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Milo sucked on a tooth, eyeing me like a thousand-piece puzzle he was in no mood to solve. But I knew what had to be underlying that expression. This wasmy year. This was my year to take over and—
“That’s insane,” Noel snapped. If I wasn’t kidding myself, she’d lost some of the color she’d gained back over the last hour. “Jameson, you’re going to be captain next year. You’re crucial out there, I’m sure.”
“She’s right,” Dad harrumphed.
“I can stay. You’ll hardly notice,” Mav spoke at the same time, both of them chuckling as they looked at each other. Our father clasped a hand on Maverick’s shoulder and sucked down a long breath.
“Look, your heart is in the right place, son, but I can’t lose you out there. I’m counting on you this year. As forNoel,” he emphasized her true name, obviously still tripped up on the change. The protective frustration written over his face spoke to the turmoil in his mind. There’s nothing the man wouldn’t do for the women in our family. He was obviously having the same thought as his eyes flicked to Noel and back to me. “She could stay here with your mother and sisters?”
“Of course!” Mom jumped at the opportunity to feel helpful. I loved her fucking heart. No hesitation. No questions. Ready to give her our home as a fortress. If anyone could scare the piss out of an entitled, limp-dick, no self-image bastard bathing in his ego, it was Juniper Rhodes. Tiny, andpositively terrifying. “It’s not unusual for wives and partners to bond together through the season,” she added, obviously wanting her to not feel like an inconvenience. God, I loved my mother.
“Guys, this isridiculous. I’m fine. Besides, what about Rhyett’s?” Noel spoke up, chewing on her delicate lower lip, the anxious habit making me want to run a thumb along it. “I’m house-sitting. Of course, I hadn’t realized the neighbor he’d told me I’d be looking out for would be Jameson, but I don’t mind.”
“We can come and stay with her,” Elora said, straightening. “A few of us together—”
“Absolutely not,” Axel and I snapped at once.
“Oh, piss off, I’m an excellent shot,” Elora argued. “Certainly better than Axel—no offense, little brother.” She was. Not that any of us would admit it, but my sisters were just as capable of defending themselves as my brothers. In a town where every hiking trail was home to a bear—or twelve—we’d all gotten real comfortable with forty-fives and bear spray.
“I’d rather you never had to find out if you can back up that theory,” Axel argued.
“What about Max?”
Axel had just gone to open his mouth, but I perked up. Actually, I didn’t mind that idea so much. “Max and Broderick could rotate?”
“Woah,” Noel argued. “Look. I don’t actually need babysitters. He has to protect that perfect public family image. He’s not dumb enough to do anything. I appreciate you all wanting to look out for me, and I see where Rhyett gets that whole blondeClark Kentthing, but I barely know Max, or even Broderick for that matter.”
“That doesn’t say a lot in your current situation, sweetie,” Mom offered softly. “We’re all unfamiliar faces. I know that’s difficult.”
“So was dealing with my family,” Noel said with a nervous laugh. The twins both snickered, Kaia dipping down where she lay on the couch, covering her face with her blanket. “But that doesn’t mean these men will just hop to and—unnecessarily—volunteer to babysit a woman they don’t even really know.”
“They will,” our entire family answered as one, lighting her expression with surprise. Knowing giggles rotated through the girls. As if growing up with six brothers didn’t make dating hard enough, adding Max and Broderick to the lineup had made it impossible for them, much to my satisfaction.
“You don’t even want to check?”
“No point,” I said, offering her a smile as I leaned back, crossing my arms, suddenly feeling much calmer about the entire prospect. “We know their answers.”
THIRTEEN
NOEL
“Hold up, Jamie-boy, you’re telling me you’re out on the water, but we can’t use the best room in your house? I call bullshit.” Max, whom Jameson teasingly called Maxi-pad, was an impeccably dressed, ambiguously aged man somewhere between eighteen and thirty-five, with beautiful, round brown eyes. I wanted to guess he was somewhere between my age and Jameson’s, but his skin was as smooth as a freaking baby’s butt. I studied his forehead as he talked, trying to see if he’d had Botox. I’d have to ask him. He spoke with an authoritative, sexy baritone that made me guess he held sway in whatever work he did and dripped with a mouthwatering aftershave that spelled two things: superb taste and an excellent budget.
“Stay out of my shit,” Jameson groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose where he laid his head on the back of his couch. After several rounds of debate, Team Rhodes concluded that legitimately moving me into Jameson’s was the best way to ensure Eric stayed the hell off my case. Jameson’s taste was notably more minimalistic than Rhyett’s, and substantially more anally organized. Where Rhy left things cozy and lived in, Jameson had the bare-bones necessities and nearly empty walls. “You’re making me regret this decision.”
“Boo-freaking-hoo, you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do, and as long as I’ve got Wi-Fi and a coffee machine, I can work wherever. Plus, Noelly-benelli here looks like an excellent wing woman.”
Giggling, I watched his frustration grow as he flipped his silky raven hair off his forehead again, blowing out an exasperated breath. “Dammit, Hadlee was right. She’s always right. It’s obnoxious.”
“You’re telling me,” Jameson grumbled as my eyes ping-ponged between the two of them.
“Told me to get my hair done in Austin. Should have listened. Now I’m stuck in the tasteless tundra with overgrown bangs like a wannabe skater boy from the nineties.”
Jameson opened one lazy eye to survey us, a cocky smirk that spelled trouble stretching over his face. “I’llcut it for you.”
“Over my dead body,” Max grumbled, scooping his duffle bag up and vanishing into the master bedroom, just off the living area. I laughed into my knees, where they were tucked against my chest.
“Get out of my room!” Jameson barked, returning to his temple massage. “Tell me when you’re ready to pull a Britney, and I’ve got the setup for you.”
