Page 75 of Tangled in Vows

Before I can say another word, he spins and marches into the kitchen, and I’m hot on his heels. And I only stare at his dark pants that hug his tight ass for a second, five max.

Archer’s on one side of the big kitchen island with a medium-sized mixing bowl in one hand and a spatula in the other. He stirs whatever is in front of him while Holden talks to him. Then, his gaze swings to where I’m standing halfway into the room.

The corner of his mouth moves into what I consider his signature smirk. “Don’t worry about us, Buttercup. I’ll take good care of your girl.”

Holden groans, and I laugh. There’s just something so refreshing about the way Archer talks to me. It sounds stupid, but most people walk on eggshells around me. Say what they think I might want them to say and behave accordingly. Archer still acts exactly like his cocky and flirty self from five years ago, and somehow that grounds me in the here and now and in my relationship with Holden.

“Thanks, Arch.”

His gaze snaps to Holden. “Aww, did you hear that? She called me Arch.”

I laugh some more and walk over to Stormy. After giving her some pets and cuddles, I tell her, “I’ll be back soon, sweetie, okay? Be good for Archer.”

Holden rubs over Stormy’s head too, and with a wave at Archer, we head toward the garage door.

“Hurry up, or there won’t be anything left for you,” Archer yells after us.

Holden shakes his head at my laugh. “He wasn’t joking. I’ve seen him eat an entire box of donuts before. In one sitting. By himself.”

My eyes widen at his statement. “No way.”

He nods. “Oh, I couldn’t believe it either. And he didn’t even get sick. I’m convinced there’s a huge black hole in his stomach.”

“How on earth does he still look that good?”

Holden’s step falters. “You think he looks good?”

“Well, yeah. I mean, have you seen him?”

He scoffs, “Too often, to be honest. I just didn’t realize you’ve been checking him out.”

I jab my elbow into his side. “You know what I mean. Of course I notice the people around me. I didn’t mean I was checking him out, merely observing.”

“Uh-huh.”

He opens the SUV door on my side, and I turn to him before getting in. Taking in his set jaw, his slightly narrowed eyes. “Holden Donahue, are you jealous?”

Instead of answering my question, he leans closer until our noses almost touch. “Get your sweet ass into the car, Hurricane.”

I press my lips together to keep from laughing, but a grin still threatens to split my lips when I slide into my seat and Holden shuts the door. Is he jealous because I said Archer looked good? That would be ridiculous.

I watch him through the windshield while he talks to his men, who were waiting for us in the garage. He towers over mostof them with his height and broad frame. They nod to whatever he says and file into their cars. We leave the property in the same three-car formation as earlier. It’s probably overkill since no one knows about this place, but Holden seems to deem it necessary, and who am I to tell him how to do his job?

The next few hours pass quickly as I pack three suitcases with my essentials: clothes, toiletries, all the electronics I need, and the few pictures I have left of my parents and some I took with Evie. As Holden said, I can stop by if I need to get more.

As if summoned, he knocks on my open bedroom door. “Are you all set?”

I’m standing in the middle, doing a three-sixty. “I think so.”

“Jax and I packed up all the perishable food from the kitchen. We’re not moving to a remote island, so we can get everything else later or just buy it.”

I huff a laugh. “True. Although a trip to a remote island sounds pretty great.”

“Just say the word, and I’ll get the jet ready.”

“Angel Island?”

The corner of his mouth tilts upward. “The one and only.”

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