by Maya Banks
“Oh hell,” Ethan muttered. He backed away, hands out. “I’ll leave you to it.”
“What are you leaving them to?” Ryan asked as he entered the room. He smiled at Lily as he came to a stop next to Holly. He bent and kissed his wife full on the lips until she emitted a breathy sigh.
“Shopping,” Ethan replied in a voice that suggested Holly had said they were going to murder someone.
Lily couldn’t suppress the giggle when Ryan took a hasty step away.
“You two are such wimps,” Holly muttered. “In the early years, you were all about shopping and providing for your woman.”
“That was before you turned it into a survival sport,” Ethan said dryly.
“Lily needs clothes, and Callie and I are going to take her to get what she needs. We don’t need you anyway.”
“I’ll drive you as long as I don’t have to go in,” Ethan offered.
Holly rolled her eyes and looked over at Lily. “You’d think after thirty-something years that I could drive somewhere by myself. Ethan still has a kitten when I want to drive into town without one of the menfolk.”
“The weather’s supposed to get worse,” Ryan said with a frown. “It’s not a bad idea for him to take you ladies. Snow’s supposed to start in an hour or so, and there’s a chance of it worsening as the afternoon progresses. Could get more than a foot accumulation.”
“Then I’ll let Callie drive,” Holly said.
Ethan and Ryan both winced.
“I’ll take you in the Rover,” Ethan said. “There’s plenty of room for everyone and you ladies can take your time. I’m in no hurry.”
Holly looked at Lily as if to say, “See what I have to put up with?”
Lily smothered her laughter, but the sound still escaped.
Holly’s gaze narrowed. “Just you wait, Lily. If you think you’re going to have it any easier with my sons, you’ve got another think coming. They’re chips off the old block for sure, and I’ll tell you right now that Michael and Dillon have two of the hardest heads I’ve ever encountered. It’s a wonder any of us survived their childhood.”
“Amen,” Ryan muttered.
“I think you’re all pretty great,” Lily said in a low voice.
Holly beamed at her and walked over to pull her into a hug. “And I think you’re pretty great too. If you make my sons happy, this family will love you forever.”
Ryan frowned. “Lily needs a coat. Do you or Callie have something she can wear into town?”
“Oh, of course. I’ll get her one from the closet. If one of you will holler at Callie, we can go.”
Holly hurried away, leaving Lily in the living room with Ethan and Ryan.
“I’ll get Callie and warm up the truck,” Ethan said. “Tell Holly to come on out when you’re ready.”
Lily waited in nervous silence for Holly to return. She could feel Ryan watching her.
“Lily,” Ryan said in a soft voice.
She looked up to meet his gaze.
“You don’t have to be nervous around us. I think you’ll find we’re pretty laid back around here. You’re important to my sons, so that makes you important to me. You’re part of this family and that means you have our support. All of us.”
“Just like that?” she whispered.
He smiled. “Just like that.”
She smiled back. “Thank you. I don’t know what else to say. It’s all so hard to believe. How did I get so lucky?”
He walked over to her and held out his arms. After only a moment’s hesitation, she went into his embrace. He hugged her tightly.
“I think my boys would say they’re the lucky ones. No reason to dissuade them of that notion, is there?”
She laughed and absorbed the wonderful feeling of home and acceptance.
“I think this will be perfect for you, Lily,” Holly said as she hurried back into the room carrying a heavy coat. “It might be a little big on you, but it’ll do until we get you a new one in town.”
Lily took the coat, enjoying the feel of the warm sheepskin lining.
“You don’t have to take me shopping, Mrs. Colter,” she said. “Just taking me to the clinic is more than enough.”
“First, call me Holly. Mrs. Colter sounds so…old. And second, you need clothes. My boys have given me strict instructions to buy you whatever I think you need. Notice, they were sure to say what I thought you needed and not what you thought you needed.” Her eyes twinkled merrily as she teased. “And since I don’t want my boys to think I fell down on the job, you’re going to be fully outfitted head to toe by the time I’m finished.”
Ryan let out a groan. “Thank God Ethan volunteered for chauffeur duty.”
Holly elbowed him in the gut.
“And speaking of, Ethan said for you two to go on out when you were ready. He’s warming up the Rover.”
“You ready?” Holly asked. “Get your coat on and we’ll hit the road. I don’t want you to be late for your appointment.”
Ethan drove them into town, and as they pulled into Riley’s the first snow flurries started to swirl.
Holly climbed out of the front while Callie and Lily got out of the back.
“Riley’s has been around forever,” Holly explained as they walked into the general store. “More shops have opened over the years and I’ll take you there for clothes, but this is the best place to get coats and boots and jeans.”
Callie grinned. “In other words, if you want something cute, you’ll need to hit the boutiques on Main Street.”
“You should know that Callie’s idea of cute isn’t most people’s idea,” Holly warned.
Lily smiled. “I like her clothes.”
“Oh, I dress to fit in here,” Callie joked as they started browsing the racks of jeans. “Anyone not in jeans, boots and western wear gets the eyeball from the locals.”
Holly picked up a pair of jeans and held them up, looking skeptically at Lily. “You can try these on but they look a little big to me. You’re smaller-waisted than me and Callie. I figure you’re at least a size smaller if not two. We’ll start with these, though and see how they fit you.”
Lily was hustled into a dressing room and never had to come out. Callie and Holly kept handing stuff in for her to try. In an hour’s time, she had an armful of jeans, two coats, one heavy and one a lighter windbreaker, plus two pairs of boots and two pairs of loafer-style shoes.
“It’s too much,” Lily protested as Callie and Holly hauled the clothing to the register.
Callie held up a hand. “Oh please, this is a drop in the bucket compared to some of the shopping trips I’ve made Seth take me on. They’ll be happy the bill was only this much.”
Holly laughed but nodded. “Callie was a born shopper, much to her fathers’ and brothers’ dismay.”
Lily joined in their laughter, enjoying the companionship of other women. Friends. God, how she’d missed having good times and social outings. Shopping trips.
Holly checked her watch. “Okay, we need to get to the clinic. We can either hit the boutiques after your appointment, or, if you trust Callie to pick up a few things for you, she can walk over while we’re at the doctor’s.”
Lily glanced over at Callie who raised her hands in defense. “I swear I’ll do right by you. I have a pretty good eye for what will look good on you. And it will give me immense pleasure to go shopping on my brothers’ dime.”
Lily laughed. “I trust you. I’m sure your taste has to be better than mine.”
Holly hustled the girls out of the store and into the truck where Ethan waited. They stuffed their bags in the back and piled in.
“Get everything you need?” Ethan asked.
“Take us to the clinic,” Holly said. “Callie’s going to do some shopping across the street while Lily is at her appointment.”
Two hours later, Lily and Holly walked out of the clinic, Lily clutching the bag with the starter pack of her pills and a prescription for several months’ worth. Callie was waiting in
the truck with Ethan when Holly and Lily climbed in.
“I’ve had calls from all three of my sons demanding to know how things went with your doctor’s appointment,” Ethan said to Lily.
“Oh, everything is fine,” Lily said. “He looked at my arm and said it was healing nicely. No cause for alarm. It doesn’t even hurt anymore.”
She wasn’t about to tell any of them what the true reason for her appointment had been, although she was pretty sure Holly had a good idea.
Callie leaned forward and rested her arms over the back of Ethan’s seat. “I vote we go home and have the dads fix us dinner while Lily hosts a fashion show for me and Mom.”
“Spoiled much?” Ethan asked dryly.
“I’m not going to deny it,” Callie said with a grin.
Holly laughed. “Well, I could cook, but somehow I don’t think anyone wants that.”
“No, that’s okay,” Ethan said hastily. “I’m sure any of us would be more than happy to cook for our women.” He glanced back at Lily as he started to pull out of the parking space. “Were the guys expecting you for dinner?”
“I’m not certain,” Lily said hesitantly. “They were all so busy today. They said they’d see me tonight, but I don’t know when.”
“Don’t worry,” Holly soothed. “Ethan will call them and tell them all to come to supper. It’s been a long time since we all had dinner together, and I can’t think of a better occasion than now.”
In truth, Lily was excited about the prospect. She smiled and nodded and then leaned back, squeezing her arms over her chest and holding her happiness close, as if any moment it would be torn away from her.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Seth and Michael pulled up to their parents’ house at the same time.
“How did it go?” Michael asked as he got out and walked around to the front of his truck to meet Seth.
“Got everything filled out. Spoke to a few members of the city council. They’re pretty excited that I’ve agreed to come on board. They’re calling a special meeting on Monday, but it’s just a formality.”
“Are you comfortable with the decision?”
Seth paused for a minute as he stared around the place he’d grown up in. “Yeah. I’m good. Glad to be coming home.”
They walked into the house and were greeted by the sounds of women’s laughter. Michael exchanged grins with Seth as they entered the living room to see Lily modeling in dramatic fashion in front of Callie and their mom.
Seth held a finger to his lips and motioned Michael to stay back. The sight of Lily so carefree and uninhibited and having fun was enchanting.
He watched her twirl and strike outrageous poses as Callie and his mom cheered her on. Lily’s face was flush with pleasure, her eyes alive and bright, and her smile was about ten thousand watts.
His dads had gathered in the doorway behind Lily, clearly as entranced as Seth and Michael were. But no one made a move into the room, not wanting to ruin the obvious delight of the women.
“Oh hell, they’re drinking,” Michael muttered.
Holly and Callie poured wine from a nearly empty bottle, handed Lily a glass and set the bottle down by two other empties on the coffee table.
“Jesus, and the dads allowed this?” Seth whispered.
“They look pretty amused.”
Amidst giggles and calls of encouragement, Lily struck another outrageous pose, and at the same moment, her gaze lifted and she saw Seth and Michael in the doorway.
Color rushed to her cheeks, and for lack of a better word, she looked appalled. She stumbled, then righted herself and quickly plopped into a chair across the couch from their mom and Callie.
The dads began clapping, perhaps to break up the awkward moment. Lily whirled to see them standing in the doorway, and her face only got more crimson.
Then she buried her face in her hands and let out a groan.
Callie hurried from the couch, shoved into the chair with Lily and slung an arm around her shoulders. She hugged her tight and then glared at first the dads and then Seth and Michael.
Holly stood, but from all appearances, she was more than a little tipsy. She waved her glass in the dads’ directions and scowled.
“Go away. We’re having girl time here. The last thing we need is a bunch of Neanderthals interfering.”
“Even if the Neanderthals have cooked dinner and have it ready to eat on the table?” Adam drawled.
Holly hesitated, wobbled a little and then said, “It depends on what you cooked.”
“Good answer, Mom,” Callie crowed.
“We might have grilled steaks, baked potatoes and all the fixings,” Ethan said in a casual manner.
“Good enough for me,” Callie said as she rose. “Ready to eat, Lily?”
Lily tried to stand and promptly plopped back down. Then she giggled and rubbed a hand over her eyes as if trying to clear the cobwebs. Holly tried to go over to help her, but nearly stumbled over the edge of the carpet.
“For God’s sake,” Ryan muttered as he hurried forward to steady Holly. He looked up at Seth and Michael. “You might want to come help Lily to the table. I think they tried to see how much wine they could drink before they started puking.”
Seth chuckled and started toward Lily while Ryan helped Holly toward the kitchen.
“Hey, what about me?” Callie demanded.
Michael tweaked her on the nose. “The day you can’t hold your liquor is the day I check you into the hospital.”
She rolled her eyes and headed for the kitchen after the others.
Lily still looked embarrassed and sat quietly at the kitchen table as the dads set the table and dished up the large steaks.
Everyone had taken their seats and were about to dig in when Dillon hollered from the front door.
“In here, son,” Adam called.
Dillon entered the kitchen and sniffed appreciatively. Then his gaze settled on Lily, and without saying anything further to anybody, he headed straight for her, inserted himself between her chair and Michael’s and kissed her long and hard.
“Everything go okay today?” he murmured.
She smiled and nodded and Dillon reluctantly pulled away from the table to go take a seat down at the end.
Holly cleared her throat and everyone looked in her direction. “I just want to say, before we all eat, how wonderful it is to have my family home again. I miss my children when they’re gone.”
“And a big welcome to the newest addition to our family,” Adam said as he held up a glass in Lily’s direction. “To Lily.”
“To Lily!” the rest chorused.
Lily looked as if she was battling tears. Her eyes glistened, and she raised her table napkin to wipe at her face several times.
Dinner…was just like old times. Loud. Boisterous. Seth was a little worried at first that they’d overwhelm Lily, but she looked to be enjoying herself as her gaze bounced back and forth between the noisy conversations.
Seth’s homecoming dominated the dinner conversation. Though his mom had been the most vocal, it was obvious that his dads were every bit as thrilled that he was coming home. Adam smiled every time he looked in Seth’s direction, and he wrapped an arm around Holly and held her close as they surveyed the gathering at the table.
At one point, Adam leaned over to kiss the side of Holly’s head and murmured something in her ear. Her face lit up, and she smiled down the table, her face glowing in happiness.
Seth looked to his brothers and found the same satisfaction on their faces. The same contentment. Only Callie seemed withdrawn, her smile strained. He could see the shadows under her eyes and faint pain in the depths.
It had to be hard when everyone else was so happy and she was dealing with whatever had driven her to seek refuge.
“Are you ladies sober enough to make it back into the living room?” Ethan joked.
“Oh we’re fine,” Holly said in exasperation.
“Hate to eat and run,” Seth said as he rose. “But w
e really need to get on the road. The snow was coming down pretty hard and we don’t want to get stranded.”
“It might be better if you stayed over,” Adam said, concern darkening his voice. “It’s after dark and it’s been snowing for a while now.”
“We’ll take Michael’s Jeep and leave mine and Seth’s trucks here,” Dillon said. “We have a lot to talk about and work out. We’ll visit again soon.”
Dillon stood and walked to stand behind Lily. He clasped her shoulders and rubbed gently. “You ready?”
She glanced up at Seth and then Michael and nodded.
There was a chorus of hugs and goodbyes, and Seth smiled as Callie and his mom both fussed over Lily. The women joked and laughed about their afternoon together, and then Holly recruited the dads to help bring all of Lily’s packages out to the Jeep.
“Are you sure there’s going to be room for all of us?” Dillon joked as he and Seth stood back watching all the bags being stuffed in the back. “How much of our money did Mom spend today, anyway?”
“You don’t want to know,” Callie said cheekily. Then in a lower voice, “Don’t give Lily a hard time about it. It was like pulling teeth to get her to agree to all the stuff, and she needed everything.”
Dillon pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead. “Thanks for doing it for her. You’re the best.”
“I like her, Dillon,” Callie said in a low voice. “So do Mom and the dads. Don’t fuck this up.”
Seth chuckled next to Dillon. “Leave it to Callie to take us all to task.”
Michael bundled Lily into the front seat and then motioned for Seth and Dillon. “Come on you two, before Lily freezes to death.”
Seth and Dillon brushed the snow from their shoulders and heads and climbed into the Jeep.
“Did you have fun today?” Seth asked as Michael pulled out of the drive onto the snow-covered road.
Lily turned and smiled. “I did. Your mom and sister are so great.”
“How did it go at the doctor?” Dillon asked. “Did you get everything you need?”
Lily ducked her head and Seth shot Dillon a glare for embarrassing her.
“I did,” she said in a low voice. “It’s good timing actually. I start the pills the first Sunday after my last period. That’s day after tomorrow.”
