“I’m more of a cat person. I think I’ll get along well with your sister.” Her cherry-red lips pull into a smile. “Why?”
“My mom has four dogs. Now that we’re all grown, she’s a dog mom.”
Scarlet laughs. “She’s one of those.”
“You know the type?”
“I do.”
Jackson looks up from the backseat. “I like dogs.”
“I know you do, buddy,” I tell him. He’s been asking for one for a while now. I briefly considered letting him take home one of the kittens Quinn’s been caring for once it’s old enough, but I wasn’t home enough to feel like it’d be fair to any animal. Though now that Scarlet’s here…
“I like dogs too,” Scarlet tells him. “But I like cats more. They’re elegant and so mysterious.”
I laugh. “You are going to get along with my sister.”* * *
“How’s everything going?” Quinn whispers, giving me a hug.
“Pretty good,” I say, unable to keep the smile off my face.
Quinn leans back, eyebrows going up. Damn her and her ability to read me like an open book.
“Not like that. Jackson is happy, and I think I can trust her around him.”
“She’s hot, you know.”
I unzip my coat and shake my head at my sister. “Having you tell me she’s hot doesn’t make me want to date her. She’s Jackson’s nanny. You and Mom need to get off this, okay?” My words come out harsher than I mean to. I’m yelling at myself, not at my well-meaning baby sister. “Sorry. I just—”
“It’s fine,” Quinn says, green eyes flashing. “I want you to be happy, so shoot me.”
Like Dean, Quinn has a flare for dramatics when she’s angry or hurt. “I know,” I say gently. “And thanks. Just…let me find happiness on my own?”
“But playing matchmaker is so fun.”
“Play it for Logan and Owen.”
“I said ‘matchmaker’ not ‘miracle worker.’ Which is what they need.”
We both laugh, and I turn around to introduce Scarlet to everyone. We’re the last to arrive, and I’m pretty sure the only reason Logan and Owen got here before us is because they knew Scarlet was joining tonight.
“Hi, Quinn,” Scarlet says, bending over to unzip her boots. Oh God, I shouldn’t have looked. The feel of her breasts pressed against my chest is seared into me like muscle memory, and I can’t go down that road right now.
“Hey.” Quinn drops to her knees to hug Jackson. “How are you liking it here so far?”
“So far so good,” Scarlet tells her and flicks her eyes to me. “Everyone has been very welcoming. Though I haven’t seen much of the town yet.”
Quinn eyes me and I smile guiltily. “It’s supposed to be nice tomorrow. We can walk around downtown in the morning.”
Jackson grabs Scarlet’s hand and pulls her through the foyer. My parents’ house is also historical and fully restored, but on a much bigger level than mine. This place was a dump when we first moved in, and my brothers and I might have had fun teasing Quinn about how haunted it was since it looked like something out a horror movie.
Slowly over the years and in between projects for clients, my dad did most of the renovations himself. He taught us all how to be handy, and there aren’t many home improvement projects I can’t handle myself because of it.
“Your parents’ house is gorgeous,” Scarlet says, looking around with wide eyes. “I feel like I’m going to a dinner party with Chip and Joanna.”
“Who?” I ask, following after her and Jackson.
“I’ll tell you later,” Scarlet says over her shoulder. The whole family is gathered in the kitchen, like always. This place is really the heart of the house, and the custom-built island is always a topic of conversation. It’s huge, long enough for us all to have a seat at, and is the perfect place for everyone to converge, eating, talking, and drinking.
I watch Scarlet’s face as we enter, and she does her little trick again, inhaling and pushing her shoulders back, acting like she’s ready to take on the world. Emma, who’s being held by my mom, coos when she sees Quinn and extends her chubby little arms for her mother.
“Hey, sweet pea,” Quinn says and takes her baby. Jackson runs through the kitchen, excited to see everyone. And then all eyes fall on us. Scarlet stays close to me, holding the bottle of wine so tight in her hands I fear the bottle might break. I’m comfortable around everyone in this room. My siblings, obviously. Archer feels just like another younger brother since he and Dean have had a serious bromance going on since they met their freshman year of college, and Kara’s been part of the family for the last four years.
We don’t bring home dates unless it’s serious, and I need to keep reminding myself that Scarlet isn’t my date. There’s nothing going on between us and there never will be, even though I very much want it.