“Yes, you are,” she says and then looks at me. “Are you a slut?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, well, okay, then, but still Val should have implied you were simply vaginally brave like we describe Tuesday. Anyway, I can't tell who I’m mad at anymore, so here’s my husband, Emmett, to take over.”
Val’s dad leans in to shake Kerrie’s hand. “Nothing wrong with honing your sex skills before meeting Missus Right.”
“Are you talking about Val or you?” Poppy grumbles.
“No.”
Val smiles at me as his parents eyeball each other while my parents also seem irritated.
“I’m saving myself for spinsterhood,” Clover announces. “I own that choice.”
Val grins at her. “Hell yeah, little one.”
“I’m nineteen.”
“I’m twenty-five. What’s your point?”
“I’m not a baby.”
“You arelittle, though.”
“I bet I could beat you up,” Clover insists, surprising me. “I’ve learned your tickle spots from Roxie. I could throw you off with that and then kick your ass.”
Val smiles warmly. “No, baby, there’d be no need to cheat. I’dletyou win. That’s what big brothers do for their little sisters-in-law.”
Clover frowns at Duke as if he should make Val stop teasing her.
Our dad shrugs. “Look, I gave you a sister so you wouldn’t have to endure a brother. What more do you want from me?”
“No one is mad!” Val announces loud enough to be heard in the conference room. People poke their heads out to see what the hell he’s talking about. “No one is holding a grudge.”
“I don’t know about that,” Poppy grumbles.
“No, Pa put his dick away once he met you. You can’t be mad he wasn’t a virgin when you met. As for Kerrie, she simply got her wires crossed, but now they’re straightened out, and she’s come to spend time with her girl. As for Duke thinking I’m a doofus, I will allow that. Now everyone needs to stop fussing so we can plan this wedding.”
“Such a leader,” Poppy coos while I wrap my arms around Val’s waist and swoon.
“Yeah, he’s certainly leader-like,” Clover grumbles. “But I’m not a kid.”
“I’m sorry,” Val says, leaning down so they’re eye to eye. “I view you as my little sister now, and that makes me obnoxious. Think you can yank that stick out of your butt and forgive me?”
Clover can’t deny Val’s charms and smiles sheepishly. “I always wanted a brother.”
Duke rolls his eyes, refusing to be charmed by anyone. He’s in a lowkey shitty mood, but I appreciate how he’s pretending otherwise.
I take turns clinging to Val and then Kerrie as he introduces her to the rest of his family.
“We have people coming in for the wedding,” Justice announces. “They’ll stay at the hotel just to make it easier. We’re also bunking here the night before.”
“Should we do the same?” I ask Val and glance at Duke.
My father doesn’t want to make any decisions, so he looks to Val to choose.
Val nods. “I think it would be fun to take over this hotel.”