Page 6 of Curvy Girl and the Ex-Military Cowboy

Ethan points a wooden spoon at him. "Nice try. You've been back for two years. Your guest status expired approximately a year and eleven months ago."

I feel a genuine smile tugging at my lips as I follow Aaron out of the kitchen. Despite the awkwardness, there's something about this family that feels... right. The easy banter, the clear bonds between them all.

As we climb the stairs, Aaron finally speaks.

"I'm sorry about all that. I wanted to warn you, but everything happened so fast."

"It's okay," I say. "They seem... protective of you."

He gives a short laugh. "That's one word for it."

We reach the top of the stairs, and he leads me down a hallway lined with more family photos. I glimpse younger versions of the Covington brothers in various stages of growing up—on horses, at what appear to be rodeos, all together.

"This will be your room," Aaron says, stopping at a door near the end of the hall. "Mine's just there." He points to a door across the hall.

He pushes the door open to reveal a spacious bedroom with a large window overlooking rolling pastures. There's a queen-sized bed with a patchwork quilt, a sturdy dresser, and a small writing desk. It's simple but comfortable.

"Bathroom's through there," he says, gesturing to an adjoining door. "Towels are in the cabinet. Um, if you need anything else..."

He trails off, suddenly awkward again, and I realize this is the first time we've been truly alone together.

"Thank you," I say quietly. "It's lovely."

Aaron sets my suitcase down carefully. "I know this isn't what you expected. My brothers, they're... a lot."

"They love you," I observe. "That's clear."

He runs a hand through his hair, a nervous gesture I recognize from our video calls. "Yeah, well, they're also nosy as hell and not likely to let this go. I should have thought this through better."

"We'll figure it out," I say, with more confidence than I feel. "We have time."

Chapter 3 - Aaron

"We'll figure it out. We have time." Elena says.

I nod, turning to leave her so she can get settled, when she surprises me.

"Aaron," she says softly, "would you mind staying for a while? I don't want to be alone just yet."

I hesitate, hand still on the doorknob. This wasn't part of the plan—though to be fair, nothing today has gone according to plan.

"Sure," I finally answer, stepping fully into the room and closing the door behind me.

Elena sits on the edge of the bed, smoothing her skirt over her knees in a gesture that seems nervous. I opt for the chair by the desk, keeping a respectful distance between us. The air feels charged somehow, like the moment before a thunderstorm breaks.

"Your family is not what I expected," she says, breaking the silence.

I let out a short laugh. "Yeah, the Covington brothers are a force of nature. I should have warned you better."

"No, I mean—" She pauses, considering her words. "They're warmer than I thought they would be. From how you described them, I expected more..."

"Cowboy stoicism?" I supply.

She smiles, and it transforms her face. In our video calls, she'd been reserved, almost formal. This smile reaches her eyes, creating small dimples on her cheeks I hadn't noticed before.

"Something like that," she agrees. "But they're very expressive. Even Jackson, who clearly thinks I might be some kind of con artist."

"He's protective," I explain, leaning forward with my elbows on my knees. "Has been since our parents died. Took on raising all of us, even though Cole and I were already teenagers."

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