“Yes, you do. Completely official.” Or not. But I wasn’t going to say that out loud.
Chapter Eight
Alexa
The rumble of vehicles pulling in brought us both to the window. Four large trucks were parked in the yard. I recognized them as belonging to the Fosters. In near unison, Drake, Ike, Hayden, and Kane got out of their trucks. Instantly, Drake’s head lifted, his eyes searching for me, and I gave a wave. A smile spread across his face. I love him so much. Never again would I leave him. Never. He’d asked Dad if he could marry me. If I hadn’t been rash, Drake and I would be together. I wanted that with him desperately.
The letter still bothered me. Who would do that? And why?
With a bump to my shoulder, Hollis brought my attention back to the men outside. The Foster men got out and headed to the beds of their trucks, grabbing tool belts and toolboxes. Ike’s truck had a bed full of lumber. Hayden and Kane’s had machinery. My heart soared. Drake had done this for me.
“Looks like the cavalry just arrived.”
“Looks like it.”
Drake caught my eye and gave me a wink. His strong muscles flexed as he buckled his tool belt, and desire pooled within me. I swallowed hard when he grabbed a toolbox from his truck bed. Heaven have mercy, the man is hot.
“Why didn’t I think to get one of those tool things while I was at the store?” Hollis asked.
I waited for him to laugh, but when I looked at him, he was serious. “I bet they have an extra one you can borrow.”
Hollis’s eyes lit up. “Now we’re talking. Let’s go get me Alaskan ready.”
It was hard not to giggle, but somehow I managed. Outside on the front porch, the Foster men walked up the cement pathway. Amie and Ike followed them. I hadn’t noticed Amie at first. Drake had captured my attention.
I didn’t even try to contain my smile. “What are you guys doing here?”
Drake skipped two of the steps and met me on the porch. I nearly melted into him when he greeted me with a kiss on my cheek. His breath tickled my ear when he said, “Here to help my girl get her clinic opened on time.”
That warm, soft feeling filled my heart. “Thank you.”
With a nudge, Hollis raised his eyebrow and nodded toward Drake’s tool belt. Oh, right. I turned to Drake. “Would you, by chance, have an extra tool belt for Hollis? He’s trying to become a native Alaskan.”
Approval was evident in Drake’s eyes. He called over his shoulder. “Dad, do you have an extra tool belt for Hollis?”
From halfway up the walk, Ike called. “I’m sure I do. I’ll get it.” Beside me, Hollis vibrated with excitement.
In a flash, I was picked up and twirled around. “Well, if it isn’t trouble.”
I laughed. “Hey, Hayden. It’s good to see you, too.”
“You missed your chance to go after the right Foster brother.” Hayden had that happy-go-lucky personality. It was hard not to remain unaffected by his charisma. He’d always been playful and innocently flirted with me to irritate Drake.
It still worked. Drake smacked him in the back of the head. “Don’t make me beat your ass.”
Hayden hugged me tighter. “What? I’m saying hey to Lex. I need an extra-long hug to make up for lost time.”
Drake narrowed his eyes; I knew he hated when Hayden used his nickname for me. Only Drake called me Lex. And he was fiercely protective of it. “Stop being an ass.”
Laughing, he set me down with a wink. “Man, it’s good to have you back. I haven’t been able to get under his skin in a while.”
Under his breath, Drake muttered, “Fucker.”
I giggled. Next to Drake, Kane stood with his normal, somewhat grumpy, expression. His husky, Mariah, sat at his feet. On a hunt about four years ago, Kane had found her abandoned in the woods. Since then, they’d been inseparable. “Hey, Kane. Hello, sweet Mariah.”
The husky wagged her tail but stayed glued to Kane’s side. She was the most well-behaved dog I’d ever met.
Kane gave me a quiet smile. “Make the dickhead work for it.”