Page 82 of Where We Bloom

“Whoa.” Beckett holds up a hand. “That’s romantic and all, but isn’t it fast?”

“I’ve known her longer than you’ve known Skyla.” I cross my arms over my chest. “What else do you have to say?”

“I—” He shakes his head. “Well, hell. Billie has a soft heart, and she’s smart as fuck, and?—”

“I know.” My voice isn’t as hard when I interrupt him. I know what it is to love a sister and be worried about her. Mine is standing right next to him. “She’s the best woman I’ve ever met, and that’s the truth of it, Beckett. She misses her da, and it made her cry today, so I’m going to make sure she sees him and your mum. Do you want to call them, or do you want me to handle it?”

“Just send me the information, and I’ll forward it to them,” Beckett says. “We’ll get them here.”

I nod and tug my sister to me so I can hug her and kiss her wee head.

“Stop crying,a stór.”

“It’s not a sad cry.” She sniffs. “It’s a happy one. I have to get ready for our book club.”

“Don’t tell her about her parents coming for a visit,” I say. “It’s a surprise.”

“I can keep a secret.” She bites her lip, then bounces on her toes. “But thank the gods I don’t have to keep it for long.”

“You’renotgood at keeping a secret.”

“Uh, yes, I am. I didn’t tell Ma and Da that I was being stalked forthree years.”

“That’s because you’re a bloody moron,” I counter.

“While I don’t disagree that that was a mistake,” Beckett interjects, “I can’t let you call my woman a moron, man.”

“I’m her brother.”

“Still.” He shrugs. “Can’t do it.”

“Fine, I’ll do it when you’re not around.”

Skyla snorts, and we head back to the house. Before she runs inside to get ready, Skyla wraps her arms around me again and hugs me tight.

“I’m really happy for you,” she says. “Be nice to her, or I’ll make your life a living hell.”

“Thank you.” I kiss her cheek, and then she’s off, leaving Beckett and me standing in the driveway. “Are you going to warn me as well, then?”

“Nah, Skyla can make you suffer more than I can,” he says. “And you already know that if it got too bad, my brothers and I would simply kill you and feed you to the goats.”

I blink at him. “I thought goats were vegetarians.”

“Goats will eat anything.” He smiles at me and pats me on the back. “Wanna stay for dinner?”

“No thanks. I have work to do. I’ll be in touch about everything.”

I get in the back of the SUV, ready to go home. After packing a bag for tonight, I’ll work until it’s time to go get my angel.

Because even a few hours without her are too bloody long.

Chapter Fifteen

BILLIE

“Book club time is thebesttime,” Polly Wild announces before taking her final bite of a cherry tart that Jackie brought from The Sugar Studio. “It’s my favorite night of the month.”

“Absolutely,” Dani agrees with a nod.

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