Maddox: You know what? I resent you using your adoption status to your advantage in times like these.
Me: How bad is it broken? Does Mom know? What was he doing with it?
Maddox: The lid is in two pieces. No, she does not. I didn’t ask. We’re better off having the least information possible. It helps with cross-examinations.
I laugh. “Oh, Banks is dead.”
Nate grins. “How many brothers did you say you had? Five?”
“Six.”
He whistles through his teeth.
Me: Get some kind of adhesive. Try the craft store by the Mexican restaurant—the one where you sit on the roof. You know where I mean?
Maddox: Yeah. Thanks. I’m too old for this shit.
Me: Then let Banks deal with it.
Maddox: He’s blackmailing me. Long story. Thanks. Love you.
Me: Love you.
I look up as we slow down in front of a tall gate. Nate waves at a man in a security building, and the gate swings open.
“Ryder is hanging out with the right crowd. Wow,” I say as a huge farmhouse comes into view.
“This is Camilla’s family’s place. No one actually lives here, I don’t think. They just have meetings and get-togethers here.”
“Are they nice?”
“The Landrys? Yeah. Some of the best people I know, really. They treat Dominic really well—me too. Ryder and I have come out here for Christmas the past couple of years, and he’s invited to all the birthday parties and shit with the kids.”
“That’s so nice.”
He shrugs like it’s not a big deal, but he likes it. I can tell.
My phone buzzes again as we pull to a stop in front of the house. I glance down.
“This is Hollis. Hang on.”
Hollis: Hey, how are you? I just got home from Nashville. Want to hang out soon?
Me: Yes. I’d love to. I’m busy today, though, and tomorrow, I have to go get my books and stuff for school. How about Tuesday or Wednesday?
Hollis: Wednesday works for me.
Me: Cool. I’ll text you then, and we’ll nail down a time.
Hollis: Great. See you then.
Me: *smiling emoji*
“You and your brothers,” Nate says as he kills the engine.
I take in his handsome profile. The sharpness of his jaw, the slight crookedness of his nose. His high cheekbones and plump lips.
“I really want to kiss you right now, but I’m afraid Ryder will see,” I say.
He turns toward me. “We’re going to have to figure out how to navigate this, and to be honest, I don’t have all the answers.”
I hold my pointer finger up in the air. He makes a face but then touches his lips to it.
“There. That’ll have to do until I can get you alone,” I say.
“Yeah. That totally makes up for kissing you.” He rolls his eyes. “If that’s all it takes to satisfy you, I’m working too hard.”
I look at the house. A man wearing a pair of khaki pants and a blue-and-white button-up comes out onto the porch. He looks so dapper, so debonaire, that I instantly feel underdressed in my casual jeans and black cotton shirt.
“That’s Graham Landry,” he says. “Wickedly intelligent. Not really a social guy, but he’s a great person to know if you know what I mean.”
“Is he like in the mafia or something?”
Nate laughs as he opens his door. “No, but the thought of that is hilarious.”
“Okay …”
I get out of the truck and meet Nate at the front. He places his hand at the small of my back and guides me onto the porch.
“Hey, Nate. How are you?” Graham extends a hand. “I’m Graham Landry.”
“I’m Paige Carmichael. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Same.” He nods and then looks at Nate. “They’re wild in there. I’m warning you.”
“Sounds fun,” I say.
Graham grimaces and takes a sip of a dark brown liquid. Tea, maybe? Or bourbon.
Nate opens the door for me, and I walk inside. Instantly, the noise level is intense. Kids are everywhere.
“Hi!” A heavily pregnant woman comes over to us. “How are you, Nate?”
“Good. Dani, this is Paige Carmichael. Paige, this is Dani Landry.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” I say.
“It’s nice to meet you too. I think Ryder had a good time with us—or Mallory and Ellie, rather. I get too tired too fast with the baby on the way.”
“Congratulations,” I say. “What are you having?”
“A little girl.” She beams. “That little guy in the Arrows baseball hat is my little one, Ryan. He never stops moving.”
“Like his dad,” Nate says.
Dani laughs. “Absolutely.”
I take in the chaos unfolding in front of us. “Who do all these kids belong to?”
Dani takes a deep breath. “Okay, the teenager over there reading a book to the little girl? The boy is Huxley. He belongs to Barrett and Alison. They also have a little boy, Harrison, playing trucks with Ryder.” She points at a blond toddler with gorgeous eyes. “And the little girl Huxley is reading to Caroline. She belongs to Ford and Ellie. She’s their only child.”