Love Slave for Two: Reckoning [Love Slave for Two 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Tymber Dalton Page A

cars if it hadn’t already been half full of other things. “Besides, they won’t have that much. And Danny and Dad can help when they get back.”
    Nevvie involuntarily giggled.
    “What?”
    “You called him ‘Dad.’”
    He paused, thoughtful. “Yeah, I guess I did, didn’t I?” He sighed. “It’s been years since I’ve seen Peggy this happy. I’ve been meaning to thank you.”
    “Thank me? For what?”
    “Well, for starters,” he said as he shifted another box, “for not holding what happened against me or against Danny and Elle. I wouldn’t have blamed you one bit if you had. And secondly, for introducing Mom and Andrew to each other.” He moved another box. “She was heartbroken after Adam died.” He paused, deep in thought. “The twins barely remember him. They were so young when we lost him.”
    “I guess it wasn’t easy on anyone, was it?”
    “No. But she refused to lean on us. We tried. You know how stubborn she is, though. She just pushed us away. Put on that big-girl-britches front she has. Didn’t want us fussing over her. Tom even wanted to leave school and come home, and she forbade him to do it. We all hoped one day she’d meet someone else, but she never did. Not for lack of us trying to fix her up.”
    “Let me guess. That didn’t go over very well?”
    He snorted and turned to look at Nevvie. “What do you think? She wrapped herself up in her work and in the family and refused our attempts to get her to live for herself.” He stared out the large bay doors at the house, where Peggy sat on the porch with Harley, Adam, and Mikey. “She’s a good woman. I’m proud to call her ‘Mom.’”
    “Me, too.”
    Less than an hour later, the trio returned, backing their vehicles up to the shed. Nevvie stretched and walked over to where Andrew was getting out of her car. “How’d it go?”
    “Ha!” Elle said, looking glum. “You don’t want to know.”
    Nevvie looked at Andrew. He shook his head at her. She knew that expression. I’ll tell you later.
    “Well, what can I do to help?” Nevvie asked.
    Everyone trundled her out of their way, both annoying and amusing her at the same time. Andrew gently grabbed her arms. “You, house. Now, young lady.”
    Nevvie snorted. “Young lady?”
    “Yes. Go. We’ll be along shortly.” He waved her away with a wink.
    Knowing they would all overrule her, she gave up and headed to the porch to sit with Peggy. “I’ve been run off,” she said. “They won’t let me help.”
    Peggy laughed. “I would hope not, sugar. They ganging up on you?”
    “Of course they are.” She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. The breeze carried the sharp smell of impending rain.
    “Nice having family to help, isn’t it?”
    Nevvie smiled. “It sure is.”
     
    * * * *
     
    Tyler fought the urge to pace through the house. Their preparations were complete. All he could do was watch the weather. Writing was out of the question with his nerves shot and the house feeling more like the Fortress of Impending Doom than a home.
    By four o’clock, he couldn’t take it any longer.
    “I’m going to run check the mail one last time,” he said as he grabbed a cloth grocery sack.
    “Right now?” Tom asked.
    “It’s barely raining,” Tyler snapped a little more sharply than he’d intended. “Just some drizzle and a little wind,” he said, his voice gentling. “We might not be able to get back over there for days.”
    Tom carefully eyed him, but didn’t object. “All right, buddy. Just be careful.”
    “I will.”
    Ironically, other than last-minute lines at gas stations, the streets of Tampa seemed eerily still. The traffic was far lighter than he could ever remember seeing it that time of day.
    The air, muggy and sticky despite the stiffening breeze, felt oppressive, dangerous. With relief, he found the post office lobby still unlocked. He hurried in to their box.
    As he thumbed through the mail, he stopped at an envelope from the state of