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“Scarlet really gets under his skin for some reason and this morning when she didn’t back down from him… I don’t think he’s used to having someone push back.”

“Yea. I heard about that. Had Enzo riled up.”

“He’s like head over heels for her or something. He’s always the free spirit, but he has stuck to her like jerrypoo on a humdinger.”

“Oh that bad?”

Gideon nodded his head towards Enzo, who had his chin resting on the shaft of his pickaxe.

“Enzo! Get to work! This mine will not dig its self.”

“Right! Right! Sorry Barrett.”

“What do you think about her story?” Gideon asked.

I stared at him for a second, trying to understand the ask behind his question. “Seems like she could bring trouble.”

“Maybe. You don’t buy that they basically locked her away in a closet her entire life and then her stepmother tried to kill her, so she ran, do you?”

“I don’t know. Something just seems odd about it. Like there’s a sizeable chunk of the story she isn’t telling us.”

“Does it matter? Are we really considering letting her stay?”

“I don’t know. Jace and Dresden seem to like her and obviously Enzo would be heartbroken.”

“It’s been a day. Hell. Not even.”

“You know how he is, though. He’s like a flitterbug, flitting from one thing to the next. This just happens to be his next.” I let out a sigh. “So that leaves Calix.”

“Yea, but he always plays things close to his chest. I guess it all depends on how badly she screws up his kitchen today.” Gideon laughed.

“I don’t know. Seven mouths is a lot to feed, one more…”

“Plus, having a girl… I mean woman, she is apparently eighteen now, in the house… that dynamic… could you imagine if anything happened with one of the guys… what that would do to the others…” Gideon started shaking his head. “I don’t know if we can deal with that kind of drama.”

“Well, you know the boys have been known to share, especially Jace, Enzo and Calix.” I laughed. “Kidding aside, I don’t want to think about the dynamic. We have a good thing going right now, and I think Gage would probably run through the fucking wall if that happened.” I clarified. “The drama, not someone else sleeping with her.” I chuckled.

“I don’t know. He seems to have a certain fondness for her. I’ve never seen him like this with anyone before.”

We both laughed out loud, garnering the attention from the others for a brief second.

“Sometimes it sucks being the one in charge.” I took a swing at the wall.

“Why do you think I nominated you? I didn’t want that kind of responsibility.”

“Thanks.” I said sarcastically.

“And we knew Jace was too soft and Enzo is too emotional to make the tough decisions. Gage is just angry all the time and would be horrible to have to listen to. Move here. Sit there. Eat that.” Gideon teased in a deep voice. “Calix has his food and Dresden his woodworking, so that left you and me.”

“It sucks being the responsible ones, huh?”

“Don’t I know it, brother?”

The day came and went and while we were walking back to the house, I pulled Enzo aside to break the bad news to him in person before I told everyone else.

“Enzo.”

He looked at me and his eyes immediately fell.