Page 40 of When I Fall In Love

Hannah nods but is out into the dark again, squealing with joy as Georgiana releases Mycroft and he shoots off like a stinky wet rag. “Lordy lord. I’m used to doing this in a dryer climate with much less mud,” Georgiana groans.

Beth just smiles and looks up, the first to meet my gaze across the open-plan living room to the kitchen. “Hi Hunter.”

“Oh!” May smiles. “Hunter is here already. Good.” She walks over to me. “You brought ice cream?”

“Of course.”

“And the chili, it’s good?”

Ugh. How does she know? “Chef’s kiss, as always.”

The old wooden floors upstairs squeak and May smiles slyly. “Ethan’s up at last.”

“At last?” I haven’t been back home yet and have no clue if Ethan has cleaned up my place as he promised.

“He never came home last night, but I’m not poking my nose in anything,” May whispers for my ears only.

I glance up to find Beth’s gaze on me, a smile toying on her lips. She’s watched this whole exchange and probably heard every last word. Now she bites her bottom lip and pokes her breastbone, raising her brows at me with a tilt of her head, indicating that I should look down at my own chest.

A lone piece of ground beef, the size of a peppercorn, clings to my wool sweater’s fibers, still wet and glossy as if straight from the pot. It is straight from the pot. God help all men. I pick at it and flick it into the sink, knowing full well that three women are watching my actions with the eyes they seem to have at the backs and sides of their heads.

I need reinforcements and thank the devil they all arrive at once. Ethan lopes down from upstairs, looking like he had the roughest yet best night of his life, the fat grin sitting on his face hard to hide. Derek strides inside with Mycroft held high and far from his person, Hannah tugging at her dad’s sleeve to put the puppy down. Raiden and Bill come in seconds later, clearly fresh from milking.

I’m saved.

Or not. Within minutes Mycroft is wiped clean, Raiden and Bill are washed up, and we’re all seated around the table, a merry lot of banter and teasing flying relentlessly between Derek and Ethan, Raiden chipping in and Bill’s side comments only making more mischief. I’m not the center of their jokes right now, but the tide could turn at any time.

Beth sits across from me, her eyes full of sparkle, giggling at everything that does the rounds. Ethan sits next to her and repeatedly bumps her in the shoulder with his own in that easy camaraderie he has as he laughs along. My intestines are slipping into a knot, and with every look that passes between Beth and one of my brothers, it feels as if someone is yanking at the ends, tightening me up.

I’m jealous. For fuck’s sake. Of my brothers, who can act around Beth as if it’s sixteen years ago and she’s just like an older sister and one of their best buddies.

“You’re so quiet, Hunter?” May says when there’s eventually a break in conversation as Ethan wipes his bowl clean with a chunk of bread and Derek helps Hannah serve herself another helping of chili.

“Busy day at the office,” I say. We’re brainstorming on action plans to mitigate the worst thing happening so that we’re at least as ready as we can be when Collingwood Farm stops supplying to us. I don’t say this though. “I brought some seasonal scoops for us to BB test. One is called Nutcracker and the other one is called Sugar Plum Fairy.” I’m not sure who came up with those names but suddenly they make me feel like an idiot.

Because Ethan is quietly cracking himself up, leaning in to stage-whisper in Beth’s ear, “Hunter’s such a romantic.”

“But that’s so sweet,” Beth says, ignoring Ethan, staring up at me, her cheeks rosy from the red wine. “Do I understand right—that’s your Christmas ice cream?”

“Yep. On the shelf by the first of December and gone by mid-January.”

“Yummy,” Georgiana says, rubbing her hands together. “I love BB testing.”

“What’s BB testing?” Beth asks.

“Best batch testing,” Georgiana fills her in.

“Ah!” Derek laughs.

“My ass,” Ethan adds with a smirk.

“Oh dear,” May mutters.

Too much wine. This whole table has had too much wine. I run my gaze along the table and see at least five empty bottles. Fucking hell. Am I the only sober one here? Derek doesn’t drink and Beth and I are the only ones driving home. The rest of them either have to scale some stairs or roll down a hill to their beds.

“Why’re you all laughing?” Beth asks, all innocent ignorance.

If there were enough space underneath the table, I would spaghetti-noodle it to hide underneath, but with all these adult legs, I can write off that idea.

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