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“Thank Christ. From now on, when we get pissed at each other can we just go out in the backyard and settle it? This talking it out stuff is for the birds.”
“Hmm. Not the backyard, Heartbreaker. The bedroom.” I nipped at her ear and she shivered. “Come to think of it, I’m irate.”
She wrapped her arms around my neck. “We can’t have that.” She glanced back toward the SUV. “Looks like we’ll have to work this out in the truck.”
Chapter Forty-Two
Mulaney
“Well, well,”Mitch said as Easton and I walked into the kitchen, hand in hand. Everyone, including Ruby, was gathered there, the lights low, voices hushed to help Ruby’s brain heal. “We were beginning to think y’all made off with our car.”
Our six-hour trip had taken eight. Easton and I exchanged looks, the smile on my face ridiculous. I didn’t even care if my brother was giving me a hard time.
“Looks like they got their shit sorted,” Stone said. Muriella elbowed him in the side. “What? I was just quoting my grandmama.”
Mitch glared at me and Easton. “Oh, hell no. Y’all just bought yourselves a Yukon,” he said, crossing his arms.
“Why, Daddy?” Gabby asked innocently.
He flushed and was suddenly at a loss for words.
“Because we took it for a test drive,” I said, snickering, and Mitch looked like he wanted to pass out.
“I don’t want to hear about that,” Daddy said sternly, moving across the room toward us. “You look happy, baby. As happy as I’ve ever seen you.”
“I am, Daddy.”
He kissed my cheek. “’Bout damn time.” He turned to Easton, his tender expression turning hard. “That’s my little girl.”
“Mulaney is my whole world,” Easton returned. He was respectful but not intimidated.
“Hope you know what you’re gettin’ into by joining this crazy bunch, son. You didn’t just marry Mulaney. You’ve got the whole damn family,” Daddy said, the man-to-man exchange over.
“Y’all are my kind of crazy,” Easton said easily.
“Give it a few years. You’ll feel like you’re in the nuthouse,” Granddaddy offered dryly. He looked a little better now that Ruby was home safe and sound.
“What are you doing out of the bed, woman?” I asked. I’d learned a thing or two from those no-nonsense nurses at the hospital. I’d written and left thank-you notes from the gift shop to them for taking such good care of Ruby.
“If you two hadn’t been lollygagging around, I’d be there now, like the doctor ordered,” she huffed, adjusting the blanket draped over her lap.
“You threw away the sheet of his instructions on Daniel and Vivian’s plane,” Daddy said, pulling a crumpled piece of paper from the front pocket of his shirt.
“Are you sassing your mama?”
“If it means keeping you healthy, then yes,” Daddy returned stubbornly.
“Next thing I know, y’all will be telling me what I can and can’t do.”
“Now you know that’s not true, Ruby. Nobody can get an order in since you’re so busy dishing them out,” I said, breaking away from Easton to hug my grandmother. “How are you feeling?” I pressed my cheek against hers. Just being close to her brought me a sense of calm.
“I’m fine. Y’all don’t need to fuss over me like I’m dying.” She was being snippy, but I could hear how much it meant to her that we were all here and worried about her.
“Easton, Mulaney, are y’all hungry?” Mama asked.
“Yes, ma’am. I’m starved,” Easton replied, lighting up at the prospect of some home-cooked comfort food.
Mitch muttered under his breath. “I bet you are.”
