Page 105 of Heart & Hope

Justin scans the room, pausing on Harry, who is now sitting back in his chair, whiskey in one hand, his other arm wrapped around Ma. He tips his glass to Morley and winks at him. I tamper a laugh and flatten a smile as I gesture for the three to leave.

Luckily, this little scene went mostly unnoticed. And as Morley’s truck roars away down the driveway, the first flakes of snow start to fall. They glisten under the twinkling fairy lights, setting the ground awash with a shimmering white glow. It’s gorgeous.

Pretty as a picture—it’s perfect.

When I turn back, Ruby stands between my brothers, their arms over their chests, smiles pushing their handsome faces. I grin at her.

“What?” she insists as I step back inside.

“Did you make a mistake, Ruby Rawlins?” Mack quips, turning to look at her.

Is he talking about Morley being here or Starr’s fuckin’ comment?

“I—”

“She did no such thing,” I interject, alternating my focus from Ruby’s stunned face to Mack’s shit-eating grin. Realization hits me.

Rawlins.

He called her Ruby Rawlins.

I don’t know whether to be annoyed or ecstatic. And when Adds wanders over, cuddling into Hudson’s side to watch the snow falling behind me, I fix my gaze to Ruby’s with a smile I couldn’t tamper if I tried. But she simply steps into my arms and presses her back into my chest. “For your information, Mackinlay, I did make a mistake... Inviting you.”

Mack slaps my shoulder with a chuckle as footsteps crunch in the snow outside.

“Well, I didn’t expect a welcoming party, but I’ll take it.”

I turn back on a dime, still holding on to Ruby. Each of our gazes tracks to the man standing in the doorway in Levi’s and a dress shirt with shiny loafers and a long, New York-style trench, the shoulders now dusted in snow. And the happiest fuckin’ smile on his handsome face.

Lawson.

Chapter Twenty-Six

RUBY

Addy and I are on either side of Lawson, dragging him in from the cold a heartbeat later, under the adoring smiles of his three brothers.

“Laws,” Hudson says, pulling him in for a one-armed hug.

“Huddo.”

Mack fist bumps his older brother, and Reed slaps him on the back with a quick hug before casting his arms wide. “You like?”

“Reed, this is incredible. Didn’t know you had a flair for decorating.” A shit-eating grin splits his face as he turns to me. “You done good, Ruby. Awesome work.”

“Thanks,” I mutter as heat flushes my cheeks under the weight of all four Rawlins brothers grinning at me. But the excitement is marred by the fact that I messed up. I forgot to check the guest list. It wasn’t Reed’s responsibility, it was mine. And it was missed. I missed it.

I wasdistracted.

A real-life, real-time consequence brought about by ditching the rules I have lived by for the last ten years. Excusing myself, I do a round to triple-check the run sheet on my phone that I practically have memorized at this point. The catering is rolling out on time. The music is setting the tone and atmosphereas planned, the barn is exquisite, and every guest has arrived, according to the tablet at the bar. Reed must have dropped it off here after seeing everyone inside.

I tap the screen and scroll through the list.

Morley and his two bottom-feeders have a red line through their names. I huff a small laugh.Nice one, Reed.

“Can I get you something?” a deep voice asks from behind the bar.

I glance up to find the bartender from the bar in town. Guess I have a face to the name we hired now.

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