Page 5 of More Than Words (Trickle Creek: The Lyons #2)

She stared at me as though she couldn’t decide whether she wanted to scream at me or hit me. Before she could do either, she spun on her heel and stormed out the way she came.

Brody let out a low whistle behind me. “Damn, brother. You sure know how to charm a lady.”

Grayson burst out in laughter, but I didn’t have the time or patience for either of them. “Shut up and help me get the other tanks in.”

But even as I turned back to my work, I couldn’t stop thinking about Delaney. The way her eyes flashed when she was mad. The way her tits pressed up in her bulky sweater when she crossed her arms. And of course the way she was a giant pain in my ass.

By the time we got all the tanks in position, the only thing I really wanted to do was go home and take a long shower and crawl into bed.

Unfortunately, when there was a family dinner on the schedule, that wasn’t an option.

And really, an actual meal would probably be good for me.

Brody’s place smelled like roasted garlic and fresh bread the moment I stepped inside what was once our childhood home. My eldest brother bought it from our mother when she decided to move south.

“It smells delicious in here,” I told Avery when I entered the kitchen.

Reid’s wife kissed me on the cheek before turning back to the stove to stir the spaghetti sauce.

There were a lot of reasons why we all loved Avery, not the least of which was the fact that her sunshiney, bubbly demeanor was a good balance for our grouchy brother.

But her cooking was also a very welcome addition to our family.

No matter whose turn it was to cook, the family dinners took place at Brody’s, mostly because it was tradition, but also because it would never not feel like home for all of us. Something just made us all feel good inside to gather around the old kitchen table and share a meal.

Grayson and Quinn were at the kitchen table, bent over the worksheet I’d started with her that morning. “How’s the homework going, kiddo?” I tried to ruffle her hair, but she dodged my efforts.

“Uncle Gray is super smart.” She gave me a pointed look and bit the end of her pencil.

“Are you saying I’m not?”

She shrugged. “I didn’t say that exactly.”

My brother laughed, but I only shook my head. Before Quinn was born, I had a successful career in finance in the city, but Polly’s career in oil and gas took off faster than we’d planned. She was great at her job, but motherhood never suited her.

I happily scaled back my role at the office to be with Quinn, pivoting to managing our family stock portfolio in the evenings and filling my days with playdates and daddy-and-me classes.

I never missed my old corporate life, but now that Quinn was older and it was just the two of us rebuilding our lives, it was the perfect time to start something new. A new challenge and a fresh start.

“It smells amazing in here.” Our youngest brother, Preston, burst through the door, looking like he’d been playing in the dirt. “Am I late?”

“What the hell happened to you?” Brody joined us in the kitchen and moved straight to the fridge to grab us some cold beer.

Still not my brews, but with the new tanks finally installed, it wouldn’t be long before I had some samples.

“I hit a rock on the trail,” Preston said. “I was out past Bootleg Mountain and wasn’t paying attention. Took a little tumble, but nothing crazy.”

Grayson and I exchanged a glance. Nothing crazy for Preston on his mountain bike had an entirely different meaning for almost anyone else. Still, we all knew it wasn’t worth giving our brother a hard time about his daredevil behavior.

“Go wash up,” Avery told him. “As soon as Quinn’s done her homework, it’s time to eat.”

“I’m done!” On cue, Quinn held her paper in the air and waved it around. “Let’s eat!”

I shook my head, but couldn’t help but smile. “Help me set the table, kiddo.”

A few minutes later, everyone was as cleaned up as they were going to be, the table was set, and plates were filled. Laughter filled the room the way it always did when we were together.

There was nothing better than having my family all together. It was the main reason I’d moved back to Trickle Creek. I know Quinn missed her friends in the city, but she’d find her tribe here, too. I knew she would. And in the meantime, I hoped having her uncles would help bridge the gap.

I was halfway through my second helping of Avery’s spaghetti and meatballs when Reid leaned back in his chair and gave me a look. “So, I heard you weren’t quite as charming to your new neighbor today. I thought I was supposed to be the grumpy one.”

Avery gave him an affectionate look. She was the only one Reid wasn’t a total ass to. Well, her and Quinn.

Grayson didn’t even try to hide his grin. “Delaney? Oh yeah. She stormed in looking like she’d just doused herself with a bag of flour. And she was pissed.”

“The vent was an accident.” An accident that was going to be damn expensive.

“You did kind of snap at her, man,” Brody added.

I sighed and put my fork down. “I didn’t snap.” Then I caught Quinn’s raised brow from across the table. “Okay, maybe I was a little short with her, but it was a stressful moment and?—”

“Dad! The bookstore lady is awesome. Don’t be mean to her.”

“I wasn’t?—”

“You were.”

I shot Grayson a look.

“What?” he said with feigned innocence. “You were a dick.”

“Don’t swear in front of Quinn.”

“You owe me a dollar, Uncle Gray.”

Happy the heat was off me for a moment, I picked up the fork and shoved a bite of pasta in my mouth.

Grayson handed over the money to my smirking daughter. She was going to be able to afford her own car by the time she was sixteen if we didn’t watch our mouths.

“You have to apologize, Dad. I like Delaney,” Quinn said after a moment. “She’s cool. And she lets me hang out in the corner and read whatever I want. She even lets me borrow books.”

Brody nodded and grinned. “She also gives your dad a run for his money and seems to be totally immune to his charms.”

“It is entertaining,” Grayson added. “The way she gets under his skin.”

“Stop. Talking.” I pointed my fork at each of them in turn. The last thing I needed was my way-too-perceptive daughter picking up on any energy between Delaney and me that wasn’t strictly neighborly.

Especially when I still wasn’t sure myself what that energy was.

Well, on her end, it was pure annoyance.

“You can’t blame her for being annoyed, really,” Brody said. “That was a lot of dust. ”

“ Dad! ”

I blew out a sigh and pushed back from the table, my appetite suddenly gone. “Fine. I’ll apologize.”

“Tomorrow?” Reid asked, his eyebrows raised.

“Yes,” I said with a grunt. “Tomorrow.”

I really was going to have to speak to my brothers about minding their own business.