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***Aggie***
“Haveyoulostyourminds?” I felt a sense of dread wash over me as I listened to the guys talk about the day they had planned like it was going to be the best day ever. “Dad! Why would you do this?”
Kyrin tipped his hat back as he stared down at me. “It’s a barbecue, Aggie. What’s the big deal?”
I looked around him to glare at Dad. “You did this on purpose. I can’t believe you.”
“I feel like we’re missing something.” Knight looked between me and my dad. “I thought the whole family barbecue and camping thing was supposed to be a good thing."
"Maybe with a normal family!" I groaned and grabbed Zander’s arm to check his watch. “Is it too late to call back and uninvite them?”
“Agatha Bailey Young, that’s not very nice. Your cousins are crazy about you and you always have fun with them. Why am I still having to tell you to play nice at your age?” Dad wagged his finger at me, but I could see he was fighting a smile. “I think it’s a good idea to let your suitors see where you come from. Plus, the kids will love Gracie and she’ll have a blast.”
I could feel my face burning red and glared at Dad. “Suitors? Dad!”
Kyrin shrugged. “I don’t hate being called a suitor.”
Zander’s eyes were bright as he grinned at me. “Sorry, baby. You know I love suits. Suits, suitors, I’m good with it.”
Pressing my fingertips into my cheeks, I tugged my skin down and groaned pitifully. “You can’t call me baby in front of my cousins. You can’t act sweet. If you show any sign of not hating me, they’ll be impossible to deal with.”
“Oh, Ag. Your cousins have grown up. You don’t have to worry about them teasing you anymore.” Dad saw my eyes go wide and laughed. “Much.”
“Maybe I should leave. I could just go to town for the day.” I glanced outside at the yard and saw tents. “And night.”
Knight lightly pressed his hand to my lower back. “Nope.”
I leaned into his touch. “Yep.”
“You’d better go and get changed, Ag. Everyone should be here soon. Gracie is very excited and that alone should cheer you up.” With a final laugh, Dad left us standing in informal living room. He slipped out of one of the folding doors that made the space indoor/outdoor.
“Before you start ranting at us about throwing a family day foryour family, just listen to me for one second.” Zander cupped my face in his hand and drew me closer. “Your dad told us all to stay away while you were indisposed and we did. The chances of us not checking on you, though, are laughable. Are you okay?”
I bit my lip and searched his face for signs of teasing. The energy between us all had shifted so quickly with our truce that I was feeling more than a little confused.
“Aggie?” He stroked his hand down to my throat and raised his eyebrows. “Talk.”
“Are you not freaking out? My dad is acting like you three are going to be asking me to marry you soon and he’s forcing you to meet my family! We just agreed to play nice last night and now you’re acting all sweet and holding my face like you want to take care of me. It’s confusing, okay? I’m confused and it’s not fair that you can make me share because of the throat thing. I feel like you’re abusing a power.” I was breathless after spilling everything in one breath.
Kyrin took off his hat and moved into my space so he was shielding me from the yard beyond the wall of glass. He wrapped his arm around me and looked down at me with a soft smile that turned his face into something boyish and charming. “I’m not freaking out.”
Knight stood at my other side and pressed a kiss to the side of my head. “I was freaking out when I thought your dad was going to murder us for defiling his daughter. I was freaking out when I realized that your dad is probably one of the best dads in the world and we’re just sitting here, failing Gracie. I was even freaking out when I saw your face as you were running to the bathroom earlier because even though I’ve only known you for a little bit of time, seeing you upset felt wrong. The rest, though? Nope. I’m good.”
Zander stroked my throat and winked. “We’re men of decision, baby. We decided to play nice and that’s what we’re doing. You maybe didn’t realize that playing nice is so encompassing, but it is. It can mean anything from making you come a dozen times tonight or holding your hand when you’re sad. Or it can mean meeting your family in a crazy attempt to make you stop crying.”
I squeezed my eyes closed and tried to remember that the three men around me were the same jerks who’d refused to give me a job. “It doesn’t mean I like any of you. Okay? I’m still in control here.”
Zander’s fingers tightened on my throat and then disappeared completely. “Sure. Whatever you say, baby.”
I opened my eyes and watched them as they left me standing there. My body thrummed with energy and I felt desperate to call them back to my side. I was just all confused, though. That was all. With a little space from them, I’d be fine.
I dressed knowing how my cousins were going to be when they showed up. The t-shirt and jean shorts I pulled on had seen better days and my old tennis shoes would stand up to whatever we ended up doing. My hair went up in a tight ponytail and all jewelry was removed. Growing up with mostly boys who wrestled to make every single point they had to make, I’d learned to not wear nice things or leave in things that could be ripped out. They’d always been rough and some things never changed.
Knight raised his eyebrows at me when I came outside. “When Mark said to change, I assumed he meant into a dress or something.”
I snorted. “Not a chance I’d be caught dead in a dress around my cousins. The only time I ever even tried to wear a skirt in front of them, I ended up with it tucked over my head while they rolled me down a hill. In front of my crush.”
He wagged his eyebrows. “I don’t hate the idea, Aggie. You should learn to be more open.”
