Just Her Luck (33 page)

"I made cake!" the blonde, pixie sized quilt-tainting, wildebeest-humper called out cheerfully.

I looked up at Reeve, then quickly looked away, watching the three brothers as they grumbled and mumbled under their breaths.

Keeping my composure, I calmly walked to the bathroom, ready to hide for a minute and collect myself.

Reeve shoved his way in when I’d almost had it shut, slamming the door shut behind him.

Pretending to blow my nose, I kept my back to him.

"I want an answer. Are you happy now, prison bait?"

I played with the tissue in my hand.

"I have to take a piss, pervert. You just gonna stand there and watch or what?"

I used my nastiest voice, wiping at the tears pooling in my eyes, glad he couldn't see how well he'd gotten to me.

What is it about him that makes it so easy for him to hurt me?

I've never let anyone get to me like this. Never.

He gripped my shoulders and spun me around, studying my face.

His lips tightened even further and his eyes narrowed to slits.

"So you're not as tough as you play yourself out to be, are you?"

Shoving him off, I pulled out of his hold and laughed bitterly.

"And you're an even bigger bastard than even
I
thought."

I wiped at my eyes and tossed my tissue in the trash.

"Congratulations, Reeve. Guess you win."

I hurried out of the bathroom before he could say anything else, smiling at Ephraim when he came up and claimed me, arms slipping arm me possessively, ushering me towards the kitchen to eat cake.

"I'm sorry you got in a fight," I whispered when he pulled me close.

"Don't be silly, baby. That wasn't your fault," he soothed.

My eyes closed as I tried to keep myself pulled together, letting him lead the way.

I rested my head against his solid, sturdy frame, letting his warmth seep into my skin.

Then why do I feel like it is?

Family Affair

The two older men that broke up the fight between Bowen, Ephraim and Thatcher were eating their cake across from me, fighting grins when I glared at them for staring.

"Do I have something on my face?" I asked when it got to be too much, ready to fling cake at them.

"Nope," the blonde one said, blue eyes twinkling, cowlicks sticking up all over his head, white streaking through his hair generously.

"Quit teasin' her, Jep. She don't like it," rumbled the very large-
equally as large as the dark haired man who was screwing in my bed-
hazel eyed, dark wavy haired man next to him.

"Are you two a couple?" I asked innocently,
feigned innocence,
just to shut them up.

Blondie started choking on his cake, and I grinned.

His dark haired companion broke out into a fit of laughter, slapping his friend on the back.

"Are you alright, Jep?!" the blonde lady asked worriedly, rushing over to his side, cooing over him.

Didn't Bowen say they had more than one dad...? Something about them being brothers?

I studied the three men, noting the familial resemblances in them all, especially when I compared them to my guys.

"You're Reeve and Bowen's daddy," I said after a moment, nodding to the dark haired, heavily accented man who was currently laughing at Jep.

I studied the last two.

"And you're Ephraim and Thatcher's," I told the choking blonde man. "And you must be Sawyer's..." I guessed, not making eye contact with the brown eyed behemoth I'd seen naked a little bit ago.

He laughed quietly, guessing, quite accurately, at my discomfort.

“I’m right though, aren’t I?”

Ruthie nudged me and pointed her fork.

"Quit teasing them, Vieve, I never can take you anywhere!" she sounded truly exasperated with me. "I swear that girl doesn't look for trouble, trouble finds her!"

My smile fell at that when it normally wouldn’t have, Reeve's words still ringing in my ears.

I knew deep down she didn’t’ mean it that way, but I was still smarting on the inside, feeling oddly vulnerable and exposed, Reeve’s words taunting me hauntingly.

I felt like someone had just poked into a raw wound.

Ruthie looked shocked by my reaction.

She went to say something, but Reeve and Bowen's dad spoke up.

"She wasn't doin' no harm, Ruthie," he grinned, winking at me, coming to my defense, "I think she's down right adorable. Even madder than a hatter, she still looks cute as a kitten, spittin’ and hissin', starin' down ol’ Reeve."

He gave his son a long look and adjusted his plate in his hand, sitting in a lawn chair across from us out on the back lawn.

"Boy deserves it," he grumbled, looking at his son again with disapproval, "Could do with gettin' that pole outta his ass."

"Oh, my god," my eyes widened as I stared up at him, "You're awesome!"

Reeve grumbled from somewhere off behind me.

Their dad chuckled at my heartfelt exclamation, matching Bowen's as they laughed at me together.

"Genevieve," Ruthie chastised, taking my hand, "Don't you go agreeing with him. Brayden is more ornery than an old goat! And grumpy as a bear. He just likes pickin' on Reeve because he's so sensitive."

Now it was my turn to choke on my cake.

Reeve? Sensitive?

Has Ruthie been smokin' a little somethin', somethin'?

I froze, cake lodging in my throat.

Somebody asked me something, but I was currently asphyxiating on the birthday cake stuck in my wind pipe, my eyes watering everywhere as I tried to cough up cake and catch a breath.

It was impossible to talk and I couldn't get any air into my lungs.

Pointing at my throat frantically, I leaned forward.

"Genevieve? Hey, you alright?" Barry asked, wide eyed, watching my face turn a funny color.

Sawyer figured out what was wrong first, giving me one quick Heimlich to dislodge the cake.

Thank you, Dr. Sawyer!

I coughed it up and gasped, choking and sputtering cake bits everywhere.

He patted my back gently until the worst of it was over, stopping only when I waved at him to signal I was fine.

He still hovered by worriedly.

"I can't even go get a drink and you're going good on your whole wanting do die on me tirade," Ephraim teased, referring to my dying cow moaning way earlier, plopping down in my chair, then pulling me down into his lap.

"Don't joke about chokin' or dyin'," the brown eyed, yet to be named dad said. "You alright, darlin’?"

"I'm fine. Really," I insisted, blushing, still not looking him in the eyes.

I couldn’t.

I saw him doing their mom!

How will I ever look at their faces again?

And where I sleep and everything...

Just... just...
ewwww.

"Oh, leave her alone, Phin!" their mom chuckled, whacking him in the stomach. "He thinks he's funny!" She rolled her eyes at him and gave me one of those 'Men! What are you to do with them?' looks.

My laugh came out stilted and weird.

I gave up after the first try.

Still too awkward for me.

I saw her naked, for god’s sake!

Porking!

She smiled wide, green eyes mischievous as she gave me a grin more impish than even Thatcher's.

"Oh, don't go gettin' all shy on us now!" She giggled and winked, hand to her chest, "You could sorta say we're even now, so to speak. Couldn't you? I'm Barbara by the way, but you can call me Barb."

My jaw dropped.

She didn't.

My face pinkened.

But she did.

"How is it the same?!" I gaped, incredulous. "You were boinking on my Auntie's quilt! I saw you naked! Both of you!" I blurted, flapping my hand up and down at them, then abruptly realized what I'd just announced, rather loudly, slapping my hand over my mouth.

Thatcher made gagging sounds and Sawyer gawked at his parents.

"Don't look at me," Brayden shook his head, waving his hands at his cohorts, "I took care of
that
before we left.

Oh, ewwww!

Reeve walked over and glowered at his parents collectively.

"You were screwin’ in my house?!"

"Oh, now, Reevikins, don't go getting all worked up. It was just a...
a
bit of fun
," Barb teased with a little tinkling laugh, blinking up at him innocently.

Jep frowned and glowered at Phin.

Turning towards his wife, he gave Barb sad puppy dog eyes that matched Ephraim's, and sulked.

"I didn't get any," he huffed, or I should say
pouted
, crossing his arms over his chest.

His glower died down when Barb sidled over and whispered something to him, and he raised both brows at her, golden arches raised high on his handsomely masculine face.

She nodded emphatically, and he grinned roguishly.

"Your parents are hippies," I whispered through my fingers.

I’m leaning towards horrified as I watched and listened in, but I couldn’t help feeling intrigued.

They’re a curious group.

Phin heard me and winked, brown eyes dancing.

I turned beet red.

Will I ever be able to look at him, them, and not picture them going at it like two cats in heat?

Ephraim continued to plow through his cake, ignoring all the goings on around him.

"How can you eat with all of, of
this?"
I turned to whisper to him.

"I tune ‘em all out," he said around a mouthful of cake, pulling me closer, "I'm used to it now. I just keep goin' about my business, pretendin' nothin's happening."

I wiped the frosting from his beard, and he grabbed my hand, licking my fingers slowly as he eyed me heatedly.

I gulped and tried to pull my hand back, worried someone might see.

"Get a room," Thatcher grumbled. "No, wait,
don't
."

"Not my room," I added quickly, eyes widening when Phin boomed out a laugh and reached over to give me a one armed hug.

"You're gonna fit right in here, girly," he chuckled.

"I already said that," Thatcher added helpfully.

I glanced at Ruthie, and she just smiled.

Barry looked like he thought they were all certifiable.

I was kind of leaning towards the latter, but have yet to form a true opinion as of yet.

I
am
always saying don't judge, right?

I have a funny feeling that when it comes to the Harrison parents, I'll probably always be on the fence.

****

"It's getting late, dear heart, I should get going," Ruthie said as she finished her cake.

"That reminds me." I looked over expectantly at Barry.

"What? What did I do?" Barry grunted, cake stuffed into the side of his cheek.

He looked like a demented squirrel.

What was that, like his fourth helping?

"You were supposed to pick up Ruthie," I accused, jumping his shit for forgetting something so important, giving him a dirty look.

"I wasn't late! I came when she said!" he insisted, dumping his paper plate in the trash, standing up to leave.

"Oh, dear me," Ruthie fretted nervously, eyes widening falsely, heading straight for the door, "I must have told you the wrong time. How silly of me! Well, I'm tired, let's go!"

"Wait a minute," I protested, dogging her steps out the door, "Ruthie, did you die to me?

I jerked and my breath caught, realizing my flub, body tensing up.

Shock zinged through me like I’d just been zapped.

I looked around, making sure no one heard me.

I meant lie.

Lie.

Not
die.

Ruthie caught on though, and the look on her face held only sympathy for me.

"I, uh, never mind." I hid my expression, letting out a deep breath as I took her elbow and walked her out, shaken inside by those three little letters.

Die.

Innocent on their own, but scary when you line them all up just right, arranging them neatly in a row-
die.

I’d said die.

Ruthie hugged me tight and kissed my cheek.

"Don't you worry, dear heart, everything is going to be just fine. You'll see."