Page 114 of Sweet Home Louisiana

Maddie elbowed Owen and he quickly glanced at her.He immediately realized why she’d poked him.

“Sorry.”

Maddie laughed.“I’d be more worried if you didn’t look.”

He ran a hand through his hair.“Quite an…entrance.”

Maddie nodded.“Yeah.That’s what I was thinking.”Right.The truth was, Juliet looked like a lingerie model dressing up as a lawyer for Halloween.

The fact that she was an attorney made Maddie like her a lot.Clearly the woman had brains, too.But there was no way that she walked into a courtroom without every single person thinking, “Wow.”That had to give some kind of advantage in trials.

“Have a seat, Juliet,” Nate said, pulling out a chair between him and Bennett.

Juliet bent to retrieve her bag and the folder and Maddie thought Nate was going to tip over leaning to watch.

She straightened and smiled again.That smile made her seem very sweet.

Maddie hoped underneath it, Juliet was a barracuda.

Then she frowned.No she didn’t.She wanted Juliet to feel bad about what her brother had done and make it right.

Juliet stepped around the table and took the chair Nate had been holding for her.“Thank you.”She set her bag under her chair and then opened the folder on the tabletop, looking confident and poised, even though she’d just, literally, fallen into the room.“Chase should be here soon.We—”

“I’m here.”

They all pivoted to look at the doorway.Yep, Chase was the guy that she’d refused to give a refund.The guy who had been driving the airboat Owen had jumped onto.

Something must have shown in her face because she felt Owen’s hand clamp down on her thigh.“Easy there,” he said softly.

Or maybe Owen just knew her really well.

“Chase,” Juliet said.

Something in her tone made Maddie look over.Juliet was looking at her little brother with a mix of annoyance, worry, and affection.

Maddie knew what it was like to feel all of those things at once for someone.Currently, she was feeling that combination for Sawyer.

“Sorry, I’m late.I couldn’t find parking.”

“I told you—” Juliet started.Then she pressed her lips together and shook her head.“I’m glad you made it,” she said.“Have a seat.Let’s get going on this.”

Chase didn’t make eye contact with anyone else in the room.He rounded the table and took a seat three chairs down from Maddie.

“First,” Juliet said.“Chase would like to apologize.”She looked at her brother.“Go on.”

They all looked at Chase.

“I’m sorry,” he said.He spoke clearly, but he still didn’t look at any of them.“It was really stupid.I didn’t intend to do any harm and I deeply regret the damage I caused to your boat and dock.”

Maddie frowned.“How about the lives you endangered?The people on the dock, Owen, yourfriends,yourself?”she demanded.“Do you even realize what could have happened?”

Chase glanced at his sister.So did Maddie.Was Juliet going to defend him?Argue with Maddie?Tell her to back off?

Juliet was watching Chase.She lifted a brow at him and said nothing.

Chase blew out a breath.“Yes, I’m very sorry about all of that.It was, as I said, stupid.”

Maddie scowled, but didn’t say anything more.In part because of the squeeze Owen gave her leg.In part because, well, what else was the kid supposed to say, really?

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