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I had known Nina and Goldie would befriend Liberty and make her feel comfortable. Dolly would be a good influence on her. I hadn’t expected to walk into my club and see Liberty fitting in so well. She hadn’t been easy for Selena to live with, growing up, and the way she’d stormed out of her house, I’d been prepared to find out she had shown that side of herself here by now. She was sleeping in my suite. I knew everyone was letting her have her way because of me. I’d thought she’d be a little more demanding, not so … helpful.
Liberty placed the plate in front of me. “I reckon you can get your own drink,” she said, then walked over to the stove and began to stir something in a pot.
Nina’s eyebrows shot up as she looked at Liberty’s back, then at me. There was amusement dancing in her expression, but she didn’t dare smile. Standing up, I walked over to the fridge and got a bottle of water, then went back to my plate of food.
“Look what the cat dragged in,” Micah drawled as he entered the kitchen. His hand patted my back hard. “How’s big daddy?”
The laughter in his eyes when I looked at him wasn’t surprising. He was a smart-ass, and the fact that I’d knocked up a one-night stand must have been an endless source of entertainment for him.
“Micah!” Dolly scolded him.
He turned his attention to her, and his smirk switched to that ridiculous lady killer smile of his. “What, Tink? I was just having some fun, baby.”
She shook her head, trying to act as if she wasn’t melting under his gaze. The two of them were a touch nauseating.
“I’m sure it’s not fun for everyone,” she hissed under her breath.
He cupped the side of her face and brushed his thumb over her cheek. I was trying to eat. I didn’t need their public display of affection while doing it.
“Don’t be mad, Tink,” he told her, lowering his mouth to hers.
I decided it was best to just keep my eyes on my food.
“Liberty, got that soil you asked me to pick up,” Country called out from the back entrance to the kitchen.
My eyes shot back up, and I paused with my fork halfway to my mouth. Looking at Liberty, I watched her beam brightly before putting her spoon down and hurrying around the corner.
“Thank you! You are the best!” she called back.
“No problem. Need anything else, just let me know,” Country replied.
I could feel Micah’s gaze on me, and I looked at him for an answer.
He wagged his eyebrows at me. “Good ole Country. You can count on him to make sure everything is handled,” he said, then gave me a pointed look. “No, wait. Come to think of it, that don’t sound like him at all.”
He was determined to make me uncomfortable. Well, I was verging on pissed. I swung my gaze to Nina, who was also watching me for a reaction. She gave me a little shrug and went back to rolling the leftover dough after she cut out a circle.
When Liberty turned around, her eyes met mine, and again, the smile vanished. She said nothing, but went back to the pot to check on what was inside.
“You planting something?” I asked her when it seemed no one wanted to explain why Country had bought her soil.
Liberty’s shoulders tensed, and she turned back to me. “Yes. I hope that’s okay with you. I made sure the others didn’t mind.”
“It looks real nice out there,” Nina said. “Never thought much about adding flowers and such, but she’s sure made it pretty.”
“Oh, yes! You should see it! She’s brilliant. I need her to come to our house and help me,” Dolly exclaimed with excitement.
Liberty’s mouth lifted slightly at the corners. “I’m not done just yet,” she said.
I took another bite and then washed it down with some water. “Been using that scrapbook you got for inspiration?” I asked, remembering what she’d told the nurse and how I’d thought she was full of bullshit.
She nodded. “Yeah. First time I got to do that. I, uh, appreciate everyone being so nice about it.”
Country was doing her bidding. Nina was making stuff that Liberty was teaching her. My VP’s fiancée was trying to get her to come to their house and do their landscaping. Had she charmed the whole damn place?
“Hope it’s not making the mowing any more complicated,” I replied, and her face fell.
A worried frown wrinkled her forehead. I hadn’t meant to sound like an ass, but the men weren’t crazy about keeping the grass cut, and they had to get off and use the edger and weed eater enough as it was. The property wasn’t small.
