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“We heard you were back in town, young man,” Esther continued.
“I am,” I replied. “I couldn’t stay away from two of my favorite ladies.”
“Oh, stop!” Vera fawned. “You little charmer.”
“A handsome little charmer,” Esther chimed in. She grabbed my face, pinching my cheeks together. “A very handsome little charmer. Look at you growing into yourself.”
“Good God,” Declan muttered behind me so softly that I only caught it with my wolf hearing.
“Shush you,” Raven chastised under her breath. “Don’t pick on your other girlfriends.”
There was a fucking story in there that I wanted.
“My goodness, do you work out?” Vera asked.
“Regularly, yes. I’ve got tattoos as well.” I nodded. And then with a cocky fucking grin, I added, “Want to see?”
“Oh, yes please!” Esther crooned.
“Do we ever!” Vera agreed.
And so I lifted my t-shirt to show off my abs—I was fucking proud of my tattoos. And my abs. Mostly the tattoos. I stood there in the middle of the sidewalk with Esther and Vera stroking my abs, grinning like an idiot because why the fuck not? It was the best reception I’d gotten so far. And hell, my two favorite old ladies needed some action from time to time.
“Tell you gorgeous ladies what,” I began as I lowered my shirt, “next time Declan is over to fix something, I’ll come with. We can sit on the porch, have some sweet tea, and you can give me all the town gossip I’ve missed out on. How’s that sound?”
“Oh, Declan,” Vera called sweetly over my shoulder.
“Our house is broken!” Esther told him. I cracked up and glanced at my brother. He crossed his arms, frowning.
“What part?” Declan asked.
“All of it.”
“Any of it.”
“You pick.”
“Esther! Vera!” Raven exclaimed. “We talked about this. You’re supposed to tell him you need some wood cut, and then invite me over so we can watch together!”
“Why?” he asked. “Why do you do this?”
“Because I love watching you handle your wood, baby,” she quipped back. I stepped back as I laughed so hard I couldn’t fucking breathe. The mouth on that woman.
“Oh, we want that,” Esther damn near purred as she eyed my brother like a goddamn meal. Declan sighed heavily. The defeat was real.
“I’ll be there next week,” he said. To Raven, he added, “You have one week to make sure they even have firewood to be cut.”
“Done deal.” She beamed. “You’re welcome, ladies.”
“Rule number one.” Esther smiled all too knowingly as she gestured to Raven’s dress while Raven beamed.
“Yes!” Raven exclaimed. Declan, however, was unimpressed, and his eyes narrowed. What the fuck was rule number one?
“How does she know about that?” he demanded, facing Raven.
“Baby! They’re experienced, and I had questions,” she retorted. She crossed her arms and raised her chin as if squaring off against my brother. “It never hurts to ask and learn. And they asked their own questions.”
“Raven!”
