Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Adam wiped his hands on his jeans, suddenly so nervous he could hardly stand it.
They had all packed up, including a giant wild pig and a heap of dogs, and they were at Landon’s place.
It was the same as it had been—ramshackle and worn down, crazy and dilapidated—and his brothers were going to have a cat. He’d stand up to them this time, though. No one was going to make Laurel feel bad. She was Landon’s sister, and this was her home. That was something to be damned proud of.
“I’ll send Sister out to meet y’all. I’m gon’ figure where to put the pig.”
When Landon said pig it came out peg. It was adorable.
Before he could argue that they could help, Landon was gone, leaving him on the porch with Bri and Chrissy and a half dozen Cajuns he didn’t know. Beau wasn’t even there to translate.
A tiny, tiny storm cloud in a pair of cut-offs and a button-down tied under her breasts came out onto the porch and headed right for Chrissy, finger pointed. “I swear to God, you’d better never hurt him so bad again, he’s a good man and…”
She stopped, her head tilting. “You ain’t Adam.” She stared at Bri, lips twisted. “You ain’t neither.”
Impressive. Must be something about her and Landon being twins, knowing which brother was which.
“I’m Adam,” he told her, waiting for her to rain all over him. “I plan to be real good to him.”
“Good. He’s a good man and I’ll hoodoo your dick into the dirt, you make him hurt.”
Ow. His balls shrank a little. He grinned, though, liking her spunk. “No hoodoo.”
“For now.” Laurel reached up, hugged him hard. “Welcome to the family, honey.”
“Thank you.” She felt so tiny, so much more fragile than her brother. Over her head, he could see Chris staring at her, eyes wide. Like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
Bri opened his mouth and he glared. Not now. Not one fucking word. He wasn’t going to have it. It must have gotten through, because Brian’s mouth closed without anything coming out.
“So, y’all come on in, have a beer. There’s lots of snacks. I got onion dip and shrimps and all.”
“There will be a pig in a few hours,” Beau said, finally coming to join them. The Cajun slapped Chris on the back. “Look like you seen a ghost.”
“Huh?” Chris never glanced away from Laurel. Not once. His baby brother looked like he’d been poleaxed.
“You’re staring, bro.” Adam waved a hand in front of Chris’s face.
“Uh-huh.” Chris never moved.
Beau just cracked up. “Taggarts and Cajuns.”
Adam hooted. “Oh, God, that’s funny. She’s too young for you, Chris.”
Chris arched an eyebrow. “Pot.”
“Kettle.”
Landon popped out the door. “Sister, you invite them in?”
“I did. They’re busy being fools about something. Texans don’t speak English like we do, frère.”
“Ah. Oui, oui, but they sure is fine.” Landon waved at them. “Come on in and see the house. Mr. Beau, Sam says he’s got y’all set up under the dining fly.”
Beau nodded and headed off, and Adam prodded his brothers inside the house, which looked far better inside than it did out. Even if all the dogs followed them, tripping over ears.
The place was clean and homey, if more than a little piecemeal.
The floors were old planks, covered by bright, spotless rag rugs.
Fans blew the air around, keeping the heat from the stove bearable.
The cabinets didn’t match, the counters were bright green, and there were snacks and drinks set out everywhere.
They smelled heavenly. His mouth watered, reminding him that he and Landon had skipped breakfast in favor of what Coke would call canoodling.
“Help yourselves, y’all. There’s all sorts of chips and salads and things. Beers are in the coolers.”
“Thanks, honey.” Adam reached out and gave her another hug, kind of impulsively. He wasn’t a hugger, really.
She kissed his cheek. “Any time.”
Was Chris growling? Adam gave his brother a sideways glance. Huh. Chrissy was…damned puffy. Look at that. He patted Laurel’s back, right above her butt, and Chrissy’s hands clenched into fists. This? Was going to be fun.
Landon came back in, hands filled with beers to hand over, then he grabbed a lighter and wandered back out. Adam followed him, leaving Chrissy to moon over Landon’s sister. He could tease later.
There had to be fifty people, maybe more—old folks, kids, cowboys. There was music and laughter and the scent of wood smoke. The only time the Taggart crew had that many people around was during a funeral.
They should take a page from the Cajun book and get together more for joy.
“Cher, you want the tour or you jus’ want to party?”
He reached for Landon’s hand, pleased with how natural it felt. “Tour, definitely.”
“Well, if you look out there and see that old red house? The land all the way to there is ours. And we go to that line of trees there and then to the road.”
“That’s a good packet.” Adam couldn’t help but think of what he could do with it. Put a new house on it. A tackle room for fishing in the new barn.
“It is. I mean, it ain’t like y’all’s, but there’s good hunting, fishing.”
“It’s beautiful.” It was. Mossy trees and green swamp grass. Lovely.
Landon grinned. “It’s been in my family for five generations, had been pirate land.”
“Yeah?” He didn’t even look around before he pulled Landon close, leaning a little. “I like it, honey. I really do.” It felt good in his bones. He’d been worried that the land itself might reject him.
“I got me a place of my own in the green barn. A whole space for me.” Landon snuggled right into him, easy as pie.
“Yeah? Can I see it, too?”
“Surely. Now, ’fore it gets busy?”
Before it got busy? Lord, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know what it would be like when Landon thought it was bustling.
He let Landon lead him through the pasture, over to a huge, ancient barn. The dogs were following them, panting and wagging like a pack of fools. They went around the back and there was a huge garage door that Landon pushed open.
Adam had to laugh as soon as he could see inside. There was a bed, a pool table held together with duct tape, and a TV, along with the ugliest sectional on earth.
“I like it, honey. Very manly.”
Landon snorted. “It’s quiet and waterproof. I like it.”
“Is it ’gator proof?”
Landon had to think about it—think about it, for fuck’s sake. “Mostly. If I keep the door shut.”
“You’re serious?”
“Well, yeah.” Landon stared at him like he was the nut job. “Sister had to run one off the porch last week.”
They were going back to Texas. Tomorrow. He might even let Chris bring Laurel.
That made him smile and Landon chuckled. “Iff’n you want, we can sleep here tonight. The door locks.”
“I’d like the privacy, if nothing else. I mean, we got rattlesnakes up my way.”
“That’s what I meant, cher. I seen you come under the house with your rope. You ain’t scared none. I just want you by yourself for some fun.”
“Oh.” Hell, yes. “Then we’ll stay out here.”
Landon’s smile was pure naughtiness and Adam’s body tightened, loving how it turned him on. “We will, us. Come on, now. We got comp’ny and a pig to wait on. You like pralines? Sister made some.”
“I love them.” If there were any left. Bri had a terrible sweet tooth.
There had to be a hundred more people in the yard and house when they came out, a dozen of them calling to Landon. Landon just smiled and moved through the crowd, hugging this old lady, touching that kid’s hair.
Bri was standing by the house, watching him, a scowl on his face. Like a thundercloud these days, his middle brother.
“What’s up, Bro?” He hated seeing Brian so unhappy. They should chat, maybe. Adam felt a little selfish for wallowing in Landon.
“Nothing. Just ready to get on the road. I got things to deal with, and Chris is following that girl around like a stalker.”
Adam grabbed Brian in a bear hug. “Whatever it is, we’re here if you need us.”
Brian rested against him a second, proof that his brother needed him. “You sure about this, Bubba? You want you a…bayou baby?”
He squeezed hard enough to make Brian grunt. “I am. I mean, I know it’s hard to understand. I’m just getting my head around it. But he’s a good man, and he’s mine.”
“He’s got some weird ideas, that’s for sure.”
“I bet his people would say we do.” He knew Landon was stunned by their operation.
“Bubba, his people want to be what we are.”
Adam wasn’t so sure of that. He’d never met a man so sure of who he was than Landon. Landon wanted him—Landon didn’t want to be him. It was humbling. Amazing. Adam felt like he’d have to keep earning it for a long time.
“I think part of the trouble is that we assume that, and it ain’t true.”
“Maybe.” Brian grinned against his cheek. “No one wants to be me right now, anyway.”
“Whatever it is, we can help. You’re not alone, Bri.” None of them ever had been. Not since before birth. They had each other when nothing else meant a damn thing.
“I know. I need to handle this, though. I’ll tell you when it’s not raw.”
God, he hated when his brothers hurt. Hated it. He was the oldest. It was his job to protect them. He hugged a little more before letting go. “I love you, bro.”
“I know. I do. Go party, Adam. I’ll call.”
“Promise?” He whacked Brian’s butt, knowing Bri would call. The three of them couldn’t not keep in touch. Bri could be stubborn, though. Go the longest.
“I swear on Granny’s bloomers.”
“Don’t talk about my Granny.” Adam winked. “Don’t leave without telling Chrissy goodbye.”
“I won’t. Be happy.” Bri hugged him once more, quick, then headed off.
Adam shook his head, hoping whatever was eating Bri got settled soon. He wanted to fix things.
Coke came over, the basset hounds following behind. “Hey, old man.”
“Hey, Coke. How’s it going?” He reached down to scratch long old basset ears.
“It’s going. Dillon’s in there hounding the Cajun about his damned gumbo.” Coke winked.
“And you’re bringing me the hounds.” Adam laughed with Coke, and it felt good.
“You know it.” Coke leaned up against the house and yawned wide enough to catch a hawk in his teeth. “Lord, that pig smells good.”