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She unwrapped his hand from around her face with a grin. “Glad we could reach a mutual agreement. Now, let me introduce you to my son. Banks, this is Luca, or as I like to call him, Idiot Number One. He’s going to tell you everything you’ll ever want to know about football. Aren’t you, Luca?”
“You like football?” Luca asked, his eyes growing wide with interest.
“It’s my favorite sport,” Banks said with an enthusiastic nod, wonder in his eyes as he looked up at Luca like he was a god. “I gave up baseball to save my arm for football season.”
“Smart thinking. Football is a million times better than baseball. Come on, kid. Let’s find ourselves a golf cart. You’re with me today.”
I watched the two of them walk away, and then Lyric kissed his wife and followed his twin.
Mila sighed heavily as she shifted her gaze from her husband’s back to us. “I’m sorry, Trin. I really did have a talk with him last night about not being… Well, that.” She motioned toward the twins.
“If Violet can’t keep Luca from saying crap, I have doubts you can control what came out of Lyric’s mouth,” Trinity excused. “I can handle those two on my own, but if I return Lyric to you with a few bumps and bruises, don’t say you weren’t warned.”
Laughing, Mila linked her arm through Trinity’s. “That’s why I love you, Trin. I swear, visiting the family down here is never boring. It reminds me of home so much that sometimes I want to buy another house so we can split our time between Creswell Springs and here.”
“Yo, Dawson,” my future father-in-law called out. “Are you ready to play some golf with the men?”
Trinity bit her lip. “Maybe I should have been more worried about my dad today than the twins.”
Bending, I kissed her forehead. “Don’t worry about me, baby. I’ve survived plenty of war zones. Eighteen holes of golf with your dad will be easy.”
Mila snorted. “Well, at least you have his final words to you to put on his tombstone, Trin.”
Trinity grimaced. “Call me if you need help with anyone—and I mean anyone, Jarrett. Look out for Dad and Uncle Jesse’s cheating. The twins will hopefully be good now. But don’t let them get Banks into any trouble. Or teach him bad habits. Seriously, we don’t want version 2.0 of them invading our house. My brother is a safe place if you need assistance. He promised he’d help you if you need it today, because Uncle Jesse did the same thing to him before he married Lucy. He’s going to have Jace, Gray, and Sin with him. They can hold their own with any of the legends. But Sixx and Bentley are playing with you guys today too, so watch out for shenanigans. You remember how those two were on the European tour. At least Ali won’t be with them.”
“Stop worrying. I’ve got this.”
“That’s another quote she can engrave on your tombstone,” Mila said with a grim nod. “Good luck.”
Chapter 7
Trinity
In that half-asleep, half-awake state, I turned from my left side to my right and reached out, wanting to pull Madalyn closer for a cuddle. We’d spent the night at my parents’ house to appease my mom with the whole not-seeing-the-bride tradition. Since Maddie was my bridesmaid, we’d had a tiny slumber party with Mom in my old bedroom.
Sometime around midnight, Mom had snuck back to her room to be with Dad, and I’d passed out while Madalyn finished watching Sixteen Candles. That was the last thing I remembered, but she’d been in bed beside me. Her head on the extra pillow as she randomly ate a few kernels of popcorn, chased by a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie.
When my hand didn’t encounter the teenager who was supposed to be there, I lifted my lashes enough to squint in the darkness. The bed was empty, the only sign of my stepdaughter ever being there the slight impression of her head on the pillow and what little remained of our snacks.
“Maddie?” I called sleepily, sitting up. Grabbing for my phone, I saw it was just after four. Worried, I tossed back the covers and grabbed my robe to throw over my pajamas as I left the bedroom.
Quietly, I passed my parents’ room and then searched downstairs. The light was on in the kitchen, which wasn’t typical at such an early hour. Checking the back door, I found it unlocked and groaned. “Damn it, Maddie.”
I knew without a doubt where she was and who she was with. Whatever was going on with her and the boy next door had been moving way too fast for Jarrett’s or my liking. She spent most weekends sleeping over at my parents’ house with Hayat and Abi. She always claimed it was so she could spend time with Hannah too. But when she came home, the only Renchford she talked about was Holden.
She was utterly besotted with the boy in a way I couldn’t remember experiencing until… Well, Jarrett. I’d had a few boyfriends in high school, and they were semi-serious. I’d had sex with one or two of them, but nothing much about those relationships had been remotely remarkable. Honestly, I couldn’t even remember what it felt like to kiss those guys, let alone go further.
But the way Madalyn acted when it came to Holden, it was too similar to how I felt for Jarrett, and I didn’t like it. She was too young to let those kinds of emotions overtake her life. Not only did she seem head over heels, but there was a glitter in her eyes that scared the hell out of me.
Outside, the air was still, and everything was silent. On instinct, I walked the path from the kitchen door, around the house, and straight to the Renchfords’ pool house. The slightest glimmer of light was glowing inside, and I pounded my fist against the door.
“Maddie!” I called. “I swear, if you’re in there, I’m going to…” I trailed off, knowing the threat was an empty one. She and I both knew, no matter what she might or might not be doing inside the pool house with that boy, I wouldn’t do anything. Not ground her. Not tell her father. Not even be disappointed. I’d snuck off with one or two boyfriends too many times to throw stones from inside my own glass house.
“Shit!” I heard a deep voice grunt, and I gripped the bridge of my nose, feeling a headache brewing. “Your mom came looking for you, baby.”
“It’s fine. I’ll see you tomorrow?” I didn’t like the uncertainty in her voice. Madalyn was too confident, and that hesitant tone set off alarm bells I didn’t know how to handle.
“Yeah,” he answered casually. “I’ll be at your parents’ wedding with my folks.”
