Page 76 of Worth the Chase

“I know that. And it’s not that Sugar Mountain is dangerous, but even you have to admit that we become a completely different place during tourist season.”

Sugar Mountain turned into a town where you had to search to find a familiar face at times. It was overcrowded, and the locals tended to hunker down at home instead of venturing out. There were rowdy crowds, drunken idiots, and people who felt like they had nothing to lose because they didn’t live here and no one knew who they were.

“I appreciate you being concerned for my safety.” She leaned close to me and gave me a soft kiss. “How about a compromise?”

“Let me hear it.”

“We’ll discuss living together when my lease ends.”

I bobbed my head from side to side, as if I actually needed to consider this completely logical response. “Sounds fair.”

“In the meantime, one of us needs to let my brother know this is happening.” She wagged a finger between our two bodies.

“You don’t think your parents have filled him in already?” I asked.

She shook her head fiercely. “They told me they were not getting in the middle of that discussion. That it was on us.”

“Damn.” I shrugged. “I’ll tell him. What’s he going to do? Drive up here and try to fight me?”

I honestly couldn’t imagine Leo being that pissed off that I was banging his little sister. Okay, wait. If I put it that way, he might sucker-punch me for being a crude asshole. But even if he did have an issue with our relationship, once he knew that I was in love with her, he’d have to get over it. Right?

“Can we do it again?” Bells asked in a mischievous tone.

“I’ve created a monster,” I said as I pulled her tiny body on top of mine and started kissing her sweet mouth.

I’d give this woman whatever she asked for, even if it depleted me. I’d die making love to her. There were worse ways to go.

All four of us O’Grady men were currently huddled in Patrick’s bar, sipping on drinks, while Addi was in a room somewhere, getting ready with the rest of the girls, Bells included. I loved how easily she’d slipped into my family dynamic.

When Jasper whined, the four of us glanced down at him, and I laughed when I saw the little bow tie wrapped around his neck.

“I like his accessory.” I grinned and patted his head.

“Well, he is my best man,” Patrick said.

Thomas and I started arguing and talking over each other. No dog was going to be the best man over the two of us, even though there weren’t technically any titles at this wedding. Everyone in attendance knew how special they were to Patrick and Addi, and simply being there meant a lot.

My dad threw up a hand to get us all to shut up without saying a word. “If you girls don’t stop bitching, I’ll be his best man,” he said with a huff.

“You can’t be the ministerandthe best man,” Thomas argued, and I made an agreeing sound.

“Jasper’s not really your best man, right?” I whined louder than the dog had.

“He’s carrying the rings. Calm down,” Patrick reassured us.

Our dad cleared his throat. “I want you boys to know how proud your mom would be of the men you’ve become. I can’t take any credit because she was the one who raised you, and shedeserves all the damn credit for everything good. But, by God, do I wish she were still here. Especially on days like today,” he said.

I swore I could hear my own heart beating as the world around us went silent.

“I wish she were too.” I swallowed hard around the lump in my throat. It was like the accident had happened yesterday; the ache still felt so raw sometimes.

“It’s not fair that she missed out on all the good stuff,” Thomas added.

I noticed our dad wipe a tear from his eye, and that was all it took for my own to fall.

“She didn’t missallthe good stuff.” He tried to smile, but it was weak. “But she has missed a lot of it.”

“I think she’s with us,” Patrick said with a soft shrug. “If angels are allowed to leave heaven, she’d be the first in line.”

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