Page 108 of Ransom

"Move it, you damn tree." Cara shoves past Kade and wraps her arms around me. "You couldn't have warned us?"

"Let him breathe," Jonas says, but he's next in line for a hug. Jonas hugs are pretty special. You never know what you're going to get, sometimes quick, sometimes long, but they always feel sofucking good because I know I earned it. This one is brief, but tight. "I learned to drive a bus," he whispers in my ear. "I feel like a god."

And now I'm laughing.

Bree touches my arm. "I tried to stop them, I swear. But you know how they get."

"Like herding cats," I agree, just as I spot two familiar figures at the bus door. My jaw drops. "Is that?—"

"Nan and Connie, get your butts down here!" Nick calls out, already moving to help them.

Maverick takes Connie's other arm. "Careful on the steps, Mrs. McCauley."

"Oh please, I've been climbing stairs since before you were born." But Connie lets them help anyway, her eyes twinkling at the attention.

I break away from the group and head for the two matriarchs of our weird family, tugging Blair with me. "What are you two doing here?"

"You think we'd miss this?" Nan cackles, patting my cheek. "This is a hell of a lot more fun than watching soap operas."

"It sure is," Connie agrees. "Though next time perhaps the boys could arrange transportation that doesn't require climbing down Mount Everest to exit?"

"I'll let them know that the next time they plan to crash my date, to do it in something more suitable."

"Lovely, dear." Nan's eyes find Blair. "Now, introduce us to this young lady properly."

"I think proper went out the window when Kade started yelling ‘fuck’ across the town square," I mutter.

"Watch your fucking language," both women scold in perfect unison, then dissolve into giggles. Because seriously, both of them could give Kade a run for his money in the swearing department.

Nick tugs me off to the side, and I reluctantly let go of Blair. Nan and Connie, both more thank six inches shorter, look up at her, chatting animatedly.

"So listen. This was not my idea. I just need that on record. Jonas overheard Mav and I talking at the office, and it just spiraled out of control from there. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I knew you guys would have questions, I just didn't expect…this," I say, waving at the bus and all my family scattering around the square. They might have come for me, but now that they've laid eyes on me, they're starting to scatter. "A phone call would have worked too."

"Fuck a fucking phone call," Kade grumbles, bumping Nick out of the way. "You take off, don't tell anybody, and you expect us to just sit at home on our asses. Not likely. Seriously, dude. Why the fuck didn't you tell us what was going on? You're so fucking secretive. I don't get it."

"I was wrestling with some shit in my head."

"And?"

"And I needed some time to work it out."

He arches a brow and crosses his arms over his chest, sarcasm thick in his tone. "Really? 'Cause you always encourage us to keep shit to ourselves, and just fucking stew. Because that's really fucking healthy."

I really hate it when they make sense. Maybe I do like that Dad role because it's a fuck of a lot easier to deal with my brothers when they don't question me. Well, I think it would be. That's never fucking happened. But they gave me some leeway at least when it came to my personal life.

Apparently, they're done being patient.

Behind me, Jonas's voice rises above the chaos. "I was promised badgers. The town sign clearly indicated badgers."

"There are no badgers, Jonas," Colton calls back.

"Then why is it called Badger Falls?"

Laughing, I head back to Blair. She’s moved to the safety of the sidewalk, standing with her back against the diner window, eyes wide.

"This isn't how I planned on today going. But did you want to meet my family?"

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