn’t insinuating his brother had a micro penis.
“Oh, I know,” James said, failing to do the same as he grabbed another dough ball from the bowl and dusted the counter.
“Gross, guys, seriously? Don’t ruin pie for me.”
My head snapped up when that familiar voice cut through the groans and laughter. Standing in the doorway, looking equally smug and anticipatory, was my girl. Elora’s face was pink with cold, her nose red like a little upturned cherry. My fingers ached to brush away the windswept hair falling free from the messy bun piled on top of her head. I tightened my grip on my glass instead.
“Heyyyyy!!” Axel threw his arms up in victory, sending flour flying everywhere.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” James barked, sloshing the whiskey as he slammed his glass down and made an open-armed beeline for the front door. El laughed, tossing her purse onto my couch like she belonged here. Was at home here. Maybe it had been Sarah that made her so uncomfortable the whole damn time.
“That’s how you greet your baby sister these days?!” she scolded, rolling her eyes, but she threw her arms open to wrap herself around his torso as he crushed her against his flannel-clad chest. Max came in my front door behind her, shaking off a black umbrella before doing the same thing to his hair. Like he was neatly planting all the loose droplets on my floor mat.
“Max, did you do this?” James barked, not hiding his grin. A twinge of guilt battled the elation in my chest as Max shook his head, hands raised in surrender. He could act as grouchy as he wanted to, but Jameson was the world’s biggest teddy bear for his family. To his sisters, especially. Not much longer, I promised myself, grinding my teeth in restraint, keeping my distance. Axel was next to wrap her up in a bear hug, lifting her feet off the ground in a fit of giggles. He gave her a good spin, and I eyed the exposed skin between her deep red sweater dress and furry knee-high boots. I can’t talk to you when I’m going commando. She’d been catching a ride here when she dismissed our conversation. And knew full well exactly what I’d be thinking of with those strong legs on display. The promise at their apex. The image of yanking her into my bedroom and bending her over my desk to see that pretty pink pussy had me clearing my throat and studying the last of my drink.
“Miss her, Allen?” Noel nudged my elbow, watching the reunion with a satisfied smile on her face, and two mugs in her hands. That little shit. I couldn’t help but assess her, wondering if her best friend had relayed our conversations during my time at the conference.
