never really thought about it, but Gram’s house was cute. It was an old farmhouse with a big porch and a yellow front door. Flowers were starting to bloom pretty much everywhere and the way the windows glowed with light as dusk fell, the whole place looked downright friendly.
“This is where you grew up?” she asked.
“Mostly, yeah. We came to live with Gram and Grandad after our parents died. We were all pretty young.”
“I’m sorry.”
I looked down at her, grateful for the sincerity behind her words. “Thanks. It obviously sucked, but we were lucky to have our grandparents.”
“That’s good at least. Oh my god, I’m suddenly so nervous. What if your gram doesn’t like me?”
“She’ll like you.”
“But what if she doesn’t?”
“I’m sure she’ll like you.”
I hesitated for a second. Should I hold her hand? Put my arm around her?
For a guy who’d had his hand in her panties yesterday, I was being awfully indecisive about casually touching her.
I grabbed her hand—it was so small in mine—and led her up the porch stairs to the front door. We went in and found Gram, Asher, and Grace in the kitchen at the back of the house.
Grace paused setting the table to give Fiona a friendly smile. “Hey, Fiona. It’s good to see you.”
Gram turned. She had a wooden spoon in her hand and she smiled warmly. “Well, hi there, Wolf.”
“Hey, Gram. This is Fiona.”
“Lovely to meet you, honey,” Gram said, then lifted her eyes to mine. “Good boy.”
“It’s very nice to meet you too, Mrs. Bailey.”
“None of that, now, Cricket. You can call me Gram.”
Cricket? I glanced at Asher, but he just shrugged.
“Okay. Well, Gram, your home is so beautiful. I love all your flowers out front.”
“Thank you. Gardening helps keep me young. So do my peckers.”
Fiona gasped. “You have chickens? I love chickens. I love plants, too, but I haven’t done a lot of outdoor gardening. I’ve never had the space for it. But I’d like to someday.”
“If you’re ever in the mood, you can come by. I’m always happy for some help.”
“I’d love to. Thank you.”
Gram caught my eye and smiled.
Half a second later, the front door flew open and the rest of my brothers barreled in.
“Dude, no,” Logan said. “It would never work.”
“I’m telling you, it would,” Gavin said.
Levi snorted. “This from the guy who thought the snow blower idea was a good plan.”
“It’s still a good plan, you just don’t—” Gavin stopped at the entrance to the kitchen and a wide grin spread across his face. “Hey, Fiona.”
I put a possessive arm around her shoulders and drew her next to me.
“Hey, you guys,” Fiona said.
Gavin patted me on the shoulder. “Thanks for bringing her, bro.”
“I didn’t bring her for you.”
Gavin just smiled.
With all of us here, the kitchen descended into the chaos of multiple conversations. Somehow Gram peeled Fiona away from me and the two of them talked about chickens while they finished dinner. I took a seat at the table.
“Here, Cricket, would you mind opening this for me?” Gram handed Fiona a small carton of cream.
She set it on the counter and pinched the sides together to open the top. It seemed like it might be stuck, and I was just about to ask if she needed help, when it popped open, splashing cream all over.
“Oh no, I’m so sorry,” she said.
The cream dripped off her hands and some was on her shirt. All I could think about was how much it looked like the mess we’d made in the shop yesterday.
We seemed to have the same thought at the same time. She met my eyes and her cheeks reddened.
My face got hot and I swallowed hard.
Gram handed her a kitchen towel. “Don’t worry about it. These things happen. It’s easy enough to clean up.”
Fiona met my eyes again, pinching her lips together like she was trying not to laugh.
Gavin snickered. I whipped my face toward him. Logan was stifling a laugh behind his hand. Obviously the visual hadn’t been lost on them.
Or maybe they were laughing at me. Was my face red?
Assholes.
Fiona got cleaned up and the rest of us helped get food on the table. People started taking their seats, saving Gram’s usual place for her.
Gavin pulled out a chair. “Here, Fiona. There’s a spot right next to me.”
I growled at him.
He grinned again.
“Thanks, Gavin,” she said.
I took the seat on the other side of her.
Dinner was delicious, as usual. Having Fiona here felt… different. Not like she didn’t belong or I shouldn’t have brought