Page 100 of Royal Reluctance

“I said that to get you outside so you wouldn’t get into more trouble. Mabel told me you just got out of jail. Do you want to go back? Were you planning on starting a fight? Because Amy McKibbon in there would be all too happy to call her brother and get him over there to drag you out and back behind bars. Is that what you want?”

Either Reggie is too drunk or too surprised to hear me lay into him like that because he drops his head.

“Not getting into trouble,” his friend says. “You should mind your—”

“I would think before you say one more thing to her.” Bo folds his arms in such a way that his muscles bulge. I’d be happy to take another look if I weren’t so angry.

“You need to get out of here.” I point to the friend. “I don’t know who you are, and I don’t care, but you’re not helping. Go home and sleep it off.”

Even with Bo’s intimidating stance, he still steps forward. “Who the hell do you think you are?”

“I’m Mabel Crow’s little sister and you need to be gone.”

That was the right thing to say. Reggie jerks his chin at him, and the friend ambles off, muttering curses.

“Nice,” Bo says under his breath.

“You think you’re so fancy now,” Reggie snaps. “You think you’re all that, but you’re not. You’re just a Crow like me.”

“I am a Crow, but I’m nothing like you, Reggie. I know how to hold my liquor. And Fenella’s not going to risk you busting up the place because you’ve had too much to drink.”

“I wouldn’t do that.” I stare at my brother. “Anymore,” he concedes. “Parole officer gets snippy about stuff like that.”

“And you don’t want to go back to jail,” Bo says with a nod. “What are you doing for work?”

“What’s work?” Reggie gives a nasty laugh. “Nobody gonna hire me. They won’t even give me a beer.”

“Maybe around here. But I could use you up at my place up north.”

36

Bo

You just offered hima job?” Hettie asks with disbelief. Then, “You offered him a job?” in a quieter voice.

“I did.” Bo turns to Reggie. “But we’re not talking about it here. It’s too cold and I need to get your sister inside before she freezes.”

“Go inside then,” he says to Hettie with a wide sweep of his arm. “No business of hers.”

“If you think I’m going to waste one minute with her talking to you, you’re not as smart as I gave you credit for,” I tell Reggie.

He snorts. “Nobody gives me credit for being smart.”

“Maybe they’d start if you went home. Sleep it off instead of threatening to bust the place up.”

“I said I wouldn’t.” Hettie shakes her head because her brother whines like a child. Hopefully Tema never sounds like that. “Don’t do that no more.”

“Good. Come see me tomorrow and we’ll talk about finding you a place with the wildlife reserve up north.”

“Really?” I can tell Reggie doesn’t believe me, and I don’t blame him.Idon’t believe me. But Hettie stepped in to help her brother and I’ll do anything for Hettie.

“I said so, didn’t I? I mean what I say.” I turn to Hettie. “Always. Eventually.”

That smile. Those eyes looking at me with respect and gratitude and…

Even if it isn’t love I see in her eyes, I know that I am totally in love with her all over again.

Not that I ever stopped.

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