A little hand took mine, Juni almost tsking, so matter of fact. “Whew…that one’s a whirlwinds, Mommy.”

And that was exactly what I felt.

Like I’d just gotten swept up in a whirlwind.

My gaze slid back to where Jud had disappeared.

And I didn’t know how to get off.

THIRTEEN

JUD

So, I wasn’t one to buck a family celebration, but shit, Tessa was taking this thing to a whole new level.

When me and my brothers celebrated?

It usually entailed knocking back a few beers while tucked in our booth at Absolution.

But this girl was flitting about the private room like a frantic bird pecking around her babies.

The private room in the upscale restaurant where clearly a hot-pink bomb had exploded.

Decorations spewed everywhere.

Streamers were strung from the ceiling, black and hot pink balloons everywhere, matching flower arrangements sitting on every surface, and a custom sign that hung from the back wall.

“Would you calm down?” I grumbled. “Eden already said yes. Pretty sure that’s the only thing that matters to the two of them.”

For the third time, Tessa had started rearranging this over-the-top display of cupcakes that were decorated with candy playing cards. All of them were aces, whatever the shit that was about.

She sent me a scowl.

“You shut it. I want it perfect. This is my BFF’s engagement party. When she walks through those doors to her surprise…” She waved a hand at the double doors that sectioned off the upscale room. “She needs to be wowed, shocked, her breath literally stolen from her lungs when she sees what we put together for her.”

She pressed her hand to her chest like she couldn’t believe I would think otherwise.

Girl was a nutter.

But she loved Eden like mad, so that was what counted.

Still, I couldn’t help but give her shit. Considering Eden was about the least pretentious chick I’d ever met, I was pretty sure she wouldn’t care if we were throwing together a barbeque with hot dogs and a few cold brews.

But whatever.

Place was nice and the food smelled like heaven, so I wasn’t going to complain too much.

“Besides, you don’t exactly look like a party planner to me. Your opinion on these matters doesn’t count.” Tessa needled that from the side, shooting me a mocking glare.

“Yet you don’t have a problem with me footing the bill.” My brow arched in challenge from where I was leaned against the long banquet tables where the servers were setting up. Four of them were scurrying around about as quickly as Tessa, bringing out these giant, silver chafing dishes and setting them over burners.

A full prime-rib, lasagna, chicken piccata, and a vegetarian entrée, plus a bunch of different sides and shit, too.

Other trays were filled with fruits, cheeses, and meats.

Not to mention this dessert fiasco Tessa was in up to her wrists.

“Only the best for Eden.”

“That’s right! Only the best for my dad and my new mom because they are the specialist in the whole world, and we love them all the way to the highest mountain. Right, Auntie, right?”

Gage had come skipping over, all eager smiles and delight as he pushed up on his toes to get a better look at the cupcakes. “Yummy!”

“That’s right, Gage,” she said, poking out her lips like I was some kind of common criminal.

It wasn’t that far from the truth.

“Right, Uncle?” Gage pressed, angling his head, little peacemaker that he was.

“Yeah. That’s right, Gage in the Cage. Only the best for your mom and dad.”

“Now you got to find a nice wife who’s so pretty like my new mom who makes the best pigs in the blanket ever and reads me stories every night.”

Affection tightened my chest, all mixed up with a knot of agony.

I patted his head and tried to keep the anxiety out. “That’d be nice.”

The words were brittle and a total lie, but I couldn’t help but agree, considering the kid was so damned sweet.

He had dropped to his knee with Trent yesterday, Trent asking Eden to be his wife while Gage had asked her to be his mom.

Think everyone had just about lost it with how adorable it was—mostly my big brother who’d been completely rocked again, like somehow in his head he’d thought there was a chance that Eden wasn’t going to say yes.

Preparing himself for another blow.

Not a chance. He’d found the best girl around. Someone who knew his demons and loved him in spite of them. Saw beyond the scars to what was underneath. The two of them coming together to make each other better.

Old pain cut me to the core.

A dull blade slowly driven through my chest.

Fuck.

Had to beat it back. Wasn’t about to be jealous of my brother. He deserved it.

What didn’t help was the wash of guilt that came rushing in behind it. The kind that wanted to consume.

My mind kept traipsing back to Wednesday evening when I’d dropped Salem at her house.

Tags: A.L. Jackson Redemption Hills Romance
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