AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Evie had heard the truck pull into the driveway, but when Mr. Hunt was the only one to come inside, her senses immediately went on alert. Well, more so than they already had at the thought of Carson Hunt eating dinner with practically her entire family. Maybe he hadn’t come?
So, she continued slicing the cucumbers for the giant salad she was making, listening to her parents chat with Mr. Hunt.
And then Evie glanced out the kitchen window. There, at the edge of the barn, stood three men. She definitely recognized her two brothers, and it appeared they’d cornered Carson Hunt.
“Oh, no you don’t,” Evie hissed under her breath. She set down the knife and abandoned the cutting board, then strode out of the kitchen.
Without a word of explanation to anyone, Evie hurried outside, wiping her hands on her apron. Oh, apron. She yanked it off and balled it up in one hand. As she neared the men, Holt glanced over at her. Amusement flashed across his face, and that only made Evie angrier.
It was a known thing in Prosper that any guy who wanted to date a Prosper sister had to answer to the brothers. So help her if her brothers were grilling Carson Hunt. They were absolutely not dating, and Evie was no longer a teenager.
“Well, hello, Evie darlin’,” Holt said.
“Don’t darlin’ me, Holt,” she said.
He chuckled, totally unfazed that she was about to combust. At the sound of their conversation, the other two men turned.
Lane’s smirk was in full force, and Carson simply gazed at her, those nice eyebrows of his raised just a bit.
“To what do we owe this pleasure, sis?” Lane asked. “Is supper on?”
Evie settled her hands on her hips. “Leave Carson alone,” she said. “He gave me a ride, that’s it. Nothing more. You don’t need to ask him about his family, his education, his pedigree, his standards, his former girlfriends, whether he’s been convicted of a crime—”
“Whoa, Evie,” Holt cut in, placing a hand on her shoulder. “We weren’t grilling your friend here about any of that. What do you take us for?”
Evie’s breath stopped in her throat as she looked at her brothers. Both of them were holding back laughs. And Carson? He was gazing like she was in a museum exhibit—like he wasn’t sure he was believing what he was seeing.
“You’re . . . you’re not?”
Lane grinned, and Holt chuckled.
Then Evie blushed. All the way to her toes.
“Carson here is helping his grandad,” Holt continued, “and we were giving him some advice since the cleanup of their place is much too big for a couple of men to handle.”
“Oh.” Evie’s voice sounded very, very small.
“Why do you always think we’re talking about you?” Lane said with a snicker.
Holt’s chuckle borderlined a laugh.
Evie pointed at him. “Don’t you dare.” Then she turned, her apron still balled in her hand, and strode back to the house. Never mind that all three men were certainly watching her every departing step, and would likely burst into laughter as soon as she entered the house.
Whatever. She didn’t care. And she couldn’t explain to Carson anyway, because it wasn’t like she’d be seeing him after dinner was over. He’d brought up her giving him a tour of the town, but that was off the table now.
She might have to spend the week with her family—and she’d somehow survive her two brothers’ teasing—but she had no obligation toward Carson. In fact, she’d be taking the bus back to school. Or maybe tell Holt he had to drive her. He certainly owed her that.
Before she reached the porch, a car pulled into the driveway, and out stepped Macie, Holt’s wife. Her dark hair waved about her shoulders, and as usual, she looked as pretty as a peach with her brown eyes and honey complexion.
“Hi, Evie,” Macie said, hurrying toward her and giving her a hug. Drawing back, she continued, “How are you?” Two lines formed between her brows. “Are you okay?”
So, maybe Evie’s eyes were watery with angry tears. Or embarrassed ones. “My brothers are jerks, but what else is new?”
Macie’s laughter tinkled, and she slipped an arm about Evie’s waist. “Come on. Let’s get this dinner over with. We need to hang out together while you’re here—just us. We need to catch up on everything.”
Evie released a breath, surprisingly feeling better already. Macie was like that. Made people feel comfortable. Evie would focus on spending time with Macie later, and not her annoying brothers and the fact that Carson had been witness to her losing her composure.
She and Macie went into the house, and Ruby catapulted herself at her mom. After a flurry of hugs and kisses, Ruby settled on her grandpa’s lap as he continued talking to Mr. Hunt about the arena, and plans for a renovation.
