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Declan whistled. “Wow you weren’t kidding about his alpha-assholeness were you?”
“I told you,” Thomas goaded, shoving him playfully.
Something told me this was going to be a long night.
I looked up at Eric, not entirely bothered by his possessiveness but more so confused. Despite his notion that we might be able to have a short-lived fling for the few weeks I was in town, he certainly wasn’t trying to hide it anymore and maybe there was an underlying jealousy. I wasn’t sure how that sat with me either. I didn’t want it to make me feel good in the way that it did, because that could mean I might be falling for him and that was something I didn’t want to risk my heart with.
But as I looked up at Eric and his stoic expression, I realized this was all new for him too. And I couldn’t help but enjoy seeing this new side to him—where he was taunted and teased. “One hour and fifty minutes,” I mouthed.
And at that, his mouth twitched into a smile for the first time since we’d arrived.
Chapter 24
Eric
The little shits fluttered around Cassidy like moths to a flame. The twins purposefully positioned her to sit between them, despite my clear warning. I sat at the end of the table, beer in hand, watching them silently. Shadow was by my side, waiting patiently for the opportunity he’d be given a piece of anything. We sat around the wooden dining table my parents had owned for as long as I could remember. A table for ten, a little excess in size but as they said, “just in case we ever had guests,” for moments such as these, I supposed.
I threw back another bitter sip. Cassidy also took a small sip from her beer one of the twins had given her. I wondered if it was the first time she’d ever had its bitter taste. She was a woman used to finer class and palates. She much better suited the backdrop of Manhattan—or even Chicago for that matter—but somehow, she seemed to fit into any space she filled but with a beer in hand… I wasn’t so sure.
“And he actually did yoga with you?” Declan’s eyebrows rose and the entire table stared back at me. Fuck. It was exactly what I feared.
“It actually has fantastic benefits and considering how active he is I was certain his muscles were tight,” Cassidy chimed. Innocently, she was only feeding fuel to their fire. I’d never hear the end of this, but nor was I going to stop her. She appeared to be having fun. I took another swig.
“Wow, physical and tight, that does sound like Eric, doesn’t it?” Jude gleamed.
“And notice how Shadow likes her too!” Thomas said spitting food across the table. My hand tightened around my beer. They were acting like a bunch of animals.
“Boys, enough! Stop giving Eric a hard time. And, Thomas, eat with your mouth closed,” my mother chastised. Fuck, some things never changed around here.
Lori scooped a forkful of the potato bake, smirking through the entire dinner silently. Somehow that irked me even more because I knew exactly who was feeding them with all this ammunition. Lori and Thomas were no better; Declan and Jude were the last nails in my coffin and nerves.
“Eric’s been very kind to let me stay in his home for a few weeks. And I’m grateful to you all for having me over for dinner as well. It’s refreshing here, I’m so used to the city that I feel like this is the first time in a long time I’ve been able to breathe,” Cassidy admitted with a smile. “So even if his downward dog pose needs to be polished, I’m definitely grateful for his hospitality.” She winked at me, throwing in the last remark for extra measure.
My brothers laughed and Lori raised her drink. “To Eric. Because as much of a grump he is, he’s come through for all of us in one way or another.”
A heat spread across my cheeks. I didn’t deserve their thanks. Not after my actions and last failed relationship affected them all. Sure, I’d been able to get us out eventually, but I’d been the one to put them in that comprisable position. And yet years later here we were, right where it all began.
“Here, here,” my brothers cheered in unison. It was the bane of my existent how in unison they were. Even Thomas seemed to be on that train of telepathy, especially when they taunted my nerves.
My mother raised her glass of wine—the only one drinking it. “Well since we’re doing toasts, I’d like to thank all of my children for coming back here at least once a year to help manage the shop while your father and uncle go away on their hunting trip. I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without you, and not to forget to mention I miss you all dearly. And to throw in for luck, because we’re still in the festive season, I better get some grandbabies out of someone soon because I’m sick of waiting.”
Inadvertently, mine and Cassidy’s eyes met. I immediately looked away, my heart missing its beat. The glance wasn’t missed by Lori, silently smirking and picking at her plate.
“What?” I grumbled.
“Oh nothing.” She shrugged nonchalant.
“Eric’s the oldest!” Jude chimed.
“If anyone’s going to get anyone pregnant it’s Thomas,” Lori remarked.
“What? Why me?!” Thomas raised his hands in defense.
“Because you’re such a little fuckboy,” Declan announced.
“Rich coming from you!”
Amongst all the bickering, Cassidy’s laughter fluttered through the air, tears wetting her eyes. The tension melted off me. If she was comfortable and enjoying herself, the night didn’t seem so bad after all. Giving up on me, Shadow walked over to Cassidy and without a second glance she fed him a piece of cheesy potato. I was going to have to put this dog on a diet when we returned to Chicago. She had him wrapped around her little pinkie. Or was it the other way around, I wasn’t so sure?
