Page 53 of His Brown-Eyed Girl

“Dude, I’m not leavin’ her here with the kids by herself. Where she goes, I go,” Joe said, winking at DeeAnn.

“Then you can follow her right back out that door.” No way in hell he left his niece and nephews with a stranger. He knew Courtney didn’t know about Joe, and in his mind, Joe had to go.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” DeeAnn said, sticking her hands on her hips and smiling at Lucas as if he were a blooming idiot. “Joe’s practically family.”

But not yet.

Something didn’t feel right, but maybe Lucas threw up barriers because of something wriggling inside him he didn’t want to admit—the fact he wasn’t ready to go back to Texas. The fact he cared more about his brother’s kids than he thought… even if he still had to clean red lipstick from the upstairs carpet.

Charlotte ducked behind his leg, giving him a small thrill of victory he acknowledged by reaching around and patting her shoulder. “That might be, but you aren’t shacking up in the house with these kids.”

“Who are you, head of the morality police?” Joe asked dropping the bags at DeeAnn’s feet. “It’s not 1950, dude.”

“I’m not sitting in judgment on you, but they don’t know Joe. No offense.”

“We’re in a serious relationship. Been dating two months so I’m not a stranger.” Joe mimicked DeeAnn’s pose.

Lucas sighed. He had no right to undermine Courtney. DeeAnn was her cousin, and his sister-in-law obviously trusted her enough to supervise the kids. Besides this was what he wanted—to go back home, forget about New Orleans, and sew himself back into the man he had always wanted to be.

“Joe’s out.” Lucas pointed toward the front door just as it opened. Michael and Chris trooped in, arguing about who had to feed the dog and cat. They dumped their backpacks and fell silent when they saw the adults assembled.

“He’s not going anywhere,” DeeAnn said, tossing her head and standing akimbo a la Batman. But without the cape. “We’ve already made plans to stay with the kids. So you get out.”

“Who’s she?” Chris asked as Michael kicked the front door closed.

“Wait. Who brought you home?” Lucas asked, flashing a glance at his watch. He should have left thirty minutes ago for pick up. He’d totally screwed the pooch on pick up today. Shit.

“David Peace’s mom. I tried calling your cell.” Michael stared him down, aggravation on his young face… and maybe disappointment. “What’s DeeAnna doing here?”

“DeeAnn,” the woman said, tucking her hands into her pockets and looking over the crew of kids populating the foyer. “Your mom wanted me to stay with y’all until she gets back from Virginia.”

“Is that where she is?” Chris asked, cocking his head. “What’s she doing there? We don’t know nobody in Virginia.”

Michael didn’t flinch, but his eyes widened slightly. “You’re joking.”

“Nope,” DeeAnn said with a fake smile. “She tried to call me last week, but I was out of pocket. I’m here now, so your uncle can go back to his cave.”

“Does your parole officer know you’re here?” Michael asked, sliding behind Lucas and turning Charlotte toward him. He frowned when he saw the lipstick smeared all over her face but didn’t say anything.

“I don’t have a parole officer. You know that.” DeeAnn had dropped the sunny smile and looked aggravated.

“Wait a minute,” Lucas said, pointing a finger at the woman. “You have a parole officer?”

“I don’t have a parole officer. I got busted for pot years ago. No big deal, and Mikey knows that. He’s trying to make me look bad is all.”

Michael glanced at Lucas, his dark eye unfathomable.

“Besides, I’m a woman and can take care of kids no problem.Youforgot to pick Mikey and Chris up. Pot calling the kettle black.” DeeAnn crossed her arms and gave a supercilious nod.

“I don’t want to stay with her,” Chris said.

“You don’t have to,” Lucas said.

For a moment they all stood looking at each other—a veritable standoff. He could hear the clock ticking in the hallway, measuring out the seconds of tenseness.

Lucas should have been relieved to have Courtney’s cousin show up early. He wasn’t cut out for taking care of three children and a menagerie of animals. Hadn’t forgetting about Chris and Michael that afternoon, along with the lipstick debacle, proven as much? But the whole thing felt wrong.

“Let’s just call Courtney,” DeeAnn said, pulling a cellphone from her back pocket.

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