Jardin's Gamble (Haven, Texas 9)

“Don’t be a dork, Ace,” Keir said condescendingly. “Carrick is Thea’s boyfriend. He doesn’t want to have a playdate with you. Besides, we’re not going back home, are we?”

“Do you want to?” she asked. “And don’t call your brother a dork.”

Keir shrugged but there was something vulnerable in his gaze that told her this was more important than he was letting on.

“It’s okay if you want to,” she said gently.

“I miss home. I mean, I like it here,” Ace said. “But I have friends back home. Not that dipshit, Arthur, though.”

“Ace,” she reprimanded. “Don’t call people dipshits.”

“Even if they are,” Jardin added.

She glared at Jardin. He just shrugged unrepentantly.

“Can we go home?” Keir asked. “I mean, is it safe?”

“Jardin’s brother is going to make it so that we can,” she told him gently. “We’ll have to stay here until he does that, though.”

Keir gave Jardin a surprised look.

“So, you’re both Thea’s boyfriends?” Ace asked, getting to the heart of things.

“They are. That okay?” She was tense, waiting for their answer.

“I think it’s cool,” Ace said. Keir just shrugged. That was as good as she was going to get from him.

“When we go home, where are we gonna live?” Keir asked.

“You’ll all move in with me,” Jardin said before she could reply. “My family home has the best security. Once things are settled, we can talk about our own home. I live with my brothers and sister.”

“Can we play video games?” Ace asked.

“Of course.”

“Will we have our own rooms?” Keir inquired.

“Yes,” Jardin affirmed.

Both boys seemed happy at that. Well, that went easier than she’d thought it would be.

26

Thea thought she might be in shock.

She probably looked like a fish out of water as she sat at the huge dining room table. It could easily seat twenty, but somehow it seemed like there were twice as many people in there. The Malones were loud, expressive, and blunt.

And hilarious.

For so long, it had just been her and the boys. When their dad wasn’t around, things were quiet. This was the opposite. Food flew around the table. She was sandwiched between Carrick and Jardin with Keir next to Jardin and Ace on Carrick’s other side. Alec Malone sat at the head of the table with Mia to his left. West at the other end with Flick next to him.

She saw that both men filled their women’s plates first before taking food for themselves. Then she noticed Jardin and Carrick doing the same. They helped the boys with their food then made her plate up. When Carrick went to add another spoonful of mashed potatoes, she had to cover her plate with her hand to get him to stop.

He scowled at her. “You need more.”

“I don’t need more.”

Jardin turned and gave her a firm look. “You’ll eat more, Thea.”