Page 22 of Winning His Wager

Fletcher liked Jenny. They had met many times before.

“So…what’s this about your housekeeper?” Quade Davis, the asshole, asked. “She doing okay?”

It wasn’t any of Quade’s damned business. And the guy was eyeing Fletcher like he knew exactly what had been on Fletcher’s mind all day. “She had to cover for Daisy tonight. I dropped her off. Now I’m here to get her again.”

“Someone could have run her home,” Charlotte said. “Not like it’s that far. It’s a little late for you to be out, isn’t it?”

“Big brother has an eight o’clock bedtime. I heard Dylan insists now,” Nikki said. “She told me he gets crankier if he doesn’t get enough sleep.”

“I’m sure she did,” Charlotte snickered at him. Those green eyes were laughing at him. Just like Dylan’s always did. They had the same eyes, no denying that.

Fletcher just grunted. He didn’t want to deal with Charlotte and Nikki tonight. He wanted to find his housekeeper and get home. Make sure that he hadn’t imagined whatever it was before.

* * *

Dylan’s sisterswere some of the most annoying creatures on the planet. Devaney just kept pushing Dylan to tell her what she was feeling about Fletcher. And her sister could see her very soul sometimes. It was really irritating sometimes. Especially since Dylan didn’t know what she felt about that man right now.

It wasn’t like there was ever going to be anything with her and Fletcher. That was just insane to even think about. And she wasn’t going to think about it, she decided, while she put the last of the clean silverware rolls where they could find them in the morning, and Devaney was helping Dahlia with the clean buffet pans. Dahlia liked hiding in the kitchen best, with Meyra. And with what had happened to Meyra recently, their cousin was taking some extra time off. Dylan completely understood that.

A crowd came in. Dylan turned—the dining room was well past closed. It would be her job to chase them away. But…Fletcher was there.

And Charlotte.

And people Dylan didn’t really recognize besides Nikki and Hunter. “Hey, peeps. Sorry, we’re closed. No food.”

“Not even for me?” a voice said behind Fletcher and Hunter and a man she did not recognize at all. “Hey, babe. Miss me?”

“Quade!” Dylan laughed and let him scoop her up. “I didn’t know you were coming back so soon.”

“Still problem-solving. You doing okay? Liking your new…job?” He shot Fletcher a look. One Dylan really didn’t quite understand. It was almost a challenge. Fletcher tensed and almost pulled her closer to him.

Well, he and Quade really were fighting lately, weren’t they? Quade took off to call his brothers. She watched him go—there had been a look in his eyes she hadn’t understood. She would have to get to the bottom of whatever it was as soon as she could. Sometimes she thought Quade needed a bit of a keeper, too.

The kitchen door opened. Her three younger sisters almost came tumbling through. They’d picked up a Dorie a few hours ago—she’d helped, but she wasn’t on the schedule for tonight. Her sister was lonely, Dylan thought. She was the baby of the Talley clan, after all. And her new friends had all been off tonight.

“Dylan, we—” Dahlia said and then stopped, seeing the crowd. She took two steps back, shy like she always was. She was almost back in the kitchen, she was so far away.

Devaney stepped in front of her twin. “Oh. We heard voices and wanted to check on you. Make sure you were okay.”

“I am always okay, Devaney, I am always okay. Char’s back. Again. That whole popping up out of nowhere thing,” Dylan said.

“I turn up like a wart. Hi, girls.” Charlotte looked at her friends, especially the red-haired man who was not a Tyler. Who was eyeing her sisters in a completely weird way. Dylan shifted in front of them. That whole overprotective big-sister thing. “You three look like you are up to something.”

“We are always up to something. It’s genetic,” Dylan told her. “You have met our father, correct?”

“That I have. And I do believe it. Of all eight of you.”

“Hello, Charlotte,” Dorie said. “Grandma said you were checked in. Welcome home.”

“It’s been a long day. And we’re going to be in the conference room. Working. For several more hours,” Charlotte said.

It was already near eleven. Yikes.

Her cousin looked beyond exhausted. Dylan thought about what they could possibly need. “There are pulled pork BBQ trays already thawed out, Char. I can heat one up in about fifteen if you all need food. Plenty of time to thaw another one out before the crew in the morning; we had out an extra already. There are fresh potato salads in the cooler too, and I can open a bag of salad greens. Nothing fancy, but we can provide food.”

“I think you are my favorite cousin of all time,” Charlotte said. Devaney and Dahlia shifted a little—where Dahlia was more visible. She gave the people her signature shy, sweet look. “Hi, Dahlia. You doing okay?”

Everyone looked at Dahlia as she finally stepped out.