Page 23 of The Love Ambush (The Sullivans #1)

That last bite of brownie goes down a little harder than the rest as the possibilities spin through my brain. What could she have done to the brownies that would make them inappropriate for the children?

Poison?

Hester smiles sweetly. “I made them with love.”

No way did that sweet woman poison her family. But what else could she have done to the brownies?

“Mother,” Rose says firmly. “You need to tell everyone at this table right now what you did.”

Did she drop them on the floor but serve them anyway?

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Hester says. “The adults have a right to eat as many brownies as possible.”

“Mom, this is the last time I’m going to ask, and if you don’t answer, you’re going to be uninvited to the rehearsal dinner. What did you do to the brownies?”

I’m dying to know. Hester is pursing her lips together and fiddling with the strands of her long, silver hair, like she’s not going to answer. Her hair is really pretty and so shiny in the moonlight streaming down from the ceiling.

What could that sweet old lady have done to the most delicious brownies I’ve ever eaten in my entire life?

“Did you put sex in them?” I shout, because it’s the only thing I can come up with that would make them inappropriate for the kids. And then I double over laughing at the shocked expressions on everyone’s faces.

Haven’t they ever imagined a little old lady putting sex into brownies along with love? And then I’m picturing it, and I laugh even harder while Levi snorts and rubs my back.

“Mother,” Rose says like she’s having trouble speaking because either her teeth are clenched too tight or a brownie ate her tongue. “You didn’t. You promised you wouldn’t drug the desserts anymore without informing everyone.”

I sit up straight. “Drugged? I’ve been drugged. I don’t remember the brownies drugging me anywhere.” And then I double over laughing again, because I am hilarious.

“Look at how happy she is,” Hester says.

I straighten up again. “I’ve never been happier. All my knots are loosened, and I’m not crying.”

“See,” Hester says. “This is a very stressful time. Everyone needs a little help relaxing, and if I’d told you I was adding a little THC to the brownies, Rosie, you’d have said no.”

“Because we don’t administer drugs to people without their knowledge. It’s illegal.”

“Don’t speak that way to your mother,” Morris says. “We’re all family here, and THC isn’t even really a drug. It’s an herb. From the earth.”

“I love the earth.” I tilt my head back to stare at the moon. “Why do we keep hurting it?”

“Money and greed, dear,” Hester says. “Don’t look at me that way, Rosie.”

“Honestly,” Liza says. “We all knew she was going to do it. That’s why I didn’t eat one.”

“Oh, honey,” Hester says. “Are you pregnant?” Like that’s the only reason a person might not want to partake in a drugged brownie. The idea makes me laugh again.

Liza shudders. “Bite your tongue, Grammy. I just don’t have time to lie on the grass for ten hours and contemplate the best use of plastic sandwich bags like I did the last time I ate one of your brownies.”

“I ate hers,” Liza’s husband says. “I’m going to come up with a use for sandwich bags that’s going to make us millions.”

“Money is stupid.” I lower my head to look at my new family, my favorite people in the world, but I can’t see them around the spots in my eyes caused by the moon. “I’m going to build a cabin in the woods and grow my own food so I can paint all day and never have to worry about money again.”

“Living off the grid is the only way to stand up to the man,” Hester says. “Money was invented to divide and destroy us all.”

“What is money anyway?” Liza’s husband asks. “It’s just paper, right? It doesn’t really mean anything.”

“It only means something because rich people have it and decided to make everyone else poor by not making enough.” My head feels really heavy, so I let it fall onto Levi’s shoulder.

“Oh, my God,” Sophie says. “Is Gentry high? Emily, get out your phone.”

“Don’t call anyone,” I say. “No one can know about this or CPS will take you away and put you in an orphanage where they make you scrub floors every day until a really rich bald guy shows up and adopts you and I’ll never see you again.”

“Are you recording this?” Sophie asks.

“Turn it off,” Levi says sternly.

Why does his stern voice sound so sexy?

“Because you like me and you don’t want to admit it,” he says, his warm breath wafting deliciously over my hypersensitive skin.

“Can you read my mind?” I ask. If he can read my mind, he’s definitely my soul mate, and I can stop being sensible and just marry him already.

“I can’t read your mind,” he says, chuckling. “Sophie. Emily. Stop recording now, or I’m going to record you sleeping and post it on SnapPhoto.”

“Oh, that’s a good threat,” I say. Levi would be a great dad. But I need to be careful about my thoughts because he can read my mind.

“Alright,” Levi says. “Brodie, I think it’s time we get Gentry home.”

“Can we stay?” Sophie asks. “Eden and Ivy want to take us to a natural spring tonight.”

I try to lift my head off Levi’s shoulder to ask Liza if it’s okay, but it’s too heavy. “If it’s okay with Liza,” I say.

“It’s fine with me,” Liza says. “I’ll go with them and let Alex sober up with his family.”

“Hey,” he says. “Don’t you want to stay with me? I really need to talk to you about the money. We should just make our own.”

“Come on, girls,” Liza says. “Let’s go now before things get really weird.”

“Are they going?” I ask Levi because I still can’t lift my head.

“They left like three minutes ago. Did you fall asleep?”

“I’m so relaxed. Why can’t I be this relaxed all the time? I don’t even care that I’m going to be a horrible nurse.”

Levi gives me a nudge. “Think you can get up?”

“My head is too heavy.”

“Come on, Gentry,” Brodie says. “Stop being dramatic and get your ass up. I want to take you to the farm so I can get back here before Daphne decides to do something crazy with her stoned family.”

“We’ll be fine,” Daphne yells, way too loudly. “We’re just going to check out this cool swimming hole Alex found.”

“No,” Brodie says. “No swimming holes until I get back.”

“Okay, baby,” Daphne calls, but her voice sounds really far away.

“I’m blaming you for this, Grammy Hester,” Brodie says.

“She’ll be fine,” Grammy Hester says. “You worry too much.”

I laugh at the idea of Brodie worrying too much. Brodie’s the good-time guy. He doesn’t worry.

“Alright, chucklehead,” Brodie says. “Get it together.”

“You go with Daphne,” Levi says. “I’ll take the car home, and you can bring it back in the morning.”

“I’m not letting you drive stoned,” Brodie says. “In case you can’t tell, Hester only buys the strongest shit.”

“I’ve got a high tolerance,” Hester says.

“But it’s a mellow high,” Morris says. “No need to worry.”

“Can you walk?” Levi asks. “Or do you want to carry me? I mean, do you want me to carry you?”

By concentrating, I manage to lift my head. The room spins in circles around the ceiling moon, and it makes me laugh. “I feel like my head is floating off my body.”

“Great,” Brodie says. “Now get up.”

Levi is suddenly standing next to my chair, with his hands out to help me up. I put my hands in his, but when he pulls me up, he falls down and I fall on top of him.

“You make a very comfortable bed,” I say as I snuggle against his chest.

“We can just sleep here,” Levi says. “You can go with Daphne, Brodie.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Brodie says and exhales a belabored sigh.

He grabs my arm and lifts me off Levi like I’m a spaghetti noodle. “You’re too strong,” I say. “You’ve been spending too much time in the gym.”

Brodie ignores me and yanks Levi up next.

“Did I ever tell you I love you, Brodie?” Levi says.

“Let’s play a game,” Brodie says. “It’s called who can get to the car first.”

Levi is a Sullivan, so he’s unable to turn down a dare, contest, or bet. “Sorry, but you’re going to lose,” he says to me before he takes off running at full speed.

I chase after him, because his cockiness is stupidly sexy and I need to beat him so badly he never makes me run like this again. Because I’m halfway down the hall, and it’s getting really hard to breathe.

“Brodie,” I yell. “Brodie.”

“I’m right here, dumbass,” Brodie says.

“Someone stole the air. I can’t breathe.”

He puts an arm around my shoulders and steers me forward. “It’s the altitude. It’s harder to breathe up here. And you’re high as fuck.”

We find Levi near the exit doors, bent over with his hands on his knees, breathing heavily. “What’s wrong with the air here, man?”

“High altitude. Put your coats on.”

Like magic, he produces not only our coats, but our hats, and gloves, and scarves.

“You’re amazing, Brodie,” I say.

“Glad you think so.” He drags us out into the night and puts us in his fancy car.

The drive is the prettiest I’ve ever taken. The stars are visible overhead and seem to be shooting through the sky, like my own personal light show. “Do you see that? Isn’t it amazing?” I ask Levi.

“So amazing.”

I turn to him, but he’s not looking out the window, he’s staring at me.

“You’re not looking at the stars.”

“In the dark, your face glows like the moon,” he says.

“Let’s play a new game,” Brodie says from the front. “It’s called who can be the quietest.”

“I’m definitely winning this game,” I say.

“Nope,” Levi says. “You just lost.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Brodie says.

***

“I’m sorry to do this to you,” Brodie says to Josephine. “But they’re both high on my grandmother-in-law’s pot brownies. Can you make sure they don’t go wandering around the woods in the middle of the night?”

“I’m fine,” I say from my spot on the couch. My head slid off the edge of the cushion when I lay down, so I’m staring at everyone upside down. “Brodie, your face looks kinder from this angle.”

He rolls his eyes.