Page 102 of Falling Stars

“This is bullshit! Baylee works her butt off, and then someone does this?”

I drag her away from the sheriff before he gets his feathers ruffled. “It’s okay, Paige. We’ll get this cleaned up.”

“Sure as hell will. I called in the cavalry.”

“What does that mean?”

I don’t know why I bother asking because the words aren’t even out of my mouth before the four Walker brothers storm in looking like avenging angels. Maverick immediately stomps toward me and wraps me in a hug. “Baby, I’m so sorry. I knew I should’ve come with you this morning. Fuck.”

I don’t know whether it’s his sandalwood scent or the comfort of having his arms around me, but that’s when I lose it. I burrow my face in his chest and try not to cry.

“I got you,” he murmurs in my hair. “We’ll take care of everything, and then I’ll watch Leo this afternoon. Give you a little break.”

I hiccup. “But you have things you need to do.”

“Nothing’s more important than you and Leo.”

Jace emerges from the side area where we wash hair. “Got a problem over here. That asshole shoved wads of hair down all the drains. We should probably get a plumber.”

My throat closes up. “I don’t have the money for that. For all the appointments we lost today. For repairs.”

Mav motions to his brother. “I’ll cover it. Get our guy over here ASAP so Bay doesn’t lose any more business this week.”

Misery swallows me whole. “I don’t know how I’ll repay you for this.”

He gives me a tender smile and wipes my tears. “How about a big bowl of puppy chow, and we’ll call it even.”

Snotty, I laugh. “That’s not fair.”

“Love isn’t fair, Bay. It doesn’t keep a tally, and you don’t owe me. I’m happy to help.”

Rhett pats my shoulder. “Let me check what tools I have in the truck. Beau and I might be able to handle the sinks. If it’s too gnarly, we’ll call our plumber.”

“Thank you.”

He gives me a crooked smile. “Anything for our little sister.”

Maverick squeezes me. “She ain’tmylittle sister. That’d be gross.”

His brothers chuckle.

After I compose myself, we all get to work. We make quick progress, but I can’t get the hair dye off the floor, even after I use powdered bleach. Panicked that the stains in the tile and grout aren’t coming out, I scrub harder.

Vera kneels beside me. “Let me run across the street to buy some baking soda and vinegar. It’s a little trick your mom taught me.”

I’m flustered for not thinking of that myself. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

Two hours later, everything’s almost back to the way it was. I can still see the dye in a few places, but we’ll keep dousing it with the baking soda mixture to see if it lifts up. And Rhett and Beau fixed the sinks by opening the elbow thingy underneath what they called the p-trap and draining it.

Mav pushes Leo’s stroller over to me. “What time should I feed him?”

“He’s probably hungry now. Let me feed him, and then you can give him a bottle this afternoon when he?—”

Mav motions to his head. “When he does that ear thing.”

I smile. “Yeah.” I love that he knows Leo so well.

Leaning over, I get Leo out of his stroller and kiss him. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. You’ve been such a good boy today.” Then I turn to Mav. “Is this okay? I’ll try to hurry.”

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