Those Sweet Words (Misfit Inn 2)

The girl, who had to be Ari, looked down at him with bright, curious eyes. “Who’d you land on?”

Flynn rolled to his feet, offering his hand, as more people came into the barn, including the familiar face he’d come looking for.

“Flynn Bohannon!”

He grinned and opened his arms wide. When Kennedy leapt into them, he swung her in a circle. “It’s good to see you, deifiúr beag.”

“Back atcha, boy-o! We weren’t expecting you until tomorrow.”

“I thought I’d surprise you. But I seem to have interrupted some sort of festivities. Are you getting ready for a party, then?”

“Oh, yeah, about that. There’s someone I want you to meet.” Kennedy pulled back and held her hand out to a broad-shouldered man, with close-cropped brown hair and a steady gaze. He slid his arm around her shoulders, and she looked up at him with absolute adoration. “Xander, this is my brother from another mother, Flynn. Flynn, Xander Kincaid, my fiancé.”

Flynn’s mouth fell open. “Your what now?”

Kennedy laughed. “It’s our wedding we’re decorating for. We’re getting married on Saturday.”

“Married?” Flynn repeated. Was she insane? She’d been home, what, four months? If that.

She laughed again, fairly glowing with happiness. “It’s a long story, and I’ll tell you all about it over a pint later. First, I want you to meet my family. This is Ari.” She laid her hands on the shoulders of the young Hispanic girl, with the dark, soulful eyes and ready grin.

“Pleased to meet you,” Flynn said, shaking her hand.

“And this is Pru.”

“We’ve met,” they said in unison.

Kennedy arched her brows.

“She fell out of the sky,” Flynn said.

“More properly, I fell off a ladder,” Pru corrected. “Thanks for saving me from breaking my neck.”

He mimed doffing a hat and bowed. “Happy to be of service, milady. Perhaps you’ll let someone taller assist you in finishing with the lights?”

Pru flushed. “Oh, you’re a guest. I’m not—oh my God, your room’s not ready.” She looked, if possible, even more flustered by that than she had crashing into him.

She was already turning toward the door, when Flynn caught her hand. “It’s fine. Don’t trouble on my account. I arrived early and unannounced. Just shove me in a closet or something. I’ll be fine.” That sent his mind off on a merry little jaunt, imagining what it would be like to drag Pru into a linen closet and get to know the rest of those lovely curves.

She looked scandalized, and he wondered if he’d said that aloud. Or maybe it was that he’d been rubbing circles on the back of her hand with his thumb.

“You’re a guest at our inn. You’ll have a proper room. Just give me fifteen minutes—twenty at the outside.”

“Psh,” Kennedy snorted. “He’s family.”

“The family all have beds,” Pru argued.

Now was definitely not the time to suggest sharing hers. And really, he needed to quash this whole reaction. This was Kennedy’s sister.

“Fine. You fix a room. I’m putting him to work. He and Xander can finish with the lights. Maggie and Athena should be back from their fitting soon, and it’s Athena’s turn to cook dinner.”

Pru tugged her hand free and started for the door. “Fifteen minutes,” she repeated. “Ari, come help me please.”

Because he wanted to watch her go, Flynn deliberately turned toward the ladder and righted it. “Right. Lights?”

“To start.” Kennedy grinned.

He propped an arm on one of the rungs and gave her the side eye. “Oh, so that’s how it is? You’re going to make me work for my supper?”