Page 42 of A Little Luck

“They’ve changed a little.” Cass leans her dark head closer to her sister’s blonde one. “Britt’s got a baby bump, and Gwen won’t let us call Piper Jinx anymore. She says it’s bad luck.”

“Like that ever changed anything.” I give Cass’s sister a hug. “Good to see you, twerp.”

“Ha-ha, I’m taller than you are now.” She puts her arm around my shoulder and gives me a squeeze. “I thought Jinx was a fun nickname.”

“Apparently it perpetuates bad juju.”

“How are the wedding plans going?” She looks around. “Where are all the boys? I’m ready to see some good-looking men.”

“No offense taken!” Marshall volunteers in a loud bark.

“Oh!” Jemima yelps. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there!”

“It’s all right.” He waves and nods. “I was just enjoying the show. I take it you’re…”

“My little sister,” Cass volunteers easily. “She’s here for the wedding. Otherwise, she’s in Branson working as a Taylor Swift impersonator.”

“I didn’t know that was a thing.” He nods. “You make a lot of money doing that?”

“Not as much as you’d expect… and the Swifties are a nightmare. If I get one little thing wrong, holy toledo…” Jemima groans. “Which is why I’m here to stay. It’s time I started doing something normal. Who’s going to help me find a real job? Jinx, are you still running the paper?”

I blink up at her. “Yeah, but we don’t get a lot of want ads these days, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Maybe I should just marry one of the Stone brothers. There’s one left, isn’t there? That’s what I’ll do. I’ll marry Adam Stone.”

“Who am I marrying?” Adam walks up, studying me with naughty blue eyes, and heat rises around my collar.

Ryan is with him, holding Fudge over his shoulder.

“Me, you handsome devil. How have you been?” Jemima gives Adam’s arm a squeeze, and I’m shocked by a sudden blaze of anger in my chest.

A sudden,Get your hands off my manthat almost flies from my lips.

Ryan’s eyes are wide, and everything feels too close and too crowded at the same time.

“Are you Taylor Swift?” His little-boy voice is awed.

“I wish!” Jemima cries. “Then I’d do whatever the hell I wanted to do!”

Ryan’s big eyes fly to mine, and I wrinkle my nose at him.

“Oh, sorry.” Jemima covers her red-velvet mouth with her hand. “You’re big enough to repeat stuff, aren’t you?”

“He’s actually big enough to knownotto repeat stuff.” I hug my son to my side, doing my best to tamp down the green-eyed monster in my chest. I remind myself that I like Cass’s little sister, and she’s a total tease anyway. “What have you guys been up to today?”

“Uncle Adam came home, and I showed him all the tricks Fudge can do—he did a double backflip trying to catch his feather, and he ate half a lizard on the patio. It was really gross… Then he chased a squirrel up a tree, and Owen’s gran said he could stay at her house any time because the squirrels keep digging up her bulbs, and—”

“Whoa, take a breath, buddy!” I tweak his little nose. “It sounds like you’ve had a busy morning!”

“He’s a good cat.” Adam slides his hand down Fudge’s shiny black coat, and the cat rewards him with a little nip. Adam laughs, and the two have a playful boxing match, which delights Ryan even more.

I smile watching Adam and my son together, so relaxed and comfortable. They’re so close, and Ryan is always so content when Adam’s around.

“Not much time for hanging signs,” Cass mutters in my ear.

“Where’s Owen?” Britt looks from Ryan to Adam.

“He stayed with Aiden,” Adam answers, and I wonder if his voice has always sounded so sexy.

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