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“Holly and I need to go over some things—” Mama’s look stopped me dead. “Let me wash my hands.”
“Where’s everybody sleeping?”I tugged on Stone’s sleeve, speaking low as we rounded up the back of the herd.
“We got it all finished up today.”
“But there were no beds,” I protested.
“There are now. Don’t mention it to Muriella. She’s been running around all day in a panic.”
“Did you know Easton was doing this?”
“You act like you aren’t glad to see your family,” he said easily.
“I am, I just—” Familiar laughter floated from the kitchen. “Anything else you forgot to mention?”
“Nope.” Stone strode toward Muriella, who was tending to something on the stove. He kissed her forehead and murmured something in her ear. The traces of stress on her face dissipated.
I’d never have that. Hell, I’d never wanted it before. A piece of me craved it something fierce now.
I pulled my gaze away, but where it landed was no better. Easton was watching me take in the exchange with a frosty expression. Where a few days ago there would have been warmth, a bitter cold was directed at me. That was what I’d wanted, right? No, I wanted things to go back to the way they were, where we were friends and damn good at working together.
Even as the thought formed, I recognized the lie. My hip burned at the memory of his fingers digging into my flesh, refusing to let me go the other night. I hated him for the way he made my firm grasp on control slip. He made me desire the impossible. But not right now. Now it looked like he hated me.Where had that come from?
“Vivian, you got any whiskey in this place?” I’d take a crutch of any kind.
“Damn, Mulaney, we haven’t had supper yet.” Mitch pulled me in for a side hug.
Gabriel approached and held out his palm to Mitch. “A dollar please.”
My brother looked quizzically at the boy even as he pulled out his wallet. “What are you going to buy with a dollar?”
“It’s for the cuss jar.”
Mitch’s cheeks tinted a pale shade of red. “Sorry about that, man.”
“It’s okay.” He clutched the money as if it were worth a lot more. “Mama, I know what I want to do with the cuss money now.”
“What’s that?”
“Let’s have a party.” He looked around the room. “When we get enough saved, will all of you come?”
Good Lord, this kid. If somebody said no, I’d deck them myself. Gabriel was extraordinary. He should feel intimidated by all these unfamiliar adults in this strange apartment in a strange city. But he just kept taking everything on his small shoulders as if there was nothing awry.
“I like the way you think.” Mr. Carter winked at Gabriel.
“We could do a theme,” Mrs. Carter chimed in.
“Puppies?” Gabriel asked hopefully.
“If you like.” Mrs. Carter beamed at him.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Holly said, reeling him in. She scruffed his hair, but it was almost done in nervousness. “We’ve got a long way to go before the jar is full.”
“Miss Jacobs, you owe seven dollars.”
“Seven?”
He nodded. “You said a bad word seven times on the way here.”
