of that house, dear girl. Caiden wouldn’t let any of us in, only the dishes of food.” His mother hugged him and then embraced Lina. “You know you have an open invitation to breakfast, lunch, or dinner.”
“Thank you. That’s very sweet.”
“It’s more of an order than a request, sugar.”
“Oh.” Her voice faltered.
“He’s joking,” Lizzy piped up. “Don’t listen to half of what he says. He likes to drive people crazy.” She held up two wine bottles. “White or red?”
“White, please,” Lina answered. “Thanks.”
<><><>
She glanced around the room. Trevor and Lorelei were standing a few feet away smiling. Lorelei waved and hurried over to give her hug.
“Hey girl,” she hugged the bubbly brunette. She could see why Trevor was hooked. Everything about Lorelei just screamed sweet and sassy. The sparkle in her eye said they would get along perfectly.
“So there’s a couple people here I don’t think you’ve met. Karen is here with her baby, Sadie, and her husband, Logan. He’s the giant standing over there with Harvey and the other guy that Lizzy can’t quit staring at every time she thinks no one is looking.”
Lina smirked. She felt sorry for the sole MacLaughlin girl. She couldn’t imagine having one older brother, much less three, especially ones as protective as Trevor, Harvey and Caiden.
“Who is the other guy?”
“Oh, he’s an army buddy of Logan’s. His name is Ethan Hart. He seems nice, but I only just met him today. But Lizzy said he’s been around off and on throughout the years. He’s good friends with Karen and Logan.”
“Are you talking about me?”
Lina took the glass of white wine from Lizzy’s outstretched hand.
“No, only about the object of your lustful glances,” Lorelei answered.
Lina snickered. These two women knew each other well. The glare Lizzy shot Lorelei could have frozen the Gulf of Mexico, but Lorelei just grinned.
“If you say anything, Lor, I’ll tell Trevor what you really want to try in the bedroom. Even if it grosses me out to talk about my brother’s sex life.”
Lorelei sucked in a quick breath. “You wouldn’t dare.”
Lizzy shrugged. “Gotta play the cards I have. You’re not the one with three overbearing brothers who verbally pound any guy into dust that I so much as wink at.”
“I think he could give a good pounding right back, personally.” Lina took a sip of her wine and smiled. Lorelei and Lizzy burst into giggles and Lina tried not to choke on her wine.
“Changing the subject, you are practically glowing, Lina. Anything you would like to share about your recent activities? Say around eleven when mom called Caiden’s house three times…” Lorelei tapped her foot and grinned.
Heat washed through her cheeks and she gulped. Oh, hell no! So, not talking about my sex life with you two. “I’m going to go help Susan check on the food.”
“Sure.” The two women echoed as she moved through the dining room to the kitchen where Susan MacLaughlin was busy mixing something in a pot on the stove.
“Hi, sweetie. Are the girls teasing you?”
She nodded and took another sip of her wine. “Can I help you with anything?”
“Sit right there in that barstool and chat with me while I get everything into serving dishes.”
“Yes, ma’am.” She slid into the open seat and glanced around the ranch style kitchen. It was warm. Wood paneling, soft ivory walls, and accents of apple red scattered around the kitchen was inviting. Caiden’s kitchen needed some accents. Some color.
“Are you staying with my son?”
“I don’t understand. I’m staying in his house, but you know that.”
“No, hon. Are you staying with my son or are you going back to Arizona?”
“She’s staying, Mom,” Caiden’s voice rumbled from the doorway.
“Good,” Susan answered and spooned out a huge amount of mashed potatoes from a pot on the stove into a large pottery bowl. She handed the filled bowl to Caiden and
“Thank you. That’s very sweet.”
“It’s more of an order than a request, sugar.”
“Oh.” Her voice faltered.
“He’s joking,” Lizzy piped up. “Don’t listen to half of what he says. He likes to drive people crazy.” She held up two wine bottles. “White or red?”
“White, please,” Lina answered. “Thanks.”
<><><>
She glanced around the room. Trevor and Lorelei were standing a few feet away smiling. Lorelei waved and hurried over to give her hug.
“Hey girl,” she hugged the bubbly brunette. She could see why Trevor was hooked. Everything about Lorelei just screamed sweet and sassy. The sparkle in her eye said they would get along perfectly.
“So there’s a couple people here I don’t think you’ve met. Karen is here with her baby, Sadie, and her husband, Logan. He’s the giant standing over there with Harvey and the other guy that Lizzy can’t quit staring at every time she thinks no one is looking.”
Lina smirked. She felt sorry for the sole MacLaughlin girl. She couldn’t imagine having one older brother, much less three, especially ones as protective as Trevor, Harvey and Caiden.
“Who is the other guy?”
“Oh, he’s an army buddy of Logan’s. His name is Ethan Hart. He seems nice, but I only just met him today. But Lizzy said he’s been around off and on throughout the years. He’s good friends with Karen and Logan.”
“Are you talking about me?”
Lina took the glass of white wine from Lizzy’s outstretched hand.
“No, only about the object of your lustful glances,” Lorelei answered.
Lina snickered. These two women knew each other well. The glare Lizzy shot Lorelei could have frozen the Gulf of Mexico, but Lorelei just grinned.
“If you say anything, Lor, I’ll tell Trevor what you really want to try in the bedroom. Even if it grosses me out to talk about my brother’s sex life.”
Lorelei sucked in a quick breath. “You wouldn’t dare.”
Lizzy shrugged. “Gotta play the cards I have. You’re not the one with three overbearing brothers who verbally pound any guy into dust that I so much as wink at.”
“I think he could give a good pounding right back, personally.” Lina took a sip of her wine and smiled. Lorelei and Lizzy burst into giggles and Lina tried not to choke on her wine.
“Changing the subject, you are practically glowing, Lina. Anything you would like to share about your recent activities? Say around eleven when mom called Caiden’s house three times…” Lorelei tapped her foot and grinned.
Heat washed through her cheeks and she gulped. Oh, hell no! So, not talking about my sex life with you two. “I’m going to go help Susan check on the food.”
“Sure.” The two women echoed as she moved through the dining room to the kitchen where Susan MacLaughlin was busy mixing something in a pot on the stove.
“Hi, sweetie. Are the girls teasing you?”
She nodded and took another sip of her wine. “Can I help you with anything?”
“Sit right there in that barstool and chat with me while I get everything into serving dishes.”
“Yes, ma’am.” She slid into the open seat and glanced around the ranch style kitchen. It was warm. Wood paneling, soft ivory walls, and accents of apple red scattered around the kitchen was inviting. Caiden’s kitchen needed some accents. Some color.
“Are you staying with my son?”
“I don’t understand. I’m staying in his house, but you know that.”
“No, hon. Are you staying with my son or are you going back to Arizona?”
“She’s staying, Mom,” Caiden’s voice rumbled from the doorway.
“Good,” Susan answered and spooned out a huge amount of mashed potatoes from a pot on the stove into a large pottery bowl. She handed the filled bowl to Caiden and
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