Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
VIC
Two days had gone by since Chassie’s sister had arrived, and I still hadn’t had an actual conversation with her.
Not that I’d tried. But I’d thought about it.
A lot. I’d seen her around as I finished up the punch list for my cabin.
The inspector just left, and I should have the official occupancy clearance within the week.
However, I wasn’t waiting. Rules were never my thing.
Just ask my brothers and sisters. They were all shocked when I’d gone into the military.
As the youngest, I’d have my fill of taking orders, but I also didn’t know what the hell I wanted to do with my life, so it seemed like a good idea. And when my second tour was up, I was out.
As if I’d conjured them, three enormous shadows fell across the steps leading up to the porch of my new home. Lars and my two other brothers, Sven and Axel, because I’d know those shapes anywhere.
Wonder what had brought them here? It had been almost two years since I’d seen any of my siblings and our mom.
In fact, Lars and I had never spent so much time together as we had in the past few months since I arrived.
Maybe they were getting jealous. Releasing a snort at the unlikely reason, I turned around.
They were both taller than me, almost as tall as Lars but not as heavily muscled as he was.
They used to intimidate me when I was a scrawny teenager, but over the last eight years I’d finally filled out, worked out till I dropped, and could now hold my own should they decide to start anything.
Shaking my head, it’s a wonder my mother had ever survived the teenage years.
“What the hell are you two up to?” I took the hit to my arm from Axel and was just about to put Sven in a headlock when Lars pulled me back.
“Knock it off. We have an audience, you buffoons.” Lars raised an arm and waved. “Good morning. You out exploring?” The gentle tone threw me until I looked over his shoulder and saw the tiny tot who stood staring wide-eyed at the four of us.
“Hi, my name is Luna. Are you giants?” Luna tipped her head to the side, a serious expression on her face. She was gripping the straps of her pink backpack and calmly waited for one of us to answer.
I looked around for her mother. She wasn’t that far from the back door to the lodge, so she might have slipped away unseen.
We’d grown up wild and in a neighborhood that looked out for everyone else’s kids, and I knew it was safe for her here to be out on her own, but my protective instinct kicked into high gear.
I stepped forward, then bent down in front of her. “Well, hey there. I’m Vic. Just Lars, he’s the biggest one. He ate not just his spinach but ours too, so he grew twice as big as us. But Sven and Axel and I are just regular men.” I pointed to them and they each raised a hand in greeting.
She erupted into giggles. The infectious sound lessened my concern that she’d be upset.
Luna peeked around me and looked Lars up and down. “I never eat spinach, so I’ll be regular like you.” She turned her attention back to me and grinned.
“You bet. Say, where’s your mama?” I attempted to keep my tone even, keeping any interest out of my voice.
My brothers could smell weakness from fifty feet away, and the last thing I needed was for them to know about my interest in the lovely Caitlyn.
In fact, I didn’t want either Axel or Sven to even meet her.
“She’s in the kitchen with two ladies. I forgot their names, but they’re cooking supper. Am I in trouble?” Her eyes turned glassy, on the verge of tears, and the need to reassure took over.
“Not a bit. I’ll go back with you.” Before I could question myself, I put out my arms and asked, “Want a piggyback ride? You haven’t been gone that long. I bet she won’t be mad at all, okay?”
Nodding her head excitedly, she put her arms out, and I got her settled.
“Lars, don’t let them inside until I get back.
I’ll show them around. That is, if you two are staying, or is this just a quick drop in?
” The three of them exchanged a weird look as I walked off with Luna waving goodbye excitedly. “Bye, giants!”
I hadn’t gone far before I heard Axel exclaim, “Since when does he like kids? Me thinks we need to stick around and meet the mom, Sven.” All three of them laughed. Let them.
But they didn’t. Axel warned they’d be back when they could stay longer. They were on their way to the airport. Something about a new opportunity that involved their areas of expertise. Sven had been in special forces and Axel a Ranger, so that meant a wide variety of things.
I didn’t ask. Didn’t really care. Not today. Because I’d already decided to shoot my shot with Luna’s mom and now was as good a time as any to start.