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The Wilson brothers and Riley followed in a tight formation, their footsteps echoing off the sterile floors as we made our waydown the corridor. I could feel their eyes on me, and I could practically hear the lecture that was coming.
When we reached the room, I pushed open the door and gestured for them to go inside. “Have a seat.”
Of course, none of them did. Well, except for Riley, who, with his usual easygoing charm, slipped into a chair at the conference table with a smile like he had all the time in the world. The Wilsons, on the other hand, remained standing, arms crossed, their eyes locked on me.
I walked over and plopped into the chair across from Riley. “What is this, an intervention?”
Travis shot me a look that told me I wasn’t far off. And judging by the way Adam’s arms were crossed tighter than usual, this wasn’t going to be a quick conversation.
Fantastic.
I leaned back in the chair, folding my arms as I stared at the lineup. They looked like they’d just been called in to deal with a family crisis, and judging by the stern looks on Everett’s and Adam’s faces, I had a pretty good idea of what was coming next. Riley, as usual, looked like he was enjoying the show, while Jackson shifted uncomfortably, like he wasn’t quite sure where he stood.
Travis was the most relaxed, but there was still a seriousness about him that I didn’t love.
“So,” I said, raising an eyebrow. “Who wants to tell me why you’re all standing around like I’ve done somethin’ terrible?”
Travis snorted. “We heard Tucker came in here earlier and defiled you in front of everyone in the ER.”
I blinked, caught off guard by the choice of words, but then a laugh burst out of me. “Defiledme? Good grief. It was just a kiss.”
Everett’s eyes narrowed. “In front of everyone. In the middle of the ER.”
“It wasn’tin frontof everyone. It was—” I cut myself off, realizing there was no use trying to downplay it. “Okay, fine. Yes, it was in the middle of the ER. But it was just one kiss. Y’all need to calm down.”
Adam crossed his arms tighter over his chest, his frown deepening. “The guy’s leavin’ and you know it.”
“Besides that,” Everett chimed in, “We hardly know him. There’s no way of knowin’ if he’s even good enough for you while he’s here.”
This had clearly been brewing for a while, and they had every right to worry, considering the way the news of that kiss had probably reached them with many exaggerations that didn’t speak well to my character or Tucker’s.
But I wasn’t about to let them tell me how to live my life.
“First of all,” I said, holding up a finger, “don’t you think I’m smart enough to know if he’s good enough for me or not? Y’all really don’t trust my judgment?”
“Of course we do—” Travis started, but I cut him off.
“Second of all,” I continued, “I know he’s not stayin’, but what makes you think I can’t leave Charlotte Oaks? I never said Iwould,but don’t you think I’m capable of makin’ that decision for myself?”
Riley chuckled, leaning back in his chair and throwing me a wink. “She’s got a point, boys. We all know Dakota can take care of herself.”
Riley was taking it easy, and I knew why. His security team had already run a background check on Tucker the moment Norma at the diner whispered her concerns in his ear. And according to him, Tucker’s background was nothing but hero status, especially after his time in the Marines. Riley had been impressed. The others? Well, they weren’t so easily convinced.
Travis was more pro-Tucker than all of them combined, though, thanks to his time with Austin at the gym over the lastfew weeks. He leaned against the wall, his arms crossed casually. “Austin’s a good kid, Kota. And from what I’ve seen, he’s got a lot of reasons for hero-worshippin’ his big brother and the friend. I wouldn’t mind if they decided to stick around.”
I shot him a grateful smile. “Thanks, Trav. They probably won’t, but thanks, all the same.”
The two oldest, grumpiest, and most protective of the bunch still stood there with matching scowls. Everett was the first to speak, his voice low and serious. “We just don’t wanna see you get hurt again, Kota. That’s all.”
Jackson, the quietest of the group and the one who’d always been the nurturing kind, finally chimed in. “We’re just lookin’ out for you. You know how it is.”
I gave them all a level look, my voice firm. “I appreciate that. Really, I do. But I think y’all would like Tucker if you gave him a chance. He’s a good man, and you know what? Y’all probably have more in common with him than you think.”
Everett and Adam exchanged glances, clearly unconvinced, but before they could argue further, Riley leaned forward, his grin still firmly in place. “Are you and Tucker gonna be at the Harvest Festival tomorrow night?”
Riley and Laney were set to perform their annual duet concert for the town—a highlight of the festival. And I’d almost forgotten about it in the midst of everything going on with the case, but I definitely wanted to go.
“I’ll talk to Tuck and let you know,” I said, trying not to get my hopes up, just in case.
