Chapter 21
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
TUCKER
It’s been a week of having Darby in my bed, my house, my kitchen. She helps with the ranch, and gets called out with Dr. Fisher fairly often, and we’ve settled into a rhythm.
Into a dance of sorts, as if it’s easy. As if we were always supposed to be here, just like this. She makes me laugh like no one else can, and she’s so fucking smart.
Way smarter than me.
The garden beds and greenhouse are fully planted and soon will be bursting at the seams with produce and flowers, and she lovingly tends to them every day, even in the rain. And Sylvester follows close to her heels, as if he also got the memo that she’s fucking special.
She fits so seamlessly, I wonder if it should alarm me. If it should put me on edge, waiting for the other shoe to drop. But so far, I’m enjoying the fuck out of her.
And enjoying fucking her.
Xander’s plane just landed, and I pull up to the curb of the tiny airport outside Bitterroot Valley, waiting for him. It only takes minutes for him to appear at the passenger side of my truck, just a backpack on his shoulder.
Of course, he has a house here, and he’s only here for thirty-six hours.
“Hey,” he says as he sits next to me and buckles up. “Fucking finally.”
Xander hasn’t been home since late last year. The hockey season is long and keeps him away for months at a time.
“Welcome home,” I say as I pull away from the airport, headed toward Xander’s house. “Easy flight?”
“It’s always an easy flight from Denver,” he replies. “How’s everyone?”
“Happy to have you home,” I reply and glance over to see his lips turn up. My younger brother is fucking excellent at what he does, but we’re a tight family, and it’s rough for him to go long periods between seeing us. “We’re doing dinner at the ranch tonight.”
“Good. Who’s cooking?”
I laugh and give him the look that says Really? “Obviously I am. But Darby made dessert.”
“Ah yes, tell me all about her. I get to meet her, and I’m looking forward to that. Don’t worry, I won’t steal her.”
I snort and shake my head. “You could try, but you’d get nowhere.”
“So, things are good?”
“Yeah. She’s awesome, and she enjoys the ranch. You’ll meet her later.”
She’s almost too good to be true.
“What’s going on with you? Are you okay?” I eye him again as I turn off the highway onto his long driveway. “Talk to me.”
Xander blows out a breath as I pull up outside his ridiculous mansion of a house and turn off the engine. We both climb out of the truck, and I follow him to the front door, where he keys in a code, and we walk inside.
I stocked the fridge with some things I knew he’d want to have around, and his housekeeper put fresh linens on his bed and in the bathroom. He’s good to go.
We move into the kitchen, and he leans against the countertop, staring out the floor-to-ceiling windows that look out to the stunning view of the mountains, and sighs again.
And I wait.
Because if there’s anything that Xander and I share, it’s our penchant for taking our time.
Finally, he says, “I’m tired.”
“Of course you are, it’s almost the end of the season. You’ve been working your ass off for ten months, X.”
“I’m sick of Denver.” His eyes find mine now, and he shoves his hand through his hair.
“Do you think you want to be traded somewhere else? You’ve spent your entire career there.”
“No, I don’t want another team.”
I go very still as I watch him. This is new. This doesn’t sound like simple homesickness to me. “Are you thinking of the R word?”
“Not yet, but fuck, it’s not as easy as it was ten years go. I’m getting old.”
I grin at him. “That happens.”
“I guess I’m ready for the season to be over, and to come home for a couple months and recover, work at the ranch, do my thing. I’m sick of puck bunnies and media and fucking airplanes.”
Jesus, I’ve never heard him like this. Never.
“Your contract is up this year, you know. You can retire. You’d never have to work again.”
My brother is one of the greatest hockey players of all time, and he’s paid accordingly. The man is rich as fuck.
“I’m not ready to hang up my skates, I guess I just needed a break. The playoffs are long, and we were in them last year, too, so I’ve had several back-to-back long seasons.”
“The alternative is to lose. And you’re too fucking stubborn for that.”
“I don’t fucking lose,” he replies and folds his arms over his chest with a smirk. “I’ll be okay. I’ll recharge on this trip, and then the season will be done in a month or so.”
Nodding, I check my phone when it pings with a text.
Duchess: So, there might have been a small fire in the kitchen. If you smell something . . . off, no you don’t.
I laugh and reply.
Me: Do I need to call the fire department?
“God, you’re in deep.” I lift an eyebrow, looking up at my brother, who’s smirking at me.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Your face goes all gooey and soft, even over text.”
“How do you know that I’m texting Darby?”
“Do you look like that when you text Easton? Or Scott? No. You don’t.”
I shake my head and glance down when she replies.
Duchess: Nope. All is well. Nothing to see here.
Me: Headed home in five. See you soon. Don’t burn the house down while I’m gone, Duchess.
She replies with a kissy face, and I shove my phone in my pocket.
“I think it’s great,” he says.
“What is?”
“That you have a girlfriend.”
Girlfriend. That sounds way too simple for how I feel about that woman, but I’m not willing to tell him that.
“I have to go home and get dinner going. Come over whenever you want.”
“Can I come hang out now?”
“Of course. Want to ride with me, or are you breaking out the Maserati?”
“Dude, of course I’m taking my car.”
I snort and leave through the front door. “See you there.”
Of course the asshole passes me on the highway and beats me home by like five minutes. Because he drives too fucking fast in that car. When I stride into the kitchen, Xander’s relaxing against my counter, arms crossed, eating something that my girl made, and Darby is telling him about the kittens.
“She’s trying to make me a father,” Xander says when he sees me. “Also, you’re slow as fuck.”
“You should have been pulled over at least six times,” I reply and march right over to my girl, frame her face in my hands, and kiss the fuck out of her.
When I come up for air, she grins at me. “Don’t worry, I’m not flirting with your brother the hockey legend.”
Xander busts up laughing, and I narrow my eyes at her before leaning in to whisper in her ear. “That’s one orgasm you don’t get to have tonight, Duchess. I dare you to keep going.”
Her breath catches when I bite her earlobe, and then I step away to get started on making dinner.
“I want him to adopt a kitten,” she says after clearing her throat. “He needs one.”
“No,” Xander says. “I have enough responsibility, and I’m never home anyway.”
“But cats are very self-sufficient. I’m sure you know someone who could feed it while you’re gone.”
“No,” Xander says again. “Absolutely not. You won’t sway me on this, pretty girl.”
“No nicknames,” I say, my voice perfectly calm as I start chopping vegetables.
The room goes quiet.
“Wow.” Xander doesn’t sound like a cocky asshole right now. “This is serious.”
“Already told you that,” I reply and glance over to see Darby bite her lip. “Her name is Darby or D.”
“Understood,” Xander replies. “No, D, I don’t want a kitten.”
“They’re too young to be given away,” I add.
“But they’ll be old enough before we know it, and they need homes. I’ve made it my mission to find them excellent places to live.” She pauses. “Also, don’t look in the trash.”
“What’s in the trash?”
“Nothing.”
That must be where she tossed whatever burned. I don’t smell anything.
“How did you almost burn the house down while I was gone?”
Darby blows out a breath and her shoulders sag. “I tried to get fancy with a handheld blowtorch and things went sideways. So now I have to make cupcakes, which I can do in the cabin kitchen, since you’re making dinner in here.”
“I’m not using the oven,” I inform her. “Work your magic, Duchess.”
“Let’s go to Lucky’s for some pool and beers,” Easton suggests after dinner. Dad already went home with his girlfriend, and now it’s just the siblings here at the ranch. Even Harper’s husband, Blake, is with us, since he has a rare night off from the hospital.
“I feel like I’ve been at Lucky’s a lot lately,” Darby says with a laugh. “They’re going to think I have a problem. Although, I can’t drink tonight. I’m on call.”
“Same,” Blake says with a wink at my girl. Darby’s known Blake Blackwell and his family since she was a little girl. They’re practically family. “You and I can drive.”
“I can’t reach the wheel anymore, so I’m out on drinking and driving,” Harper says with a pout, and Blake kisses her lips. “But I can sit like a pro, so I’m in.”
“Let’s do it,” Ava agrees, and Xander’s already got his hoodie on, ready to go.
“I’ll head home,” Chad says, making Ava frown. “You should absolutely go, but I have to be in court first thing tomorrow, so I should go home and look over my case notes. Call me if you need a ride.”
I share a look with Xander, who rolls his eyes.
We take three vehicles, including my truck, since I also don’t plan to drink, and before long, we have a table secured in the back of the bar, with a round of drinks ordered, whether alcoholic or otherwise, and Xander breaks the balls on the pool table.
I don’t know that we’ve ever all gone out together like this. All the siblings with our significant others, and I have to say, it’s fucking fun.
“Hey, guys,” Ivy, the bartender says with a bright smile as she carries a loaded tray into our area and sets it on the table. She stops short when she sees Xander, and her pretty blue eyes widen.
“Well, hello,” Xander says, his gaze traveling from her long red hair, down her shapely little body and long legs, to her feet. “Thanks, beautiful.”
Ivy’s cheeks go bright red as she hands out the drinks, and then walks away.
“Dude, you know her,” Ava tells our brother as Easton laughs into his hand. “That’s Ivy.”
Xander frowns. “Who?”
“Ivy. She was in your class,” Ava replies.
“I don’t . . .” He’s still frowning, shaking his head. “I don’t remember her. She’s from here?”
“She told me she was born in this building,” Darby replies. “But maybe she looked different in school. Most of us did.”
I tug her against me, her back to my front, and loop my arm around her chest as we watch Xander and Easton play.
After a few rounds of pool, Darby glances up at me. “I’ll be right back.”
I kiss her cheek, and then she wanders over to the bathrooms, and when I look up, I see my whole family watching me.
“What?”
“We like her for you,” Harper says with a little smile. “A lot, actually. She fits in, and you’re so smitten, it’s really sweet. You deserve all of that happiness, big brother.”
“We’re having drinks at Lucky’s, not a wedding,” I remind them, but they just smirk or smile at me, and I lift a shoulder. “Thanks. I’m keeping her.”
“He almost punched me in the face for using a nickname for her,” Xander says as Ivy delivers another round of drinks. “Hey, thanks, Izzy.”
Jesus fucking Christ.
“Um,” Ivy frowns and bites her lip. “It’s Ivy. But it’s been a long time. Good to see you, Xander. The game the other night was great.”
She rubs her hands down her jeans and turns to the rest of us. “Anyone need anything else?”
“This is great, thanks,” Ava says with a smile, and Ivy returns to the bar. Ava rounds on Xander. “You’ve taken one too many hits to the head, X. You have the memory of a goldfish.”
“You’re probably right,” he mutters. “Hey, I tried.”
I notice Darby returning from the bathroom when a guy approaches her. They’re close enough that I can hear them.
Our crowd goes quiet as we watch.
“Hey, are you interested in a game of pool?”
I’m on guard, listening, but I know she doesn’t need me. My girl can handle herself.
“No thanks, I’m with some people,” Darby says with a polite smile, but before she can turn to walk over to me, this asshole grabs her arm.
And Darby sees fucking red.
“You’re going to want to take your hand off me. I don’t like being touched.”
She’s not freaking out or having a panic attack. She’s a fucking badass.
“You’ll like it when I touch you,” he replies, and Blake moves to stand, but I hold my hand up and shake my head.
“She’s got this.”
“No.” Darby steps away, knocking his hand off. “I won’t. Go drink your beer, Bruce.”
“Hey, how did you know my name?”
“I don’t. You just look like a Bruce. And for future reference, if a woman says no, they mean it. There’s no charming your way into her pants after that no.”
She walks my way, and I’m grinning at her, so fucking proud of her.
Bruce just shrugs and goes back to his friends.
“Men suck,” Easton says, chalking the end of his pool cue. “They really do.”
“Not all men,” Ava says. “But yeah, some do. I know that guy. Designed his house for his wife.”
“Ew,” Darby says, scrunching up her nose. “Gross.”
Xander keeps looking toward the bar, and this time when Ivy walks our way, he pulls her to the side, where we can’t hear him, and says something in her ear.
Ivy smiles and bites her lip, then nods. She pats his shoulder before going on about her work, and Xander looks more at ease when he returns to our group.
“She looks happier,” I say.
“I owed her an apology,” Xander says. “I’m not a jerk. I still can’t place her, but if I’ve known her since we were kids . . . yeah, I needed to say I was sorry.”
“You’re a good one, Xander Hendrix,” Harper says. “And one of my favorite brothers.”