Page 31 of Saving Jared

"What’d I miss?"

"Willa’s coming home," Eric said, hugging her against his side.

Jared’s terse, "She is?" meshed with Willa’s, "I can’t."

A pregnant silence was thankfully broken by Kinsley’s, "I can’t be trusted," as she stirred the coffee she'd poured for herself. "And don’t argue," she said, lifting up her hand holding the spoon. "You all know it’s true."

"Who’s arguing?" Jude retorted. "I certainly wouldn’t." He picked up his fork and shoveled in some eggs while the laughter in his eyes couldn’t be missed.

"Nice," Kinsley said, then stuck her tongue out at him before proceeding to fix her plate from the spread left out on the counters.

Disaster—or at least some uncomfortable questions—averted.

"What did you do now?" Darin laughingly asked as he and her other brothers made their way back to their seats and Willa was finally—finally—able to get some food. She might just out-eat Ben.

"I’ve got Senator James Fremont’s son and daughter coming Sunday to decide if I’m getting the grant money." Willa turned back toward the table just as Kinsley threw an evil eye at her brother and groused, "And thanks to Jude, Jared and I have to be Laurel and Hartman Fremont’s dates for tomorrow night’s dinner."

Willa froze with a slice of bacon halfway to her mouth. "I thought it was just you," she told Kinsley who grimaced.

"Sorry, I kinda forgot to mention that part."

And so had Jared it seemed who shared a look with her saying low—gruff—intimate, "It’s not by choice."

"Why should it…" Darin’s suspicious gaze bounced between the two of them. "What’s going on here?" His Taggert radar was on full display, while Kinsley’s whispered, "Yikes," didn’t help the situation.

"Nothing," Willa assured him as she sat between him and Eric and ignored where Darin’s hand rested on the edge of the table. If he only knew. And thank God he didn’t.

"I’m not stupid," Darin said low. His jaw tensed before his angry gaze stabbed at Jared. "Are you messing with my sister?"

"What the hell?" Eric all but shouted as he jumped to his feet, while Willa helplessly caught Ben’s gaze, mouthing, "Do something."

"Okay, I think we should take a step back," Ben said as he stood and moved his hands up and down in a calming motion. "We don’t know—"

"I’ve seen the way he looks at her," Darin spat out as he slowly stood from his seat, his blazing eyes never leaving Jared. "But I trusted you wouldn’t touch her."

Jared’s gaze narrowed on Darin. "You do know Willa’s an adult, right?"

And that had to have been just the admission Darin was looking for as he lunged for Jared. Willa bounded up after him as chairs skittered away and the table nearly upended, sending dishes clattering to the floor. Families from both sides rounded the table to separate the two men already tangled up.

"Bastard," Darin growled, striking a blow to Jared’s chin, sending him staggering backward and into the refrigerator door. But he quickly recovered and jumped at Darin, landing a blow of his own that snapped Darin’s head to the left. But before either man could land another hit, they were each held back. Jude pulled Jared one way and Ben and Eric pushed back on their brother the other while Willa held firm to his right forearm.

"Let me go," Darin grunted, struggling to break free, while Eric yelled first at Darin to, "Calm the hell down," before yelling at Jared, "This is your fault."

"Stop it!" Willa shouted. "You promised."

She hazarded a glance at a scowling Jared rubbing his chin as Jude did some of his own yelling, but the words didn’t make sense to her with all she had going on with her own brothers.

"That doesn’t include him," Darin barked.

"You—"

Willa winced at the sudden and loud clanging, startling everyone to freeze in place. She glanced toward the incessant ringing. A grimacing Kinsley stood by the back door viciously pulling the cord on the old-time dinner bell hanging beside it. Her friend’s glare encompassed all of them before giving it one final pull before she stepped away from it.

The last ring faded away, leaving a tense silence.

Leave it to Kinsley to find a way to get everyone’s attention.

"Now that I’ve got your attention, I’ve got a few things to say. First of all, cut it out. You’re not eight-year-old boys anymore. You’re adults, so start acting like it. Sheesh. Second, I’m not cleaning up this mess. Finally, are we done yet?" Her friend was all of five-four, but what she lacked in stature she made up for in pure grit. Her stern expression must have had an effect on the the men because they all slowly nodded.

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