Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
TUCKER
“So what you’re saying is, you’re a master baker.” I eye my girl as she bustles around my kitchen, pulling together homemade huckleberry muffins like it’s the easiest thing in the world. Like she should be featured on a baking show.
I would watch.
“No, I just like to bake,” she corrects me. “And this shouldn’t be too impressive to you, given how well you cook.”
“Cooking and baking are two different things.”
“You’re right. Baking adds inches to my hips.” She smirks, and I narrow my eyes at her.
“There’s nothing wrong with your hips.”
“Not now. I busted my ass, literally, to lose the hips, the ass, the . . . well, all the extra stuff. So, I like to bake, but I don’t eat a lot of it. I share.”
I don’t like to hear her talk shit about herself.
“Don’t glare at me like that. I know, you like me just the way I am.”
“I do. That wouldn’t change with whatever a fucking scale says.”
Her eyes soften, and she leans in to kiss my biceps, since her hands are busy. “That’s sweet. Okay, I’m about ready to put these in the oven.”
“Good because I have something to show you while they bake.”
She lifts an eyebrow and then smirks. “Again? You’re insatiable.”
“And you have a smart fucking mouth.” I kiss the top of her head and watch as she gets the pan of muffins in the oven. “And it’s going to look fucking incredible wrapped around my cock.”
She huffs out a laugh, then moves to the sink and washes her hands. When they’re dry, she turns and leans back against the counter, her hands braced on it on either side of her perfect hips, and smiles.
“What do you have to show me, Hotshot?”
When I hold my hand out for hers, she takes it and follows me to the mudroom, where we put on shoes and then walk outside.
Darby takes a long, deep breath of the fresh air, and then she freezes.
“Tucker.”
“That’s me.”
“Why is there a huge greenhouse and garden boxes back here?”
Part of me feels foolish. Will she think it’s ridiculous that I did this for her? Will it make her run away? Maybe I should have talked to her about it first.
“Tucker?”
“You said you wanted a greenhouse.”
Her jaw drops as she stares at the new structure, and then she looks up at me, her bright-blue eyes searching mine as if she can’t believe it.
“You did this for . . . me?”
I can see the questions swirling around in the gorgeous brain of hers. The biggest one being, Why would I do this when her being here is temporary?
But the thing is, I don’t want it to be temporary. I want her to stay, and yeah, I know it’s fast. But I don’t fucking care.
I don’t ever rush into anything. I’m the one that sits back, takes things one day at a time.
But now that I’ve had her, I don’t plan to ever let this woman go.
“I’ll be installing the wildlife fence today, so the deer and critters can’t get to whatever you plant in there.”
“You did this for me,” she mutters, shaking her head slowly.
She hasn’t smiled.
She hasn’t moved.
These aren’t good signs.
“If you don’t want to use it, I’ll find a use for it—”
“Are you crazy?” She turns and launches herself into me, kissing my face and squeezing her arms around my neck, her legs around my waist. “There’s so much this can be used for. Vegetables and herbs and flowers. Medicinal plants.”
Thank fuck she’s not pissed.
“So, you’re not mad.”
“Mad?” With a little laugh, she brushes her lips over mine. “This might be the best thing that anyone’s ever done for me, Hotshot. If you’re trying to impress me, it worked.”
“I just . . . wait, I’m impressing you?”
“While you put up the fence, I’m going to gather the arnica before it all dies off and is gone for the season. If that’s okay with you.”
“Pick whatever you want. But first, you’d better take those muffins out of the oven.”
Her eyes widen and she jumps out of my arms.
“Oh shit, you’re right. I totally forgot.” She races inside, and I follow more slowly behind her, walking into the kitchen just as she sets the hot pan of muffins on the stovetop. “They’re perfect. Didn’t burn.”
Suddenly, there’s a knock on the front door, and then Ava comes strolling inside, and her steps falter when she sees us in the kitchen.
Her observant eyes bounce between Darby and me, and then her lips tip up into a knowing smile.
“Well hello there,” she says. “Do I smell muffins?”
“Just out of the oven,” Darby replies. “Huckleberry.”
“We’re keeping you around,” Ava announces before winking at me and crossing over to make herself some coffee. “What’s the occasion? Not that you need one for huckleberry anything.”
“I was hungry,” Darby replies simply, and then grins at me, and her eyes say everything.
Because your brother fucked the shit out of me this morning, and I need calories so we can do it again later.
I smirk back at her and lean in to kiss the top of her head.
Ava’s eyes go round.
“Problem?” I ask her.
“Fuck no, there’s no problem. I just feel super proud of myself because I’m the reason she applied for the job here in the first place, and it seems to be working out very well.” She’s smug as hell as she sips her coffee and swipes a muffin, then sits at the island to consume them.
“Wait,” Darby says, holding up a hand, and I know exactly what she just saw. “Ava Hendrix.”
“What?” Ava blinks at Darby and then takes a bite of muffin. “Christ, that’s damn fucking good.”
My baby sister has a mouth on her. Always has.
I follow suit and grab my own muffin, and when I bite in and it melts in my mouth, I vow right here and now that I’m going to marry this woman.
“You have a ring on a very important finger, friend,” Darby says, gesturing at the engagement ring. “When in the hell did that happen?”
“It’s new,” Ava admits. “He proposed the other night at Dad’s house when we got together for dinner.”
“Chad proposed,” Darby clarifies, and Ava nods. “I mean, that could be sweet. Did he show up early and talk to your dad and—”
“No,” Ava says, shaking her head. “He did none of the traditional things, and you know what? It’s fine.”
It’s not fucking fine.
“We’re setting a date in the summer.”
“Wait,” Darby says before I can, “what’s the hurry? Christ, are you pregnant?”
I blow out a breath and push my hands through my hair.
“Hell no,” Ava says. “Definitely not pregnant. It’s just time.”
“Okay, before you piss your brother off to the point that Chad ends up dead and buried in a shallow grave, we need some girl time to talk about this. With Harper and Jules.”
The girl gang.
“I can go tonight,” Ava says. “Chad’s out of town.”
Darby already has her phone out, texting the others.
“I’m free,” Darby says as she stares at her screen. “Dr. Fisher told me to take off through the weekend, so I can even drink.”
“Harpsichord can be the driver, since she’s knocked up and all,” Ava says with a bright smile. “Score.”
“They’re in,” Darby announces, and then looks over at me. “I’m going out with the girls tonight.”
I lean back and cross my arms over my chest, grinning at her. “I heard.”
She presses her lips together.
“Come here, Duchess.”
Without hesitation, she moves over to me, and I pull her in for a hug and lower my lips to her ear.
“You never have to check with me before you make plans.”
“I know, but sometimes it’s considerate—”
“Never,” I repeat before kissing her temple.
“Why are you two whispering?” Ava wants to know. “It’s rude.”
“You’re in my house,” I remind my sister. “Uninvited.”
“Whatever.” My sister’s feelings aren’t hurt, she simply rolls her eyes. “You may own this place now, but it’ll always be home. At least I knocked. If you don’t want anyone in here, lock the damn door.”
“You have a key,” I remind her, and she grins as she finishes her muffin. “It would have taken me longer to get in, though.”
My own phone rings, and when I pull it out of my pocket, I see Xander’s name.
“I’ll be right back.”
I step out the back door and onto the porch and then answer.
“What’s up?”
“Just got back to Denver,” he says, and I can hear how tired my brother is. Professional hockey isn’t easy, and I know that it’s starting to wear on him. At thirty-two, he’s nearing the end of his career. “How’s everything at home? How’s Dad?”
“Dad’s doing really well, actually.”
Our father was diagnosed with diabetes last year, and it was a rocky-as-fuck time figuring out his sugar and medicines and monitoring everything. He had to learn a whole new way of eating, and Dad has one hell of a sweet tooth. Even Harper, who’s a nurse, moved home to help take care of him.
“But there is news,” I inform him.
“Shit. What is it? Just tell me.”
Xander loves what he does, but he hates being away from home. He comes back to Montana every summer and spends most of his offseason here, only traveling back for promo for the team.
“Ava’s engaged.”
He’s quiet for about ten seconds.
“She’s not marrying Chad.”
“Why do we all say his name like he’s shit on our shoe? He’s an attorney. Has a decent reputation around town. You know he helped Juliet and Brooks last year.”
“Yeah, he’s also not good enough for our baby sister, so it sounds like I need to make a trip home so I can kick his teeth in.”
I can’t help the grin that takes over my face.
“How are you feeling about the playoffs?”
“We’ll be in it for a while yet,” he says confidently. “But I have three straight days off soon, and I’ll be coming home for a day.”
“For a day?”
He’s quiet, and then replies with “I’m homesick, man.”
“Well, then come on. We’re here. I’ll make sure your house is ready for you.”
“We’ll kick’s Chad’s ass when I get there. Tell Easton.”
I laugh and glance inside and see Ava and Darby laughing together too.
Fuck, she fits in here so well.
“What aren’t you telling me?” he asks.
“Remember the vet intern? Darby?”
“The pretty girl who likes hockey? Duh.”
“Yeah, well, she’s mine.”
Another silence. “I really need a trip home. I’m missing every fucking thing.”
“Let me know when you land next week, and I’ll pick you up.”
“Fuck yes, you will. I’ll keep you posted.”
We say goodbye, and then I frown out at the mountains. By the end of each season, Xander’s always ready to come home for a couple of months, but I’ve never heard him quite like this.
I don’t think he’s ever admitted to me that he’s homesick before.
Wondering what my stubborn brother isn’t telling me, I go back inside to find my sister gone and Darby holding a reusable grocery bag.
“I’m going out to gather arnica,” she announces. “And then I’ll check the horses in the barn. I feel bad that I didn’t go out to take care of them this morning.”
“Scott is covering the weekend,” I inform her. “You have a few days off to do as you wish.”
“Wow.” She shimmies her shoulders. “I won’t know what to do with myself.”
“I have plans for you, Duchess.” I press my lips to her cheek and then kiss down to her neck, and she arches into me as her breath catches.
“I thought you might.”