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Fuck, this isn’t the topic I was hoping for.
Charlie grins and opens his mouth, but I jump in, interrupting whatever crass comment he was about to make. “Shiloh!” I shout, far louder than I’d intended, but just the thought of her name on another man’s lips makes me all sorts of violent, even if it is my little brother.
Everyone pauses what they’re doing to stare at me, varying looks across each of their faces. Charlie looks suspicious, Stephen looks irritated, Dad looks confused, and Mom looks like all her dreams are coming true. Gritting my teeth, I shake my head, ignoring them completely as I finish my eggs.
Every morning for as long as I can remember, we’ve had family breakfast at our parents’ house. We all live relatively close to each other on our family’s massive plot of land, so when we moved into our own homes, we easily carried on the tradition. Huxley’s have always been early risers and retirement didn’t change that for our parents.
Glancing down at my watch, I realize I’m running behind, especially if I want to make it to the office to get a pot of coffee going before Shiloh gets in. I’ll also have to remember to turn the heater on, ensuring the building is nice and warm for her to combat the frosty 30-degree temperatures we’re having lately.
Charlie was right, I do have to make an appearance at the build site today. I am the foreman, after all. My presence is kind of necessary, but that doesn’t mean I can’t take care of my girl first.
And she is mine.
It’s insane, I’m completely aware, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s also true. I tried to fight it at first. Day one, I almost kissed her. Barely knew her name, and I was ready to take her, make her mine. But, like the asshole I am, I walked away.
I didn't show up the next day, or the next, but by Friday I couldn't take it anymore. I had to see her. I couldn’t stop it, even if I tried. So, I showed up at an office I hate, pretending I had shit to work on, just so I could be near her. I’ve gone in every day since.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve found it increasingly difficult to separate myself from her. Shiloh is like a breath of fresh air, one I haven’t truly experienced since before I left for the military. Whenever I’m with her, I forget everything else.
Everything.
The shitty fight I had with my father about not wanting to take over Huxley Homes when I turned 18. The fight that was so bad, so brutal, that I ran away from him, my family, and my obligations. Ran so fast and so far, that I didn’t stop until I’d impulsively joined the military as a way out. I forget all about that when I’m with her.
I also forget everything that happened while I was away, fighting in a warzone, losing friends left and right to injury or death. I forget about the fiancé that cheated on me with my best friend, while I was fighting for our country. I forget about the little brother that looked up to me so immensely, that he followed in my footsteps, and joined the military. Only to be killed six months in. A little brother with his entire life before him. A life that was snuffed out in an instant before he’d even had the chance to live.
Liam.
Standing up, I pick up my dishes and take them to the sink. Gaining some much-needed space from my family and thoughts of Liam. I scoff. As if space alone could wipe away the heartache.
“Are you leaving?” Mom asks, coming to join me at the sink. I nod but say nothing as I wash my plate and coffee mug. Her tiny hand reaches up to give my shoulder a squeeze, and I instinctively bend at the knee, giving her access. How 5’3 Dolores Huxley birthed four boys who all grew to be over 6 feet tall, I’ll never know. “I miss him too, Lo.”
Dropping my head, I allow the weighted emotions to penetrate for just a moment. Just one singular moment, then I can go back to pretending they don’t damn near suffocate me daily. My mom leans against my back, wrapping her thin arms around me from behind. They barely reach halfway around my wide frame, making me chuckle. She silences my laugh with a firm, tight squeeze that borders on painful.
After a few minutes, she pulls away and slaps my gut with the back of her hand, effectively ending our emotional moment. “I wasn’t kidding. I want to meet Shiloh.”
Grunting, I shake my head, side-stepping her in an attempt to avoid this conversation. A wave of possession rises in me swiftly as my eyes meet Charlie’s. Hell no. I don’t want Shiloh anywhere near my family. She’s mine. I’ve known it from the first time I saw her. Despite the fact that I can barely form more than two words around the woman, I’ve already claimed her as my own.
Even if she has no idea.
Doesn’t matter. She’ll find out soon enough.
“Logan Huxley do not ignore me! Shiloh is Huxley Homes' very first employee. It’s monumental. I want to meet her, and so does your father. Don’t you Theo?”
“Huh?” Dad grunts as he reads through the sports section of the paper.
“See, your father agrees.” I open my mouth to protest, waving in my dad’s general direction for some backup, but one quick glare from my mother ends my objection. “No. Enough.” Her hand slices through the air in a way that’s more threatening than it should, given her tiny size. “Bring her to family dinner this Sunday, and do not be late, or else.”
“Sunday? That’s only four days from now,” I growl, running an agitated hand through my hair. How am I supposed to convince Shiloh to go anywhere with me, let alone to meet my whole damn family, when I can hardly speak a coherent sentence around her?
“Or else, Logan!” My mom’s hands land on her hips as she sends me a scathing glare, effectively silencing me. And just like that, I feel like a teenager again.
Mom grins knowingly. I ignore the bark of laughter from not only both my brothers, but my father as well, who has apparently finally joined the conversation. Sighing my defeat, I give my mom a curt nod, kiss on the cheek, and practically sprint out of their house before she can make any more demands. “Make sure to watch—” I start to call out, my ass halfway out the door.
“I know, I know. Get out of here.”
I do just that.
Jumping into my truck, I high-tail it out of the country and head into town. The Huxleys own one of the largest chunks of land in the county. Sitting at just under 500 acres of mostly untouched forest, our land is full of hidden secrets and beauty. There are a few smaller lakes that connect to the river. A couple of waterfalls and caves. Tons of places to explore, and adventures to be had. It’s one of the reasons our grandfather chose the parcel way back when. He dreamed of his kids and grandkids having a real childhood in the wild.
