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“Sorry, sweet pea, can’t pick you up right now,” Rhett says.
Goosebumps break out down my arms. The feeling of being watched is back. I glance around the grocery store. There’s a mom and her two kids in a cart by the lettuce, and a man in a ball cap standing near the deli. Nothing that should be pinging my radar like this. But the itch between my shoulder blades feels like someone is watching me.
“Maisie. You okay?” Duke asks.
I turn back to the men, nodding absently as I look around, trying to pinpoint the direction my unease is coming from.
“Yeah. Fine. Sorry. Spaced out for a second there.”
Jedd’s eyes rake over my features, and he shares a glance with his brothers. Duke pulls out his phone and taps on the screen.
I shove the itchy feeling away.
Get it together, Maisie. No one is watching you.
“I’ll swing by the shop after I’m done here to grab the check, if that’s okay?”
“Sure. Did you want some company for your shopping? What are you grabbing?” Jedd asks, eyeing the produce in the bottom of the stroller.
“Just a couple of steaks for dinner. I got everything else.”
“I’d love to help with that. I’m great at picking out the best meat,” Finch chimes in.
I wave him away and snort. “I think I have it handled.”
“That’s what she said,” Rhett barks out on a laugh.
His brothers snicker, and I have to bite my lip to stop myself from joining in. Finch shoves Rhett. “Stop it. You’re being dirty minded.”
Rhett holds his hands up. “You are the one who said it, bro, not me.”
Finch grins at us. “Yeah. I guess I did, didn’t I? But you’re the ones who took it wrong.”
“Yeah, Finch, go help her pick out her meat. I’m sure Harlan would love that.” Duke taps away on his phone. “Let me just text him that you’re helping his woman with a meat issue.”
“Don’t you dare,” Finch cries, launching himself at Duke’s phone. Jedd and Rhett both pull their phones out of their pockets and start to fire off their own messages. My own phone starts to vibrate in my pocket, and I know that they’re putting the messages in the family group chat.
Family. I’m starting to have a family. And that makes me want to cry and laugh at the same time.
Duke shoves Finch away from him as Rhett and Jedd snicker at their phones.
I roll my eyes — because boys. “I can pick out steak all on my own, thank you very much. I’ll leave you hooligans to…” I wave a hand at them playing pushy shovey. “Do whatever you need to do.”
“Wait! I didn’t get to say hi to my best girl,” Jedd says before crouching down in front of the stroller.
Audra squeals and holds her arms out to Jedd. Out of all of the brothers, she’s taken to him the most after Harlan, and from what I can see, it’s a mutual love affair.
“Hey, there, pretty lady. You helping Mama get some food? I bet you’re gonna love steak.” He glances at me. “Can she even eat steak yet?”
I shake my head. “Not yet. But soon, if her teeth keep coming in the way they are right now, but she’s actually spending the night with Jem and Boone.”
A blush covers my face as I say it, and they don’t waste the chance to capitalize on my slip.
“Ohhhh. Date night at Harlan’s house. A home-cooked meal with a pretty lady.”
“Hopefully he changed his sheets recently,” Rhett crows. Then whispers to me, “Bachelor life, ya know?”
Duke just grins at me before tossing a flirty wink my way.
