Game Saver - BJ Harvey Page 0,45

visit my only daughter?” she says with feigned innocence.

I narrow my eyes at her. “On a Sunday morning before”—I check the clock on the wall—”ten a.m.?”

“We were in the area,” she says, struggling to hide a wry smile.

“Sure. All of you just happened to be in my neighborhood,” I mutter. “Where are Dad and Jamie?”

“Golf,” Jaxon replies with a smirk.

“Cade, it’s so good to finally meet you,” Mom says, obviously trying to change the subject.

“You too, Mrs. Cook.”

“Call me Marcy, please. Mrs. Cook makes me feel old.”

“Okay,” he replies with that swoon-worthy smile of his, charming my mother instantly if her glazed eyes and lop-sided grin are anything to go by.

“What are your intentions with our sister?” Cohen asks, his voice low and menacing.

I tense like a virgin on prom night and turn to face Cade. “Don’t answer that.”

He chuckles and gives my thigh a comforting squeeze. “Your sister and I have known each other for a while. I like her, respect her, and want to see where things go between us. Not that it’ll happen, but if I ever hurt her, I give you permission to kick my ass in any way you see fit.”

I sag back into him, loving the way he didn’t hesitate to lay it all out for my very protective younger brother. Cohen may be the baby of the family but he is also the über-staunch one.

To his credit, Cohen’s expression turns from scary to relaxed. “Good answer,” he says with a nod. Bryant and Jaxon grin at me, and that warm feeling cloaking me wraps me up tight.

“How’s work, Abs?” Jaxon asks.

“Good. I’ve applied to take a day-time position.”

Cade’s fingers flex, and I feel his eyes on me.

“You don’t want to work nights anymore?” Bryant says.

“I’ve worked nights for three years now. Since things in my life have changed, I want to have more time to enjoy them.” In particular, the man I’m currently sitting on.

Cade leans over and puts his empty cup on the coffee table, wrapping his arms around me when he sits back. I don’t miss Mom’s eyes watching us or her quiet sigh at the sight.

“Your dad’s running for mayor. Is that going to have any effect on you two?” Jaxon asks, causing my mouth to drop open. How on earth does he know that?

“Hasn’t so far. It’s actually what brought us together in a way,” I reply before Cade can say anything. Jaxon watches us, his gaze contemplative.

I love the fact that Cade isn’t shying away from touching me. He’s not being standoffish in the face of my family. He’s just being himself and in showing them that, hopefully they can see that we’re striving for something real.

“So,” I say, clapping my hands together, “now that we’ve got the awkward ‘hurt my sister and die’ talk out of the way. Why are you really here?” I know their motivations, and it’s either going to be a bloodbath—not sure who’ll win out of my brothers and Cade though—or a scene out of a comedy movie.

“That’s all we’ve got,” Bryant says with a laugh. “Mom told us you had a new man. We wanted to make sure he was legit and not a douche like the last one. “

“That was years ago.”

“It’s also the last time you dated someone seriously, Abs,” he retorts.

Well, shit.

“Really?” Cade asks him. Note: He didn’t ask me.

Bryant, Jaxon, and Mom all laugh, but Cohen—still in defensive mode—doesn’t even crack a smile. God, I love the little bastard. “The last guy she introduced us to was the dickhead douche face who fucked her over,” he says.

“Did you fuck him over?” Cade asks.

“Too fucking right we did,” Jaxon replies.

“What?” I gasp, not knowing this little tidbit of information. “What did you do?” I ask my brothers.

Cohen finally cracks a grin. “Let’s just say he wasn’t doing anything comfortably for a while once we were finished with him.”

“Did you know about this?” I ask Mom.

She shrugs—shrugs—and downs the rest of her coffee, her non-answer saying it all.

“I . . . I can’t believe you guys did that. Jamie too?”

“Jamie was the ring leader.”

My mouth drops open and I just stare at three of the five—okay, now six—important men in my life, tears stinging my eyes. “Thank you,” I whisper, and all of their expressions go soft.

“Anything for you, Abs. Always and forever,” Cohen says gruffly.

“I know you’ll probably be spending Thanksgiving with your family, Cade, but you are most welcome to join us at our home,” my mother says