Damn Wright (The Wrights 2)

“Of course. Not a problem.”

“Jeez, Dylan, the work you’ve done on this house in such a short time is really impressive. You’re all in with this, aren’t you?”

“Damn right.”

Emma smiled.

“I admire your commitment. I really do. I don’t know another man who’d do what you’re doing, and that says something when I’ve worked with men my whole life. This is hard work, especially on your own, and you’ve got to be hurting. Are you taking care of yourself?”

Come to think of it, Emma didn’t know another man that would do this either.

“Thanks,” he said. “Yeah, I’m doing okay. Wait a second, will you?”

His footsteps sounded on the wood floor, and Emma hurried to the corner of the room, dipped the trowel into the mud, and spread it on the wall.

Dylan popped his head through the doorway. “Em, come meet Miranda.”

Butterflies brushed her belly. Then Miranda came into the room behind Dylan.

“Hey,” she said, smiling at Emma. “Didn’t know you were here.” She looked at the walls. “Man, this looks good. You two are a force. This house is going to be done in record time.”

“Em, this is my sister Miranda.”

Miranda passed Dylan and wandered toward Emma with a friendly smile. “I guess you’d be my ex-sister-in-law.”

She opened her arms to hug Emma, but Emma had her hands full and couldn’t exactly hug her back. That didn’t seem to matter to Miranda. She gave Emma a warm, solid hug, then pulled back, gripping Emma’s arms.

“I would have liked to have met you when we were actual sisters-in-law, but I’m just happy I finally get to meet you. You may not remember, but we’ve crossed paths at Gypsy’s a time or two.”

Emma put the tray down and wiped her hands on her old jeans. “I remember. You’re a bartender.”

“Yup.” She crossed her arms. “You made a great decision to renovate. Homes are selling almost faster than they can get on the market in this neighborhood.”

“I really wasn’t sure about it,” Emma admitted, “but Dylan made a compelling argument.”

“Dylan?” Another woman’s voice broke into the conversation from the living room.

“Uh-oh.” Miranda turned her attention on Dylan and her pretty face broke into a big smile. “I see diaper duty coming your way.”

“Back here,” Dylan called, then smiled at Emma. “Guess you’re meeting the whole family at once.”

Gypsy appeared in the doorway, holding her baby boy, Cooper, her hair up in a messy bun, no makeup, frazzled expression. “Oh, thank God.”

Emma had never seen the boy and now couldn’t take her eyes off him. The baby might only be a few months old, but his resemblance to Dylan was unmistakable. He had dark hair and big light eyes. The rest was more nuance, the boy’s look as a whole. Emma never could quite figure out how a chubby-faced baby could so clearly resemble his or her parents, but there was no mistaking this boy’s Wright heritage.

Gypsy’s gaze found Miranda, then Emma. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know everyone would be here.”

“Give me this monkey,” Dylan said, reaching for the baby. “Gyp, this is Emma.”

Gypsy’s smile was as authentic as Miranda’s. “We’ve sort of met.” She came toward Emma with the same warmth as her sister and pulled Emma into a bear hug. “I’m so happy to finally formally meet you.”

Emma hugged her back. Her bewildered gaze met Dylan’s over Gypsy’s shoulder, and he was grinning like an idiot. And, to Emma’s surprise, so was Miranda. She had the sudden and swamping sensation of having a brand-new, amazing family. Just as fast, regret slid in.

After she and Dylan married, Emma’s family had moved back to Tennessee, and Dylan’s father had been deployed to Afghanistan. Emma wondered if having this kind of family support when she and Dylan had been so young would have made a difference. If they might have found a way to stay together.

Gypsy turned to Dylan with a look of regret. “I’m so sorry to ask, but can you watch him for a few hours? My prep cook called in sick, and I haven’t found anyone to cover him. I’ve got to get food ready for tonight, and I just can’t do it with Cooper.”

“Of course. You never have to be sorry. I’ll always watch him.” He took Cooper by the waist and lifted him into the air. “We have fun together, don’t we Coop?”