Page 123 of Bad Seed

“There are multitudes of homes here,” Brendan said. “Everywhere you see mailboxes, there are roads and houses connected to them, and if there are multiple mailboxes at one road, that means multiple families live on the same property and the roads fork later to go to their respective houses.”

“Oh! Well, that makes sense,” Judith said, and laughed at herself. “I am definitely out of my comfort zone up here.”

“Mother, your villa in the south of France is on the edge of a cliff. You drive up three miles of a narrow, winding, one-way road to get there,” Harley said, and laughed.

Judith giggled. “Touché. I guess because I’m familiar with it, I didn’t see the similarities.”

Jason was silent. He just wanted this trip over with. He wouldn’t have to come back until their wedding, whenever they decided that might happen.

When Brendan took the turn off the blacktop and started up the road to his mother’s house, both ofHarley’s parents went silent, and when the house came into view and Jason saw the assortment of cars lined up in front of it, he frowned. Then he glanced up in the rearview mirror and caught Brendan watching him. He flushed and looked away.

Harley was talking to her mother as they got out and started toward the house. Brendan and Jason were right behind them, but then Brendan moved up beside Jason and lowered his voice.

“I put up with your snide insinuations for Harley’s sake. But you don’t get a break here. This is my mother’s home. You make even one condescending, denigrating remark about her, or this lifestyle, or her home, and you and I will have a discussion behind the barn. Is that clear?”

Jason stumbled. Brendan caught him by the arm. “Careful where you step,” he said lightly, then looked up smiling as the front door opened.

Shirley Pope appeared, tall and elegant in her stance—a female version of her sons. “Welcome to my home. Come inside where it’s warm.”

And the moment they entered, three other men appeared wearing varying versions of Brendan Pope’s face, and Jason Banks knew he’d entered a world where only giants dwelled.

Introductions were made, and Judith was charmed by the brothers as much as she had been by Brendan. Then Wolf Outen came out of the kitchen and shook their hands. “We meet again. Prepare yourself to becharmed by this beautiful lady and her food. She’s a real steel magnolia and cooks like an angel.”

Shirley laughed. “You, sir, are a sweet-talker, just like my Wiley. Brendan, would you please hang up your coats for me? Amalie, would you be my hostess for a bit? I need to check on something in the oven.”

“I’ll help,” Wolf said, and followed Shirley.

Amalie stepped up to Shirley’s request and introduced herself. “I’m Sean’s wife. Wolf is my father. These are my sisters-in-law. Dani is married to Aaron. Linette is married to Wiley, and this tiny little blond is our sister, Ava.”

When Ava found out her grandma was having another party, she had asked to wear her pinkest dress, and so now she stood before them like a little pink fairy with a Band-Aid on her knee and a tiara on her head, delighted to have been singled out.

She eyed the two strangers carefully, then pointed to the sofa. “We sit there, and when Grandma hollers ‘It’s ready!’ we’ll sit in there,” she said, and pointed to the kitchen.

Jason was leery of kids, but Judith was instantly charmed. “Thank you, Miss Ava. Will you sit with me? You can tell me all about your tiara, and what you like to do best.”

Ava plopped down between them and looked up at Jason. “You’re Harley’s daddy?”

He nodded.

Then she looked at Judith. “And you’re Harley’s mama?”

“Yes, I am,” Judith said.

Ava nodded. “You did a good job. Harley is gonna be my new sister. She’s pretty and smart and really nice, and Brendan loves her forever. Sean and Amalie are having babies. The babies will cry a lot. I’m gonna have to teach them stuff because I’ll be their auntie. Linnie is my mommy/sister. Wiley is my Bubba/daddy. Aaron is my oldest brother, and his Dani is my sister/teacher, and my grandma loves me. I’m a keeper.”

Judith was enchanted. “Amalie, I believe this one’s a charmer.”

Ava frowned. “No. I used to be a Dalton, but now I’m a Pope.”

Everyone laughed, even Jason.

Brendan and Harley were hanging up coats when they heard the laughter. “Ten to one, that’s because of Ava,” Brendan said.

“Really?” Harley said.

He nodded. “She and Wiley are just alike. Neither of them has filters.”

“Good. Maybe between the both of them, they’ll squash my dad’s ability to insult.”

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