Page 88 of Stealing Home

I finally look over at his dad’s best friend and suck in a breath. I’m not drawn to him the way I am Scott, but I can’t deny he’s one of the most beautiful human beings I’ve ever laid eyes on. Jeremy smirks and saunters closer.

“So you’re the one that has had Aiden ranting all day. What are you, like twenty-four? He’s four years older than Becca, so I don’t see the big deal,” Jeremy rambles.

I wince, not sure if I should correct him or not. Not because I’m ashamed of my age, but maybe Scott doesn’t want everyone to know how big of an age difference we have. He shows me how little he cares about it when he says, “She’s actually thirty-three, but I still don’t give a shit that he’s up in his feels over it.”

Jeremy whistles. “I guess I can understand, a little, but you are so hot I can also see why baby Ryan here pursued you.”

“Why does everyone instantly assume you pursued me?” I roll my eyes. “Except for your dad that is.”

Jeremy’s mouth pulls into a naughty smirk. “Because you’re exactly who I imagined my godson here falling for. He’s a nice boy—”

I accidentally interrupt him by laughing. Tears fill my eyes as I try and get myself back under control. Scott is doing his best not to laugh as well, but I can feel his chest rumbling against my back. I wave my hand in my face, hoping it will help settle me down. “I’m so sorry. Please, finish your thought.”

He shakes his head. “Yeah, he’s a good man, but I’m guessing not that good.”

Scott chuckles and holds me tighter against him. One hand slides up to wrap around my throat. “Who me? I’m an angel, Uncle Jer.”

“So was the devil, boy.” Jeremy focuses on me. “You never stood a chance, not sure why Aiden doesn’t see that.” He waves for us to follow him. “C’mon, time to face the inquisition. Move your assess.”

We follow him around the house. He calls out greetings to everyone we pass by. When we make it to where Scott’s parents are he scoops up Scott’s mom and runs off with her, shouting, “I saw her first! I’m taking her back.”

My mouth falls open. “What did I just see?” I whisper to Scott.

He doesn’t look the slightest bit concerned. “He isn’t lying. He did see her first.”

“Hey, asshole! Bring my wife back,” Aiden shouts. He’s much calmer than he was this morning. Not enough to make me let my guard down though.

“Calm your dick,” Jeremy says and slowly lowers Becca to the ground. “I’d kiss you before her, except for that one time.”

“Your family is almost as interesting as Wren’s,” I say to Scott.

“Who is Wren?” Aiden asks. I think he’s making an effort to show Scott he’s trying.

“A friend and my boss. Her family owns a service shop in town,” I answer without giving him the full breakdown of their unique family dynamic.

“You’re a mechanic?” he asks.

“No,” I laugh. “I tried to hang some plant hooks when I first moved into my new place, and Scott has now hidden my drill from me.”

“Two inch holes aren’t needed to hang a plant hook,” he says and not for the first time either.

Turning back to his dad to answer his question, I tell him, “I work in the office doing accounting, billing, and payroll. I have a B.S. degree in finance.”

“Finance, huh?” Jeremy asks, stepping into the conversation.

“How is this going to work,” Aiden gestures between Scott and I, “when he moves to Seattle this summer to work for Jeremy?”

Jeremy tosses up his hands. “I’m a lawyer, which means I know when to step the hell out of a situation. Besides, he’s going to work for Anderson Global, not me personally. Blame this guy,” he says and pulls in a well-dressed blond man into the conversation.

He holds his hand out to Scott. “Beckett Anderson, your uncle has told me great things about you.”

Scott seems a bit star struck, and I covertly elbow him in the ribs. He shakes the man’s hand. “Nice to meet you, I’m surprised to see you here.”

“You shouldn’t be. We might be a large corporation, but we’re a family. I’ve been eagerly looking forward to meeting you in person. The program you designed in your portfolio was very impressive. When Jeremy mentioned you were in town, I invited myself to tag along. I’ll introduce you to my wife, Evie, as soon as I can pull her away from your mom and aunts.”

As if she senses he is talking about her she walks over. “Were you talking about me, husband?”

“I wanted to introduce you to the programmer Jeremy found for us. He’s going to be starting right after graduation, and this is—”