Page 25 of Sold to the Single Daddies (Southern Heat Reverse Harems #4)

Reagan

“Sunday dinner at the diner with the family! I love this!” Vera stood up at the packed table and grinned. “To it becoming a tradition!”

I cheered along with everyone else and laughed when Lucky screeched along happily.

I was sitting next to Maxie so Lucky and Hank could see each other and the two boys were in heaven staring at each other.

Everyone but the oldest Hellstone brothers were there.

I figured they were just coming late. Or that they’d been grouchy and refused to come.

That wouldn’t have surprised me at all. They’d been extra grouchy lately.

Especially Mills. We had had one decent night and then he’d gone back to asshole Mills.

Vera’s husbands sat next to her with their daughter sitting on Reed’s lap.

Nellie’s husbands were busy trying to wrangle Waylan.

Waylan wasn’t interested in being wrangled, though.

She was more interested in challenging the boy across the diner to arm wrestle her.

Her stepdads were all cops but I worried Waylan was going to grow up and become an outlaw.

The girl was wild. Maxie’s men sat on her other side, the three of them cranky they weren’t holding their son.

It was a full table with so much life and happiness that I couldn’t help grinning.

“How are things at the ranch?” Maxie had to raise her voice to be heard over the rest of the table. I was pretty sure the diner had never been so loud.

“Um…Good? I helped birth a calf. That was fun. I’ve been working more with Jolene. I really like her.” I shrugged. “Other than that, it’s fine.”

She raised her eyebrows but before she could say anything, she looked behind me and I saw her cheeks go pink. I turned to look at what she’d spotted and smiled. The guys had made it after all. Only they didn’t smile back.

They stomped over, the three of them moving in one big unhappy unit. Mills, as always, took the lead.

“Well, this looks cozy.”

Vera swore from the other side of the table.

“Shit.”

I looked back and forth between the siblings and realization dawned on me. No one had invited them. They’d been left out of their own family dinner while I’d been invited. Guilt instantly ate at me and I looked around for another table so we could make them fit.

“This is really nice. You invite a practical stranger over your own brothers.” West sounded hurt and I hated it.

“We didn’t think you’d want to come…” The excuse sounded weak coming from Nellie. It seemed to just add salt to the wound.

“Fuck it. If you don’t want us involved in family events then—”

I jumped in before Mills could finish his thought and say something he’d regret later.

“We can make room.”

Still clutching Lucky to my chest, I stood up and spotted another table. I grabbed it and tried tugging it closer. Arlo jumped up to help me and then I breathlessly pulled the chairs over and pointed to the table.

“See? Now you can join us.” I forced a smile, doing my best to fix what was a shitty situation. “We haven’t ordered anything yet so the timing is perfect.”

“Is it, Reagan? Is the timing just perfect ?” Mills growled the words out at me and glared like the meal out without them had been my idea. “Is it just so perfect that you’ve wedged your way into our family?”

“Mills!” Nellie scolded her brother but I tuned everything out.

My face burned and I was instantly so embarrassed to be sitting at a table of people I barely knew, acting like we were the closest family.

I was imposing on them. They probably wanted to spend time with Lucky and just put up with me.

I’d been skipped over for family after family all my life so I didn’t know why I’d suddenly thought myself so special.

It was time to bow out gracefully. I cleared my throat and felt every eye in the place turn to me. Forcing a smile that felt as weak as a one-stick dam, I moved to stand in front of Mills and handed him Lucky.

“You’re right. This is your family. Stay and have dinner with Lucky.”

“Wait, Reagan—”

I cut Maxie off with a wave of my hand and begged my eyes to stay dry for just another few seconds.

“It’s fine! Y’all enjoy your dinner!”

Everyone but Lucky’s fathers called for me to stay but I was humiliated and I was going to cry. I couldn’t possibly stay. I hurried out of there with my head held as high as possible and then took off down the street in the direction I thought the ranch was in.

It was a warm day and the sun beating down on me only added to how sorry I was feeling. Tears slowly leaked down my cheeks and I missed the weight of Lucky on my chest. I wiped my eyes and sniffed. I really was having a pity party on the side of the road like a toddler but I couldn’t help it. I—

“Hey, sweetheart!” A loud car pulled up next to me. “You need a ride?”

I could smell his Axe body spray from where I stood on the sidewalk and my stomach soured automatically.

“No, thanks.”

“Aw, come on, baby. You’re way too pretty to be walking down the side of the road like this. Let me take you home.”

I stopped and wiped my eyes again.

“What about me says that I feel pretty or would want to meet a stranger right now? I’m sorry but I’m having a shitty day and I’d like to be alone.”

“This is Devil’s Den. There’s no such thing as strangers.” He started to open his car door to get out and I gripped the taser still tucked into my pocket.

“You get out of the car and I’ll kick your ass up and down Main Street, Ryan.

” West strode toward me with Lucky in his arms. He pressed Lucky to my chest and then swung around to face the pushy guy.

“She’s off limits. To you and everyone else around here.

Remember that and you can keep your fucking teeth. ”

I glared at West.

“I’m off limits? Oh, really? Why is that?”

“I’m sorry. Was I misreading your body language when I came up? You didn’t seem very interested in Ryan but now you are?” West didn’t sound very sorry. He sounded pissed.

I jabbed my finger into his chest, officially just as pissed as he was.

“No, I’m not interested in him. He tried to pick me up while I was walking home crying. He didn’t even ask if I was okay.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

Ryan leaned over the passenger seat.

“Are you okay? Do you want to be on-limits?”

“Oh, my god. No!”

West yelled at the same time I did.

“Get fucked!”

“The problem is that you think you can control who I can or can’t talk to. Meanwhile you’re dating the flower girl with the psycho attitude!” I shook my head and turned to walk away.

“Excuse me?” West shifted around me so he was blocking my path. “I’m not dating anyone.”

“Fucking her. Whatever you’re doing with her. I know all about it and it’s fine. You just can’t be such a major hypocrite!” Tears were pricking my eyes again and I stomped my foot, furious with my emotions. “Stupid tears. Stupid hormones!”

When I looked back at West, I saw he was grinning.

Before I could question him, he walked around me and moved to Ryan’s driver’s side door.

He leaned down and said something to Ryan which had him speeding away.

West’s entire attitude changed and when he came back over to me, it was like he’d taken drugs or something. He seemed so much happier.

“What is going on?”

“Why do you think I’m with the flower girl with the psycho attitude?” He gently took Lucky back from me and then took my hand. “Come on. I already put Lucky’s car seat in my truck. I’ll drive us home.”

I tried to tug my hand away but he wouldn’t let me.

“She told me. And when I talked to Mills about it, he didn’t deny it.”

That made him stop walking.

“Are you serious?”

I frowned and nodded. “Yeah.”

He took a deep breath and held my gaze.

“Listen to me. Here’s the truth. I have been with Melanie in the past. We all have.

Never at the same time, though, not like how we were with you.

As far as I know, none of us have been with her in over a year.

Since before you. I don’t know why the fuck my brother would let you think that shit but he and I will talk about it.

I don’t give a shit about Melanie or why she’s lying, other than I don’t appreciate that she was clearly trying to hurt you.

I haven’t touched another woman or fucked anything besides my hand since our night together. Got me?”

My mouth had gone painfully dry. I couldn’t speak so I just nodded.

“I’m taking you home, you’re going to feed Lucky so I can help you put him down to sleep, and then you and I are going to talk.” The way he said talk made me think dirty thoughts.

I swallowed down a lump of nerves and nodded.

“Okay… Sure.”