Page 61 of Tough Love

“Good. Have them to stay for dinner so we can iron out the details.”

“Sure thing.”

I tip my hat at her and walk back outside, leaving a reprimanded Harry alone with his knife-wielding wife. I chuckle. Reed was right—it might be Harry’s ship, but Ma’s the captain, no two ways about it. Poor man’s simply along for the ride. Lucky for him, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Addy is leaning against the barn, talking with Reed, Ruby, and Mack. Charlie ignores me, still getting attention from her when I walk over.

“Everything okay?” Addy asks.

“Yup.” I eye Charlie. “Happy, buddy?”

“Pretty sure at this point he thinks he’s Addy’s dog. Sorry, Huddo,” Mackinlay says.

“I see that.” I tug his little ear playfully. “Ma wants you two to stay for dinner, if you can. She wants help planning her birthday party.”

Ruby claps her hands together, jumping on her feet. “Yes! We are so doing that.”

“Sure, we can stay a while,” Addy says, smiling at me like a woman who had multiple orgasms an hour ago.

Mack glances between us, raising a brow. Reed clears his throat. “Milady.” He crooks his arm for Ruby. She giggles and hooks hers through his. He leads her toward the house.

Mack takes Charlie from Addy’s arms. “Catch you inside, then.”

He wanders after Reed and Ruby.

“Rubes will be stoked; she practically plans events for a living,” Addy says.

“Ma should have an awesome party, in that case.”

“Do I get an elbow, too?”

“How about a piggyback?”

Her eyes light up, turning my insides upside down, and she wastes no time jumping up on my back. Her body against mine has my cock hard within a second. Maybe this wasn’t the best idea. “Horses squared away okay?”

“Yes, Mack helped. He’s a sweetheart, your brother.”

“Well, hold on to your panties, Howard, you’ll meet the last Rawlins brother at Ma’s party.”

“Lawson is coming?”

“Ma would drive to New York and hunt him down herself if he didn’t show up.”

“He’s in New York?”

Her voice is excited.

“Did I leave that bit out? Sorry. Yep, the Big Apple. The home of the Statue of Liberty and Adeline Howard, both national treasures.”

She swats my head with a scoff. “What’s he like?”

“Laws? He’s the book smart one out of the four of us. Works in HR in some enormous PR company. He’s got the muscle and the smarts. You might wanna jump ship, pick a different brother.”

She strangles her arms around my throat, and I mock a choke, staggering around on my feet and pretending to be half passed out. She squeals. I chuckle, my Adam’s apple rubbing the soft skin of her wrist. And her head sinks into my neck.

“I don’t want a different ship, Huddy.”

The apple turns to a stone. And like that, Adeline Howard steals what was left of my breath.

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