CHAPTER FOUR #2
Madison spends the next five minutes explaining her idea to me.
It’s pretty freaking ingenious and isn’t actually doing anything against Max’s suggestion for keeping us quiet.
We spend the next fifteen minutes or so before I leave deciding what I’m going to wear.
Madison walks me to the door. I’m gonna run home and change, then go help Ma get food together.
She’s like Ma and a great hug giver. She hugs me.
“I love my brother, and I’ve seen him look at you.
I don’t think things are hopeless. I think he just needs to be reminded that you deserve the world, including everyone knowing how much you mean to each other.
He’s just…he’s just like the other boys in this family and sometimes needs to be smacked upside their heads to get them to see sense.
I’ve had enough experience with that. I’ve got your back.
You go get changed, help Ma, and I’ll see you in a few hours. Max won’t know what hit him.”
I can’t help but smile as I wave goodbye and head to my car. Time to take what I want.
Max
I just pulled up to the clubhouse and parked next to Ry’s bike.
I took a ride before coming since Christy said she was busy.
She must be helping Ma or something because she’s not responded to my texts today, not even my good morning one, which she usually does.
I don’t think she’s mad at me. I mean, sure, I had to end things early last night, but Juan made it sound like an emergency, so what was I supposed to do, just say no?
I don’t think that’s it because she said goodnight to me when I texted her later last night.
I walk over to the tables set up outside, stopping to grab a beer out of a cooler.
I see Shane, Mick, Rory, Mike, and Ben standing around the grill.
I walk over and give a chin lift in greeting.
“How goes it, gentlemen?” Shane points over toward Mick with his thumb.
“This one here was warnin’ us. Seems Madison got all worked up this morning and I would bet anything that she’s gonna get our ladies goin’ too. ” Mick nods emphatically.
“She’s been mumbling about clueless men and men who need to get their heads out of their asses all morning.” I’m thankful that Christy doesn’t get worked up like my sisters.
Being the nosy fucker he is, Juan walks up and asks the question we all wanna know the answer to.
“What the fuck did you do to set my sister off?” Mick rubs his forehead and shrugs his shoulders.
“That’s just it. For once, I don’t think I did anything!
She was fine this morning. Hell, I was watching Mikayla almost the whole time.
All I know is she was fine, and then Christy came over.
They went and talked for like half an hour, and when she left, my wife was all sorts of annoyed with men.
Not me specifically, but our gender in general. ”
Huh. Could Christy be mad about something?
I look over to the clubhouse and watch as Kierstie comes out with a little one on her hip and two walking behind her.
Ry is walking behind her with a couple more kids, including Mikayla in his arms. Neither of them says anything about pissed-off women inside, so I think Mick might be exaggerating.
I mean, Christy would say something to me if she were angry, right?
I get distracted watching all the kids playing around and using Juan and Ry as jungle gym climbing structures.
I don’t notice Nicky and Logan walking up next to me till Nicky speaks up.
“Oh my, it’s moments like this that I have to remind myself how much I love my man.
Who is that tall, hulking, gorgeous drink of water walking out with Christy?
” I instantly turn my head around and look at my girl talking to a man who’s got to be taller than Jon.
I don’t see his face to see who he is because all I can see is my woman.
My woman is dressed in a sundress that shows off all her assets.
It’s not revealing or too much, but it makes her look like a goddess.
One who’s got some other fucker’s full attention.
My elbow is bumped. I look over, and both Nicky and Logan have big grins on their faces.
“What?” They both roll their eyes at me, but Logan speaks up.
“I was saying that Asher told me that’s Zane, the new prospect.
He said you guys knew him from high school and that he’s back in town.
Asher said something about him only being able to prospect part-time because he’s still playing.
I don’t know what sport or anything because I stopped listening at that point. ”
Mick has walked over to our group and joins in the conversation. “Max knows him.” I don’t recognize him, but I still haven’t seen the fucker’s face since he’s too busy talking to Christy. “I do?” Mick nods at me. “He’s the one who lived next door to us.”
Wait, I remember that kid. “Wait, the short, skinny kid who followed you around?” Mick smiles and nods.
“Yeah, same guy. He’s back in town, playing for the Mt.
Adams Axemen. He was an alternate for the US Rugby team at the last Olympics.
Fucker’s strong as an ox.” Nicky snorts and makes a comment only he could get away with.
“He sure doesn’t look like an ox. He also looks very interested in Christy.
” I can’t take my eyes off them. I watch as something he says makes Christy laugh, and she gives him her beautiful smile.
The one that’s mine. The one that no other fucker should be given.
Mick bumps his shoulder with mine and says low enough so no one else can hear, “I didn’t hear what they talked about in the back room this morning, but I did hear your name once.
I’m not gonna ask why or the reasons that could be.
I’m just going to ask that if it involves you, you fucking fix it and soon.
I, for once, didn’t do anything wrong, but I can feel right now that my wife is not a happy camper with our sex.
If you’re to blame, I might just have to do to you what you did to Shane when he and Kierstie announced their relationship.
” I look at Mick and can tell by the look on his face that he’s serious.
I don’t admit anything, but I give a slight nod.
I look over and see the fucker Zane is following Christy back into the clubhouse, and I start moving that way without a thought or a plan for what I’m doing.
All I know is Christy is mine, and I don’t care if I’ve got to go toe-to-toe with some fucking giant who’s bigger than any of my brothers.
She and I have something special, and I won’t let that slip through my fingers.
I get to the door, open it, and walk into what looks like controlled chaos.
There are tables with bowls and trays with food on a couple of tables, looking like they’re waiting to be taken outside.
I hear voices in the kitchen, and a moment later, Ma comes out with Jason, Zane, and Luke following her.
“All these need to be taken outside, and then I need a couple of you to come back in and get the baked beans and grilled onions from the kitchen. Oh, and someone else needs to check if the ice chests need to be restocked.” Jason speaks up.
“How about I check the ice chests and you two newest prospects take everything out? I’ll help if there’s more to do afterward.
” The three all go off to do what Ma asked.
She looks up, sees me, and gives me a smile.
“Well, there’s my boy. I was hoping to see you today.
” I walk over and give Ma a hug and kiss her cheek.
“I told ya I was going to make all of these now, and I haven’t missed one since I said that. ”
Ma gives me a smile. “I’m gonna go make sure those boys set things up like I want. You go in the kitchen and see if more help is needed?” I nod and walk toward the kitchen as Ma goes outside to direct everything.
I walk into the kitchen and see Christy stirring something in the slow cooker.
I start to walk toward her when a voice comes from the table.
“You come to help the prospects out, brother?” I glance at the table and see both Kierstie and Madison sitting at the table.
How I missed that they were in here is beyond me.
“Uh, sure. Ma asked me to see if you needed more help.”
Madison looks between Christy and me. She then gives me a look that makes me wonder whether she knows about us.
Madison is the one who speaks up. “Yeah, why don’t you carry the beans Christy is stirring now?
We don’t want to overlook them and have someone else have to come get them.
” Kierstie interjects, “I don’t know what Mads means, but yeah, grab the beans, and we’ll be right behind you. ”
I’m not sure what the fuck I walked into, but I go over to the counter where Christy’s standing, having just put the lid back on the slow cooker, I assume that holds the beans.
Christy looks up and gives me a smile that isn’t the one she usually gives me.
“Here, friend. This is what needs to go out. Think you can handle it?”
Ever feel like your brain has short-circuited?
Or maybe that you’re in the middle of a test you didn’t know you were taking?
I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve never seen Christy looking so beautiful and sexy or because she and Madison are acting strange.
I feel like I should know why, like not because they tell me, but because I know why.
But here I stand, confused and wishing for some clarity.
I have a feeling that if I ask for it right now, that’s the last fucking thing I would get.
I pick up the beans and quickly make my way outside, trying to figure out what the fuck is going on.
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