Page 150 of Mountain Daddy (Mountain Men #2)

Luther

Me: I’m going to injure the man so he’s forced to sleep in his fucking bed.

It’s been four nights. Four fucking nights of sleeping alone in my bed while Joe cockblocks me.

“You alright?” Jessie, always the perceptive one, leans her hip against the bar.

“Fine,” I grunt.

She nods, eyes wide. “Yeah, I can see that.”

Last night, when I stayed at the bar late because I had nothing better to do, I told Jessie I was back with Kendra. Even if we haven’t made it officially official.

Then I texted Kendra to ask if it was okay to tell Jessie about her cancer.

Kendra said it was fine.

I asked if she was sure.

She said she was positive.

Then I told Jessie.

And when I was done telling her, I locked myself in room two and cried for ten straight minutes.

I swallow down the urge to be sad again.

“I’m fine,” I say more convincingly this time.

Jessie nods. “That’s good. Because your girl is here.”

My head jerks up.

The front door is open, and the midday sun is outlining a perfectly curvy body that I’d recognize anywhere.

I’m striding around the bar before I notice the man holding the door.

Joe.

Fuck.

I slow to a casual pace.

With Joe behind her, Kendra gives me a huge, knowing grin before mouthing, Hi, Daddy .

I clench my jaw and project the word Brat at her.

Joe steps inside, and the door swings shut.

“What are you two doing here?” I slide my hands into my pockets so I don’t accidentally pull Kendra into a hug.

Joe slaps a hand to his stomach. “We’re hungry.”

“Good timing. I was just about to eat.” I am hungry, so it’s not a lie. “If we sit at the bar, Jessie can join us.”

Joe lifts a hand, waving to my sister. “Hey, Jess.”

Jessie waves back, but instead of staying put, she follows my path around the bar.

Joe holds his arms out like he’s waiting for a hug. But Jessie slaps his hands out of the way and pulls Kendra into a hug instead.

Kendra lets out a little oomph before she returns the gesture, patting Jessie on the back.

“What’s this?” Joe furrows his brows.

With one arm still wrapped around Kendra, Jessie backhands Joe in the chest. “You should’ve told me.”

It takes a second, but then Joe’s shoulders slump, and I watch his eyes get glassy. “Oh.”

Jessie smacks him again. “Yeah. Oh.”

“I’m fine.” Kendra lifts her chin so she can speak over Jessie’s shoulder. “In case everyone forgot that part.”

“Let us love you,” Joe says, then he steps into the girls, encasing them in his own hug.

Kendra turns to me with playfully pleading eyes. “Luther, save me.”

I shake my head. “You heard the man.” Then I step up opposite Joe, and we trap the girls between us.

Kendra sighs, pretending defeat.

But I feel the way she leans her head against my chest.

And while Joe is busy closing his eyes, I press a quick kiss to Kendra’s hair.

Then I bite down on a laugh when I see Doug, a regular, walk up and press his body against Joe’s back as he tries to join the hug.

Joe jolts.

Doug wraps his arms around Joe’s neck, not touching the women. “What’re we hugging for?”

Joe tries to shrug him off. “Dammit, Doug. You need to be invited for stuff like this.”

“Aw, come on, man.” Doug drops his arms and steps back. “I never get hugs.”

Our group breaks apart, and Joe groans as he turns to face Doug. “Fine, you want a hug, you can have one.”

Joe opens his arms.

Doug smiles as he steps into my friend and takes it.

Kendra turns to watch them but leans back against me as she does.

Jessie shakes her head, but I don’t miss the way she wipes at her eyes. “Doug, you have a wife and seven kids. You get plenty of fucking hugs.”

Joe drops his arms. “Seriously?”

Doug hugs him for another second. “So never might’ve been an exaggeration.”

Joe shoves Doug off him. “Jessie, put my beer on his tab.”

“Tell me what you’re all hugging each other for, and I’ll pick up the whole tab,” Doug offers, and I swear, old men are the biggest group of gossips ever.

Kendra straightens, taking her weight off me.

I hate it. But it’s just in time because Joe turns and holds his arm out toward his daughter. “Just celebrating that everyone is in good health.”

Doug looks to Jessie, like she’s the only one of us who wouldn’t lie. “That true?”

She nods. “It’s true.”

Doug sighs. “Fine, I’ll pay. But I’m sitting at the bar with you guys.”

As Joe agrees, I place a hand against Kendra’s back and guide her to the seat at the end of the bar. Then I take the stool next to hers as my own.

Joe takes the spot next to me, like I expected, and Doug sits next to him.

Jessie will eat with us, but she’ll stay on the other side of the bar. And with this setup, Kendra’s only option will be to talk to me.

And I know Doug—he talks just as much as Joe does. So they’ll distract each other until the end of time.

Kendra looks up at me with a smirk. “Shall I assume you’re a regular here?”

I swallow as I dip my chin. “And are you new to the area or passing through?”

“The plan was to pass through.” Her eyes light with something. Something good. “But I think I might stay.”