Page 69 of Daddy’s Hunted Bride

“Nessie!”

The sharp cry greets me the second we walk through the door, and I twist my head around to find Lanie, Josie, and Tabby all gathered in the hallway, staring up at me with worried expressions. All at once, they begin firing questions at me.

“Are you okay?”

“How’s your head? Did you break any bones?”

“Was the hospital scary?”

“Do you need anything?”

“Did you meet a hot doctor?”

The last question has Daddy growling low in his throat and they all fall silent as they stare up at him with wide eyes.

“All right, little ones.” Auntie Gray steps into the foyer and shoos the other Littles toward the living room. “Nessie needs her rest. If she’s feeling better tomorrow, she can play with you and you can ask her as many questions as she feels like answering. Until then, you leave her and Uncle Dane alone, or I will personally take my hairbrush to all your bottoms.”

“Yes, Auntie Gray,” they all answer in somber unison as they drag themselves into the living room.

When they’re out of sight, Auntie Gray turns, her expression full of sympathy as she reaches up to tuck a lock of hair behind my ear. “How are you feeling, sweetheart?”

“Sleepy,” I confess with a wide yawn. “Wanna nap.”

“I’m sure you do. Well, we’re all very happy to have you home again. No more trips to the hospital for a while. Deal?”

“Deal. Oh!” I pop my head up from Daddy’s shoulder, ignoring the stab of pain in my temple as I do so. “I met your friend, Reese. She was really nice.”

Everything about Auntie Gray changes in an instant. A hint of pink colors her cheeks and her whole body gets so stiff it’s like someone replaced her spine with a steel rod. “Reese Donnelly and I are not friends.”

“I don’t think she knows that. She asked about you a lot.”

“Really?” Confusion and suspicion flicker across Auntie Gray’s face. “Well, we still aren’t friends. She’s just a nosy bi⁠—”

“Language, Auntie Gray,” Daddy says mildly, earning him a glare from his sister.

Interesting. Very interesting.

“What did she want, anyway?” Auntie Gray asks, the suspicion on her face echoing in her tone. “Was she there to interrogate Nessie?”

“Just doing her job, Gray.” Daddy’s tone is dry, with a hint of amusement at the edges. “She was at the bookstore when the call came through about Nessie, so she and Poppy⁠—”

“Wait. Poppy was there too? They came together?”

“Yes. Reese got pretty defensive when I asked about it.”

Auntie Gray snorts. “Of course she did. Because Reese Donnelly is the only one in this town allowed to have any secrets.”

As much as I’m enjoying watching Auntie Gray get all flustered over the sheriff, I really am very tired, so I drop my head back onto Daddy’s shoulder. “Daddy, I'm sleepy.”

“All right, baby. Let’s go get you down for a nap.”

“Sorry, little one.” As if someone has flipped a switch, Auntie Gray’s voice changes. Becomes softer, gentler as she runs a comforting hand down my back. “I’ll let you go. I just wanted to tell you how happy we all are to have you home.”

“Thank you, Auntie Gray.”

“You’re very welcome, sweet girl.”

Daddy turns to carry me up the stairs, but we’re stopped again by a low psst sort of sound. Turning, we find Lanie hiding beside the stairs, a mischievous look on her face.