“Nope. Because technically Nolan,my son’s boss, was the one who started all this. So that makes Cooper at fault really. And I can’t kick him out so you don’t get to be kicked out either. We love you. And Lily. You’re not allowed to go anywhere. I forbid it.”
Squeezing her hand, I settle back in the chair. I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear that. That she doesn’t blame me.
She pats my leg with her free hand before settling back into her own chair and together we sit. And wait.
Ma is rushing around Wyatt’s house like he’s coming home on hospice instead of just the day after his surgery with some pain meds. But we’re all here helping her while Pops goes to the hospital to get him when he’s discharged.
“Hurry up, your father just messaged me and said they’re on their way home!” She fusses over the tablecloth she put on a table that probably has never even sat company… or too much company.
I shutter at the thought of eating off his table where some random girl’s ass probably was. Or worse, his.
On second thought, maybe it’s a good thing that Ma brought the tablecloth. Perhaps she’s smarter than we all give her credit for.
“Ma, do you even know if Wyatt is going to want company? He was pretty cranky last night after his surgery until the nurse gave him his meds.”
“Of course he wants to see us! How could you think he doesn’t?” She stares at me with horror written across her face. “Besides, Violet brought donuts. So if he wants those he’ll have to like us.” She grins.
“If you say so.”
Emma walks by with Olivia and Lily on their way outside. “I set up outside too in case he wants some quiet. Then we can go out there and he can stay in here. Or he probably has no problem kicking us out.”
“Untle Wy no tit us out!” Lily says, completely offended that we would suggest such a thing. “I made him a piture!”
“I’m sure he’s going to love it.” I ruffle her hair and she shoots a glare at me for messing up her hair while she smooths it back in place.
“You’re playing with fire.” Aubrey warns me in a sing-song voice before dropping a kiss to my lips. “Do you think that he’ll know what’s going on with Jack and Nolan?”
“I hope so. Chief Bellows said he was going to stop by when Wyatt got home.” I take the dishes she hands me and start setting them around the table.
The door swings open and a pissed off Wyatt walks through.
He looks around the room. “Jesus.” Without stopping to talk to anyone he goes right to his room.
“Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed,” Pops says walking into the kitchen to Ma at the stove, wrapping his arms around her middle and kissing her neck.
It used to gross me out when I was younger. Now, I just hope that Aubrey and I can gross out Lily and our own kids one day.
Everyone starts to gravitate to the table and find a seat except the kids who are outside with Emma and Roman.
“What did the doctors say?” Ma asks, setting a pitcher of fresh lemonade on the table.
“He still has some paralysis and no definite timeframe on when that will go away. And once the cut has started healing the plastic surgeon will maybe want to do another one for aesthetic reasons, but he’ll always have the scar. It’s pretty big. They changed the dressing on it before we left.” Pops winces. “I think that’s what got him all messed up though. The paralysis and the permanent scar to his pretty little face. Plus he isn’t cleared to go back to work yet, and you know how that makes him feel.”
“Itchy.” Hunter and I answer at the same time.
“Wouldn’t be surprised if he started showing up at the inn everyday looking for me to give him something to work on.” Liam adds, reaching across me for a glass.
A knock on the door brings Wyatt out of his room and without acknowledging any of us, he greets the Chief on the other side.
“Hello, everyone.” Chief lets himself into the kitchen while Wyatt stands by the front door, looking like he’s still trying to decide if he wants to join or not, shifting back from one foot to the other.
“Son, you joining us or not?” Pops asks him.
Wyatt grunts and drags a barstool over to the full table.
“Have you heard anything about Jack and Nolan?” Aubrey asks, moving to sit on my knee so that Chief can have her seat at the head of the table.
“Turns out Nolan, your old boss, was so off the rails because he had been embezzling funds off the tops of contracts. Just like you suspected, Cooper. So when you were taking the contracts away from him, he was at risk of losing his lifestyle that he didn’t want to lose. When he was able to find Jack, that boy just wanted the money for more drugs. I don’t even want to think what would have happened to Lily had he succeeded.”
