Chapter 53
He’d dutifully demanded a full itinerary from his wayward youngest sister before leaving his house.
Just in case she needed him to chauffeur.
Her car had been acting up this week and Cal just didn’t trust the old clunker that much.
She’d been working later hours than he liked—nature of her new job, as a part-time social worker for the county—and he worried.
She told him he was worse than an old man, but someone had to keep an eye on those sisters of his, and Cadell had been extra busy with the new real estate development expansion they’d been working on.
He’d taken over completely for Cal since the wreck and what had happened with Bruce Tyler.
Clancy was fine tonight. He wasn’t too thrilled with the idea of her dating either Gabe or Jack, but he was dealing with it.
Both men were in their thirties. Clancy was still too young for men that age.
He’d be keeping an eye on them tonight. It was Cloe that concerned him the most—she was apparently dating the Masterson Clancy was not—but he was going to rectify that tonight.
She’d been avoiding the family lately. No one knew why.
As the patriarch of their little quintet, it was up to him to figure out what was going on with his sister.
And why she seemed determined to work herself to the bone by taking every bit of overtime she could get.
Something was burning at her heels—he was going to find out what.
And then there was Augusta Dawn Tyler.
He was going to spend the evening with the woman he wanted.
And if he was lucky, steal a kiss or two.
Maybe make plans to take her out again—sans children, of course—for a romantic dinner for two.
Maybe even tomorrow. They could do church again together on Sunday, and if the weather was nice, he’d like to take the kids outside to do something.
Maybe the park or the playground? A simple, low-key picnic, to help them get used to him being around.
He was going to have to go slow. To get the entire set of she-devils, all nine of them, used to him being around.
Cal finally had a plan.
It was time to make it happen.
Clancy texted him an update—she’d had car trouble and was running behind, he probably wouldn’t see her before he left.
But never fear—Cloe was on her way to get her, bring her back to the house so Clancy could change, and then Jack and Gabe would pick them both up there.
And Cal was not to wait around for them to show up.
He could intimidate their dates at the dance later.
Clancy ordered him to focus on seducing Auggie.
She’d said she was just fine, and Cloe got custody of her for the night. That Cal was Auggie’s problem for now.
Well, Cal could handle that just fine.