***Reagan***
“I’vegottomeet with Kara. That was her on the phone. Apparently, the contractor who’s handling the work on our bathroom isn’t understanding what she wants.” Megan rolled her neck and looked to the guys. “I’m assuming that the three of you will fight to the death over who will drive Rea home.”
I groaned. “Go. You’ve done enough. Dinner soon?”
“Once Kara hears about today, she’ll probably have the wedding china out tomorrow morning.”
I hugged her tight and held on. “Thank you.”
She gagged and pushed me away. “Too much emotion. If you make me cry, I’ll be forced to make things awkward.”
Charlie wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side. “We’ll take care of her. Tell Kara I said hi.”
After Megan was gone and I found myself alone with Charlie, August, and Theo, I didn’t know what to do with myself. The potato chip was clean, the area around it was picked up, there was nothing else to do.
“We were going to grab lunch before we decided to help clean. Want to come along?” Charlie looked down at me and those dimples showed as his eyes roamed my face. “Breathe, Rea. It’s just us.”
“I’m breathing.”
August pulled me out of Charlie’s arms and easily lifted me over his shoulder. When I let out a surprised yelp, he just chuckled and patted my ass. “There. Now you don’t have to panic and fret for the next ten minutes about what you should or shouldn’t do.”
I hung down his back with his ass in my face and decided that even though it was ridiculous of him to toss me over his shoulder like I was a sack of potatoes at the potato chip factory, the view was pretty nice. “What if I’m not hungry?”
“Everyone’s always hungry for a piece of pie from Sophie’s.” Sophie’s being Landings’ only competitor.
I cursed at the mention of pie. I’d forgotten all about Pearl’s pie. “I just remembered I need to get home and bake. I’m being blackmailed.”
I suddenly found myself upright, pinned against August’s chest, with three angry faces surrounding me. August had a handful of my ass and his other arm across my back like a steel bar. Even if I’d wanted to, I wasn’t going anywhere. I wiggled with the knowledge that anyone could’ve spotted us in that moment.
“Who’s blackmailing you?”
I shivered as August’s deep voice washed over me, all intense and serious. “Pearl. She saw me leaving the motel and then you three leaving. She just wants baked goods to convince Jonah that she’s a blue-ribbon baker.”
Theo growled. “No. I’ll talk to her. She can’t blackmail you.”
“Not happening. We’ll handle it.” Charlie sounded furious for the first time in all the time I’d known him.
“It’s okay. It’s just Pearl. I’d rather just bake for her and keep her happy.” I wiggled in August’s arms again and felt him harden against me. My eyes widened and I knew my entire face went cherry red. “Um… Anyone could see us.”
August grunted and gripped my ass tighter before tossing me back over his shoulder. “We’ll handle Pearl.”
I crossed my arms and hung upside down silently for the rest of the walk. When he finally put me down, I distanced myself from them and narrowed my eyes. “I’m only going to say this once. I don’t need protecting from Pearl Bearman. You three had better leave her alone. She’s a sweet old lady. Sure, she’s blackmailing me and lying to Jonah in the process, but she’s not bad. If I hear about any one of you being rude to her, I’m going to be so angry.”
August was the first to break. He let out a loud bark of laughter and then doubled over as more poured out of him. If the sound wasn’t so alluring, I would’ve been tempted to punch him. Charlie and Theo joined him, their friendship shining in the way they leaned against each other and egged each other’s laughter on.
I crossed my arms again and narrowed my eyes, trying to look serious, even though I was fighting my own laughter. “I’m not kidding.”
August grinned at me with tear-filled eyes. “Fine. You scared us straight, Rea.”
“I’m walking back to my car. You three are terrible.”
Charlie caught my arm and pulled me into his chest. “What about lunch?”
I made a face. “I’ll starve before eating with you guys. Jerks.”
Theo pulled me away from Charlie and planted a soft kiss on the corner of my mouth, shocking me silent. “I’ve got to get back to work, anyway. Stay sweet, Rea.”
August glanced at his watch and groaned. “Shit. I need to get home and get ready for my shift. Come here.”