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Nellie leaned into him and smiled.

“You’ve grown into such a nice young man.”

I laughed at his scowl.

“Are you okay with our plan of basically kidnapping her, Max?”

She smiled.

“I don’t think you’ll do much kidnapping. She’s desperate for y’all. She just thinks she has to do this. One little push and she’s going to run home. She wants y’all and wants to be there with you. But let’s not call it kidnapping. And let’s not let her know that I’m in on the plan.”

Mills nodded.

“We’ll ask first and hopefully that’ll be all it takes. Knowing her, though, she might like us kidnapping her.”

Maxie gagged.

“Nope. I don’t want to hear stuff about your sex life.”

He smiled.

“I thought we were closer now. We can share everything.”

Maxie shook her head.

“Not a chance. We don’t share everything. Just most things.”

Tate suddenly swore.

“What are the fucking chances?”

I looked back and saw Melanie fucking Boyd coming into the diner, her sights set on us. I saw Reagan watching from outside, her face pinched. It was time to put an end to whatever games Melanie was playing.

“Hey, there, boys. How’s it going?” She leaned against my chair and tried to run her fingers through my hair. When I swatted her hand away like an annoying fly, she just laughed it off.

Mills sat forward and rested his arms on the table.

“I’m glad you stopped by. We need to have a talk and, apparently, we need to do it in public so you don’t try to twist it into something it’s not.”

Maxie and Nellie sat back and crossed their arms over their chests, silent guards for their big brothers. I felt a jolt of appreciation and love for them in that moment that made me realize I wanted and needed to spend more time with them. They’d grown into amazing women.

“I want to make it clear that Tate, West, and I, are no longer interested in any kind of relationship with you. We haven’t been in a long time. We’re interested in Reagan and Reagan alone. Whatever chance we had at remaining civil and friendly went out the window when you slipped your dirty thong into my pocket and tried to make Reagan think I wanted you in any way at all.” Mills kept his voice low and as he spoke, his eyes were as cold as I’d ever seen them. “You tried to hurt the mother of our child and the woman we care about above anything else in this world. Never again. You’re no longer welcome on the ranch. We’re no longer doing any business with you. Understood?”

I heard Reagan return but I didn’t expect her to add on to what Mills had to say. She was full of surprises, though.

“Excuse me. You’re blocking my seat. And to be clear, Melanie, itismy seat.”

“I wasn’t… It… Screw you, Mills.” Melanie left in a huff and slammed the diner door on her way out.

Reagan calmly sat in her chair and leaned over to tickle Lucky’s belly like nothing had happened.

“Aren’t you a happy baby? Did you think that was funny? Huh? Was that funny?”

Mills sat back with a smile on his face that spread when Reagan met his gaze.

“Itisyour seat, angel.”

CHAPTER 49