Chapter 23 Summer
Summer
“That sounds good.” I can’t help the yawn that escapes me. I might be doing better, but low-level tiredness is still my constant companion. Also, I might not have been this relaxed in weeks.
Rebel shuts off the water and steps out of the shower before he places me on my feet. He wraps us both in towels before using my special microfiber towel to squeeze the water out of my curls.
His gaze drinks me in. It’s serious, calculating.
“What?”
“Is there something else on your mind?”
Other than the engagement ring in the closet back in L.A., and every time one of my brothers brings up how he should marry me he looks like he wants to run for the hills…nope.
I slip past him into the bedroom and open the closet.
Rebel follows me. “Red?”
I can’t mention I’ve seen the ring when I’m not supposed to be aware of its existence. And I don’t want him to feel obligated to rush a level of commitment he’s not ready for, because I’m pregnant.
He comes up behind me and wraps his arms around me. “Clothes? You know I’m just going to tear them off you.”
Does it matter if there’s a ring on my finger as long as he wants me?
I’m not the traditional girl my brothers want me to be.
I don’t need to get married to have love and family.
They’re the ones who keep harping on it.
I’m certainly not going to marry or not marry him based on goats, pigs, and blessings.
They don’t get a say in the choices I make about my life.
But I do want the white wedding dress. And the declaration of forever in front of our friends and family. And I want to be able to shove a big fuck off shiny ring under the nose of any starlet who makes eyes at my man. I want him to want that with me. “Sorry, baby brain.”
His chest rises and falls at my back. “Sum—”
“Hollywood.” Owen’s voice is loud despite the closed door between us. “Get out here right fucking now.”
You have got to be kidding me.
Rebel snags a pair of jeans from a shelf stacked with his favorites and drags them up his muscular legs. “What does he want now?”
“Let me handle it.” I cinch the oversized towel tighter as I march across the room and fling open the door.
Owen hulks in the hallway. A muscle under his eye tics, but his gaze rounds when he realizes I’m not Rebel.
And then he notices I’m wearing a towel, and his face turns red.
Ruddier still when he looks into the room behind me and sees Rebel who is dragging a T-shirt over his head and smoothing it down his abs.
The fly on his jeans still undone. “Hollywood, you b—”
I slam my hand over my brother’s mouth. Damn it. I hoped Burke would get through to him. “Stop it, Owen. You’re a grown man. Act like one.”
Riot and Rogue rush into the hallway, almost colliding with Burke who comes charging from the opposite direction. Burke’s eyes widen when he takes in the scene.
The shit thing about my brothers helping to raise me is they can make me feel like a child. Still. To this day. Slowly I withdraw my hand. “You’re acting like an ass.”
“He impregnates my sister and refuses to marry her.” Owen glares daggers at Rebel. “He cost me an ATV. And—”
“No. You cost you the ATV.” I shove his chest, hot, wet rage pricking at my eyes.
“Christ, Owen. You left him at the pit. What if Burke hadn’t gotten him out?
You could have broken my heart. Is that what you want?
I love him, and I’m having his babies. You could have taken their father with that stupidity. You know how dangerous it can be.”
“Babies?” Owen stutters, suddenly stumbling back. “As in more than one.”
“You owe me a hundred,” Rogue tells Burke.
They bet on whether we were having twins. I spilled the beans. “Shit.”
“Is it twins?” Ivy and Kelsey filter in to find out what happened, just in time to catch the big reveal. Ivy wraps her arms around Rogue. “We’re going to have twin nieces or nephews. Or one of each. Adira, did you hear?”
“Loud and clear, Love.” Adira glides in behind them. “I cannot wait to dress them up like identical baby queens. I found these cute pink cowboy boots.”
“You think they’re girls?” Ivy asks her cousin.
“Pink was a boy’s color long before it was a girl’s color. And that’s only necessary knowledge if you’re the kind of person who needs your gender colorized. You know I prefer a whole rainbow.” Adira sweeps his hand in a wide arc over his head.
“They’re going to be boys,” Rogue says cockily. “It’s almost inevitable.”
“It doesn’t matter if they’re boys or girls or one of each.” Rebel wraps his arms around me and tugs me to his chest, kissing the top of my head. “Either way they will be loved.”
“So much.” But if they’re girls, I will not be upset.
I already have too many pigheaded men in my life.
I can clearly picture the battle raising twin boys could be.
I can also imagine what it would be like to take an iced tea out onto the deck and watch Rebel and his boys playing in the pool.
Or playing catch or football on the grass.
Tucking me behind him, Rebel faces Owen.
“No matter how much I try to reassure you that I won’t hurt your sister, you don’t believe me.
Fine. You’ve seen a lot of things on social media and won’t give me the benefit of the doubt.
I understand that. But I got her to come home, didn’t I?
Why don’t you focus on spending time with Summer instead of trying to make me leave?
Who knows how long it will be before I feel the need to convince her again. ”
“Uh, we’re here because Rogue and Ivy are getting married and liked the idea of using the ranch.” Right? They came to us. They asked me if I could make it happen.
“Who would have put that idea in his head?” Rebel shoots a look Rogue’s way.
“What?” Rogue gives a start under my narrowed gaze. “It’s a nice spot. In the middle of nowhere. Secluded. Photogenic as hell. It made sense when you suggested it.”
“So you killed two birds with one stone?” I ask Rebel.
All the time we’ve spent planning this wedding, he’s been plotting to get me home to see my brothers.
Using his twin’s nuptials to do it because he knows it’s not easy for me to come home.
Making sure I couldn’t talk myself out of it like I always do despite how much I miss my family. My heart is bursting.
And this is how my brothers treat him?
I don’t know who to be more annoyed at. Rebel, who went behind my back to bring me home even though I am grateful he did. My brothers who tried to kill my man. Or Duke and that creepy, threatening card he sent to scare me.
As much as I want to go home and forget Devil’s Bend exists, how dare Duke try to intimidate me into staying away from my family. I have no clue what I’m going to do about him yet, but considering the battle between my brothers and Rebel isn’t over, I was right to keep it to myself.
“I wouldn’t suggest I’m killing birds. But, yes.” Rebel steps up to my eldest brother. “So could we come to some kind of truce?”
“You want a truce?” Owen thrusts out his chest and leans into the tiny gap Rebel has left between them. They’re like two roosters vying to be top cock. “Give me back Stains.”
Rebel’s expression slackens. “What?”
“You took my goat. You’re hiding him somewhere.”
“Don’t look at me.” Rogue lifts his hands when Rebel turns on him. “This is one time I had nothing to do with it.”
“He probably let himself out.” Burke grips Owen’s shoulder with an apologetic glance at Rebel. “It wouldn’t be the first time Stains pushed through a fence.”
“I don’t trust him,” Owen grumbles, with one last murderous look in Rebel’s direction. “Not with Stains. And not with our sister.”
“He’s being ridiculous.” I groan into Rebel’s shirt. “I’m sorry he’s giving you such a hard time.”
“You did warn me.” Rebel pries my fists from his shirt.
“Because I know how stubborn Owen can be. But this... it’s too much.”
“Family drama is expected at a family event,” Rogue says. “Riot, Adira, and I will help look for the goat.”
Riot nods.
“Speak for yourself,” Adira says. “The ladies and I have to get ready for tonight’s festivities.”
“I should help search for the goat too,” I say.
“You could do that.” Adira taps his chin with one long acrylic nail. “Or you can let me make you over. You’re such a smoke show, but you’ve forgotten while you’ve been chewing saltines and popping ginger tabs. Let’s play dress up instead. Like we planned.”
I’d thought it would help with Rebel, but after the shower we’re good. “That’s not necces—”
“Actually, it is.” Ivy lifts her hand and flashes her ring and a giant grin at me. “Bridesmaid duties.”
“We’ll find the goat,” Rebel reassures me with a kiss on my forehead. “And Owen and I will come to some kind of understanding. I’ll see you in a bit.”
“Tonight,” Adira says sternly as he shoos Rebel out. “You won’t see her until tonight.”
“Have I ever followed the rules?” He winks at me before he leaves.
“Summer, sweetie, grab your robe. Kelsey, there’s champagne in the barn that won’t open itself. Love, where has that divinely dizzying sister of yours disappeared to?”