Page 31 of The Plan

“Good, you? I’m at BCGH under Lewis for an internship in obstetrics now.”

“Switched to trauma med recently. Hard to get into the program, but it feels right.” And then Guthrie and Anthony just stood there, talking as if they were old friends. Well.

While Gene kept sitting on Murdoch.

To her brother’s credit, Grady was now off of Murdoch’s legs, gasping for air in the grass as he rolled around.

Oh. Poor Grady. He was clutching himself. Well… Murdoch had gotten in one good hit, apparently.

"You done?" Gene's voice was hard. Blood dripped from his lip. She almost thought that one had enjoyed the battle or something. A bit more primitive, that Hiller brother.

Murdoch's answer was another swing. And that word again.

Her brother never did know when to give up. Especially when he was protecting someone he loved. He could be such a tenderhearted butthead, Murdoch Michael Lake.

She hoped the woman stuck with him for life was prepared for that. She’d need nerves of steel, that was for sure.

And a phenomenal sense of humor. Andtolerance.

“All right, Murdoch. You have proven your point. You are the only one still acting like a baboon. Stop it right now.” Ronnie stood right next to her middle brother. “Right now.”

He finally stood up. He was filthy and bloody and just looked pitiful. But she understood—he wanted to protect her. The way he thought he hadn’t been there to protect Celia so long ago.

She loved this baboon. So much. “I love you guys. All three of you. But this is not how you solve problems.”

“Ronnie… hell. He just took you. And didn’t bring you back.”

“I know. And you were rescuing me. He is very good at kissing me senseless, then putting me in his truck before I get my brains back. It is a new problem I seem to have. Maybe not allowing him to kiss me anywhere near his truck is the best solution? But… you can’t just scoop me up and take me to Mom’s just because that’s what you want, either. George and I have made a baby. We have things to figure out. That will require us spending time together discussing things. George is also going to start listening to me and behaving in a way that a prominent member of Value society should.” She shot the father of her alien-baby a glare. One that said shemeantit and he’d better pay attention. “You should know better. You are the eldest of all of these doofuses. You are about to be a father. I expect better out of you.”

A police siren cut off the rest of her lecture.

Maybe someone with some sense had arrived.

The sheriff’s department cruiser rolled up, all flashing lights. Deputy Wyatt Ward got out. Her stomach sank. Any deputy but this one…

“I got a call from the Hiller girls. Apparently, there was a brawl going on in their brother’s front lawn.” Deputy Ward just looked at her. He had that stupid smirk in his eyes again. She’d always despised this man. Every time their paths crossed. “Hello, Ronnie. How are you doing today, honey?”

Honey? Grr. She was not his honey. If she was anyone’shoney,that would be George. Considering.

“I have had better mornings, Deputy Ward. Far better.” This was the one deputy in the county she did not like. He just… was oily. And she did not like the way he looked at her sometimes at all.

Then another car pulled in. And three beautiful teenage girls climbed out.

Genny was the first to reach them. “What happened? Who are these dudes? Is everyone okay?”

“What are you three doing here?” Grady asked. “You should be at home, doing homework or something.”

“It’s summer break, doofus. We got out of school Friday. You should pay attention to what goes on in your own house.” Genny shot her brother a look Ronnie had probably just shot at her own baboons. “What’s happening? Who are these guys?”

“Boys—these are George’s little sisters. Giavonna—she’s a student at FCU, Genny and Greer.” Greer’s hair was purple today. And was that a fake nose ring?—and those black clothes had to be hot. Teenagers were so weird. “These are my brothers, girls. Cam is the oldest and thinks he’s in charge, Murdoch is the one with a bad attitude—he’s the bloody, muddy one. AndAnthony is the good one. Usually. They were here to rescue me from Georgie. As you can see, it didn’t go well. For any of them.”

And Deputy Ward obviously recognized Murdoch. “Officer Lake, what kind of trouble you getting into now? Looks like you lost.”

Oh, she did not like the way that man was smirking at her brother. Not at all. Like he wanted to just cause Murdoch trouble here.

“He’s a cop?” Gene asked. “Shit.”

“Gene, do not curse in front of your sisters.” Ronnie shot him a glare. He could do better. She had met his mother, after all.

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