Page 52 of Long Hard Road
“I don’t mind being your sugar mama.” She flipped over another card and everyone let out yells and groans when it turned out to be another king.
Ronan yelped happily and threw his arms in the air. “That’s my girl!” It took all of my self-control not to punch him. He caught my glare and laughed while moving his hands into a defensive posture. “I take it back. She’s obviously your girl.”
“She’s obviously a cheater and a scammer,” Chase said, pouting as he shoved his cards toward Madison. “There’s no way she’s never played this game. She’s too good.”
“We literally made up this game, Chase,” Harper said. “There’s no way she could’ve known how to play.”
“You said the same thing about Lily only for us to find out after she took all our money that you taught her how to play in college.” Chase shot a glare at Lily and she smiled guiltily.
“That sounds terrible. Now pay up!” Madison giggled when Chase stuck his tongue out at her. Over the course of two hours, Madison had taken all our quarters and held her own against my siblings and I had felt myself falling harder and deeper for her.
“I was wrong earlier when I said you’re our guest for this visit,” Dad said, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied grin. “You’re already acting like a Sullivan so we might as well start treating you like family.”
“Does that mean I get to help clean up?” she asked excitedly.
“No. It means you get an official standing invitation to Sunday night dinners for as long as you are in town. That means that even if my son fucks up, I expect to see you at this table next week.”
“Thanks, Dad,” I grumbled half-heartedly. I didn’t mind at all that he was already thinking of Madison as a member of the family, but I didn’t love his insinuation that I was going to ruin things with her.
“Don’t take it personally,” Evan said. “Lily got that same speech.”
She nodded. “That’s true. Tom also said he’d make Evan eat outside if he really fucked up and I didn’t want to see him.”
“Really feeling the love, Dad,” I grumbled.
“I love all my kids, but it hasn’t escaped my notice that you’re in your thirties and still haven’t settled down with anyone. If it was just one of you, I might be more sympathetic. But all of you?” He shook his head in mock disappointment. “At least Evan gave me a couple of grandkids, but I’m not getting any younger and I need more munchkins to spoil. I’m just trying to motivate you not to be a dumbass.”
“It’s not our fault,” Harper protested. “You and Mom ruined us by setting such an impossible example of what to look for in a marriage.”
Dad smiled sadly. “You might be right about that.”
“If it makes you feel any better, there’s just as much chance that I’ll be a dumbass,” Madison said, giving me a conspiratorial smile. It didn’t slip anyone’s notice how I melted at the sight of that smile.
“More likely you’ll just wise up and realize you can do better than my brother.” Evan’s next words sucked the oxygen from the room. “Nate, how’d you convince a literal celebrity to give you the time of day?”
Madison flinched and looked at me, a hint of accusation in her eyes. “I didn’t tell him,” I said quietly.
“What?” Evan looked around the table. “What did I say?”
“Madison is trying to lay low while she’s in Crestwood. She’s not exactly advertising her celebrity status,” Lily explained.
“Okay, but…” He glanced at me. “You know who she is, right?”
I nodded. “Of course. Emma would disown me as her uncle if I didn’t know.”
“Doesn’t everyone in this room know?” Evan looked at each of us and everyone nodded, even Dad. It turned out that Madison hadn’t been as successful at hiding her identity as we had thought.
“My granddaughter has your face on a shirt,” Dad said with a grin. “You’ve got a pretty face, dear, but that shirt is a little scary.”
Madison laughed and the tension left her face. “For the record, I begged my merchandising team not to do that.”
“I’m going to see if Em will let me borrow that shirt.” I winked at her across the table.
“Don’t you dare.” She narrowed her eyes at me.
“Wait.” Something concerning occurred to me. “If everyone in this room knows, who else have you told that Madison is in town?”
“I haven’t said a word,” Harper promised. The others all echoed that response.