Page 56 of This Broken Heart

Bo comes to stand in the doorway, holding Maven high against his chest. She’s got her hand wrapped around his ear, a grumpy look on her face.

Skyler comes closer, scratching her back. “Did you wake the baby up?”

Bo smiles, guilt scrawled all over his face. “She missed her Uncle Bo.”

Skyler and Bo both have the trademark Thomas dark skin and black hair. They even have matching short-cropped beards. The biggest difference is that Bo has a few inches on Skyler and Skyler occasionally wears glasses.

The door opens and shuts and a very feminine “Yoo-hoo” rings out from the front room.

I glare at Skyler. “You didn’t.”

Skyler holds his hands up. “Reese twisted my arm.”

As though summoned by some evil spell, all three of my sisters squeeze into the kitchen. Aside from my friends, there are no people in this world who enjoy busting my balls quite as much as this awful little trio.

37.

Erin

In very short order, the kitchen becomes very crowded.

I don’t mind people.

I’m a dyed in the wool extrovert.

But this crowd is overwhelming me. They have an intimate knowledge of Josh and his kids. And despite the connection I’m making with my little crew, these people just serve to remind me that I’m an interloper.

The hired help.

The youngest, Charlie, swans closer. She has a vicious sort of beauty. All angles and creamy skin. Her hair is the same color as Josh’s, but her eyes are a mesmerizing hazel. “Are you baking?”

Trace puffs up his chest. “I’m helping.”

“I see that.” Charlie rustles his hair. She tosses a smile over her shoulder. “You’re wasting your time with these heathens. They won’t appreciate your hard work.”

Maybe it’s unintentional, but I catch a patronizing note in her voice. I don’t know much about her, other than the fact that she’s doing pre-med at Drake. And she doesn’t know much about me, other than the fact that I went to community college. I can tell she isn’t particularly impressed with my career choice.

Even though she’s three years younger than me, she manages to make me feel small.

“Game’s on.” Dusty calls from the other room.

Charlie scoops Trace up and carries him into the living room. “You’re coming with me, Mister.”

They filter out of the kitchen, thank God, leaving just Reese behind.

She leans on the counter across from me. “She’s got some growing up to do.”

“Hmm?” I murmur, rolling the dough into a log.

“Chuck.” She grins at my confused expression. “Charlie. She can be a turd sometimes. For what it’s worth, she’s that snotty with all of us.”

“Who’s snotty?” Skyler asks, returning to the kitchen. He swings the fridge open and pulls two beers out.

“Nobody.” Reese says, winking at me.

Skyler leans on the counter next to Reese, watching me slice the dough. It’s hard not to feel self-conscious with two sets of eyes on me. One set belongs to Josh’s sister. The other belongs to a very sexy, bespectacled beef cake.

I lay the rolls on a pan, a row of perfect spirals. He grins. “Paul Hollywood would approve.”