“Of course.”
Ben stands, offering a polite smile. “Hi, Taylor. You’re looking well.” He leans in, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek.
Seb steps forward, extending his hand to Ben. “Good to see you again, man.”
As Ben shakes his hand, I silently celebrate, my heart swelling with gratitude. I don’t think I’ve ever appreciated my brother more.
I sneak a glance at Nash and Cade, catching the flicker of confusion and annoyance on their faces. Right now? I don’t care.
As Seb and Ben say hello, Taylor moves through the room, embracing everyone and doting on Hunter.
“Hey, Tay. You should sit down,” Seb urges.
“I’m fine, babe. I’ve been stuck in a hospital bed for weeks,” she counters.
“Exactly! You shouldn’t even be here. You should be resting at home.” He gently guides her toward the sofa.
Taylor sighs as she takes a seat, rolling her eyes. “Seb, you’re fussing. I promise, I’m okay.”
“It’s my job to fuss.” He leans down, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. “I’ll get you a drink.”
“I’ll have a glass of wine, please.”
He hesitates, frowning. “Are you sure you should?”
“She can have a drink, Seb,” I interject. “She’s not made of glass.”
Still unsure, Seb glances at Cade. “Can she?”
“Sure. She’s not on any meds, so there’s no reason she can’t have a drink.”
“Okay, I’ll be right back,” Seb says, hurrying out of the room.
Taylor sighs, sinking into the sofa. “I love that man more than anything, but he really needs to relax.”
“Don’t be too hard on him, Tay. He thought he was going to lose you. I’ve never seen him like that before,” I tell her.
She sits up, offering me a small smile. “I know. And I get that it’s because he cares. He’s been amazing, just a little overprotective.”
I let out a dry laugh. “Welcome to my world.”
“Dinner’s ready,” my mom announces from the doorway.
Everyone rises and heads toward the dining room. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Nash pulling Seb aside, no doubt questioning him about the way he greeted Ben earlier. I choose to ignore them, instead taking my seat and gesturing for Ben to sit beside me. The table is filled with roast beef and all the sides, and my stomach growls at the sight of it.
Ben chuckles softly beside me. “Hungry, baby?” he murmurs, his breath warm against my ear.
I turn toward him, our lips nearly touching. “I skipped lunch,” I whisper, my eyes flicking to his mouth.
Ben holds my gaze, the heat in his eyes undoubtedly reflecting my own. The moment is interrupted by a loud throat-clearing from across the table. I glance up to see Nash has settled into the seat directly across from us, his expression unreadable. Ben turns back to face everyone, but his hand finds my thigh under the table, his touch grounding me.
“Dig in, everyone,” my mom urges. “Before it gets cold.”
We pass dishes around, filling our plates until everyone has what they want.
“It’s so nice to have everyone around the table again,” my mom says happily. “Wyatt’s the only one missing.”
“When is he back? The season’s over, right?” Paisley asks.
