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Was he helping him or trying to kill him?
“Oh good, they’re on their best behavior,” Mia said from behind her. “I don’t have to hit them over the head with my wooden spoon. Broke my best one doing that.”
“You’ve got to start using rubber utensils to hit them,” Clem said.
Scarlett just grinned and rolled her eyes as she held a twin boy on each hip. Liam and Lucas. They were gorgeous. Apparently, she was with both Maddox and Beau. They were married. It was pretty common in Haven to have more than one partner.
Although taking on two Malone men was next level.
All of the Malone women were amazing. Kind, sweet, and perhaps a bit crazy.
Especially Clem.
Yet so welcoming, she felt instantly at home among them. That was something she’d never had.
“Now, if I added Rump Roast to this mix, do you think any of them would notice?” Clem asked with a grin.
“Rump roast is her steer,” Mia explained. “Come on, help me carry all this food in. Seb is in with Alec, but they’ll be out soon, and he’ll be starving.”
Butch had insisted on taking her into the main house to shower while he’d moved all their stuff. Mia had given them a gorgeous guest room and assured her that she wasn’t imposing.
After her shower, she’d felt far more alive. But Butch had insisted on tucking her into bed for a nap, which she’d argued about.
And then slept like a baby.
She’d then spent the past hour helping the Malone women prepare dinner. It had been so fun. She couldn’t believe how friendly everyone was. So very different from her experience growing up. All of her mom’s friends had been all too eager to bitch about her behind her back.
Jealous bitches.
God, she hoped her mom was all right.
“What are you all doing out here?” Alec Malone walked up, carrying a small boy who looked like his clone. He leaned in and kissed Mia on the cheek, before gesturing for them all to walk in.
“You lot, calm down! Dinner time,” he commanded.
To her shock, they all quietened. Two men, who she guessed were Beau and Maddox, moved to Scarlett to take a baby each before kissing her on the cheeks.
Another guy swept up Clem, tucking her under his arm. He had to be Jaret.
Tanner and Raid moved to her, trying to shove Butch out of the way as he attempted to get to her.
“I saw her first!” Tanner cried.
“Raid! Tanner!” Alec said in a deep voice.
They stopped fooling around and Butch shoved past them. When he reached her, she expected a soft kiss on the cheek or for him to take her hand. Instead, he swept her up into a kiss that stole her breath.
Whoa. Amazing.
Arousal rushed through her, making her light-headed.
“Whoop! Go, Butchie!” Tanner yelled, breaking through her daze.
She was bright red as she drew back. Butch led her to a free chair, pulling it back for her.
As she sat, he introduced her to everyone. She was surprised to find she’d guessed all their names correctly.
Everyone started digging in, and as the food flew around, Butch loaded up a plate for her.
“I’ll never eat all this,” she told him.
“You’ve barely eaten in two days. Do the best you can.”
He’d gotten her a snack earlier after her shower, but she hadn’t felt like much. He’d also made her drink so much water that it was no wonder she didn’t have any room in her tummy for food.
Then he’d slathered aloe vera on her, and now she felt slightly sticky.
The conversation was loud, the jokes raucous, but the love they all felt for each other was clear. It was so different from the way she’d grown up where dinners had been formal, stiff affairs.
Clem leaned into her. “They can be overwhelming and crazy, but in the best way possible. And once you’re part of this family, well . . . you’ll never be alone again. They’ll always have your back.”
She nodded. She wasn’t sure she fully understood it yet. But she did know how damn lucky she was that she’d met Butch that night in Patty’s Bar.
He lightly squeezed her thigh, and she glanced over. He gave her a stern look, then leaned down. “Don’t think that I won’t feed you if I have to. Eat your dinner.”
She did her best, but her stomach wasn’t up for much. And Butch was grumbling as she pushed her plate away. Mia and Scarlett had just taken the boys out to wash their faces while the others were finishing their meals.
“Hey, Lara, did we tell you how glad we are that Butch has you?” Tanner asked.
Oh. That was sweet.
She could feel her cheeks heating though as everyone turned to stare at her.
“Um, no?”
“Uh-huh, you wanna know why?” Tanner asked slyly.
Hmm. Did she?
“Because it means we don’t have to worry about him sneaking into bed with us in the middle of the night to give us some cuddles,” Raid said with a dark grin.
