can’t believe I was once just like those dicks, but that was all before Laurelyn. She can’t imagine all the ways she’s changed me.
I’m driving us back to the apartment we keep in Sydney. I’d prefer to be home with L at Avalon for my birthday, but I wouldn’t dare go against Margaret McLachlan’s plans when it comes to an annual birthday celebration. She loves tradition, even demands it.
L didn’t seem to mind and I think it’s because she enjoys her new place in this family. It’s quite different than what she had growing up. She enjoys being surrounded by those who love her, and boy, is my family crazy about her, especially Mum. There was something different between them tonight and I don’t know what. Whatever it is, I’ve never seen Mum like this with Emma, or even Chloe.
“You’re not okay with Ben and Chloe.”
“No, I’m definitely not but what can I do? She’s not a child. I have to remind myself often that she’s the same age as you.” Laurelyn and Chloe are different kinds of twenty-three-year-olds. L was forced to grow up fast so she’s always felt more mature to me. As much as I love Chloe, she’s been spoiled by all of us, including me, so it’s difficult to think of her as an adult.
“Ben isn’t a bad guy. Take me out of the equation and you wouldn’t have had a problem with him. The two of you have a lot in common. I could see you being friends.”
Maybe, but L is in the equation. “I don’t know if I could ever be friends with him. He knew you were mine and still went after you.”
“But he didn’t get me and he never will because I’m yours and that isn’t going to change.” She reaches for my hand. “He was very sincere in his apology to me and I truly believe he likes Chloe for the right reasons. Please try to tolerate him for her sake—she really likes him.”
I better not regret this. “I’ll give him a chance, but his ass is mine if he does anything to hurt my sister.”
“I’ll gladly turn you loose on him, McLachlan.” L reaches for her phone. “Nothing from Addison. She and Chloe have been hanging out a lot since the wedding, but I’m puzzled about the reason she didn’t tell me about them.”
I’m not puzzled. “She didn’t want you to tell me so I could ruin it before it got started.”
“Maybe. She’d expect you to go apeshit crazy, so maybe that’s it. But she’s been weird lately—sort of like she’s checked out on me the last couple of weeks.”
Addison’s never been great at being there for L so I’m not sure why she’s surprised by this. “Ask her to breakfast when we get back to Wagga. Take her to Fusion and you can coerce the truth out of her with their Belgian waffles. They’re magnificent.”
“Speaking of breakfast, I’m going out to eat with your mum and the girls in the morning before we go back.”
“That sounds good.”
“What will you do while I’m gone?”
“Sleep in.”
She looks at me skeptically. “You don’t sleep in.”
“I do once a year because I need my rest after my wife gives me birthday sex all night long.” Her laugh tells me she must think that’s pretty funny. “Don’t tell me you find that humorous because I’m wrong.”
“You’re not entirely wrong but there’s more to it than that.”
“Partially wrong?”
“I refuse to answer that. You’ll find out in two minutes when we’re inside and you open your gift from me.” Nice. I bet she’s going to wear some sexy lingerie.
We go into the apartment. L tells me to sit on the couch while she gets my birthday gift from our bedroom. I’m not so sure it’s what I was thinking. She isn’t acting like herself—she seems nervous.
She returns to the living room and sits next to me before placing a small rectangular box in my hand. It’s wrapped in chocolate-brown paper with a blue ribbon bow and definitely isn’t big enough for lingerie—unless it’s really tiny.
“Open it.”
I remove the bow and tear into the paper
I’m driving us back to the apartment we keep in Sydney. I’d prefer to be home with L at Avalon for my birthday, but I wouldn’t dare go against Margaret McLachlan’s plans when it comes to an annual birthday celebration. She loves tradition, even demands it.
L didn’t seem to mind and I think it’s because she enjoys her new place in this family. It’s quite different than what she had growing up. She enjoys being surrounded by those who love her, and boy, is my family crazy about her, especially Mum. There was something different between them tonight and I don’t know what. Whatever it is, I’ve never seen Mum like this with Emma, or even Chloe.
“You’re not okay with Ben and Chloe.”
“No, I’m definitely not but what can I do? She’s not a child. I have to remind myself often that she’s the same age as you.” Laurelyn and Chloe are different kinds of twenty-three-year-olds. L was forced to grow up fast so she’s always felt more mature to me. As much as I love Chloe, she’s been spoiled by all of us, including me, so it’s difficult to think of her as an adult.
“Ben isn’t a bad guy. Take me out of the equation and you wouldn’t have had a problem with him. The two of you have a lot in common. I could see you being friends.”
Maybe, but L is in the equation. “I don’t know if I could ever be friends with him. He knew you were mine and still went after you.”
“But he didn’t get me and he never will because I’m yours and that isn’t going to change.” She reaches for my hand. “He was very sincere in his apology to me and I truly believe he likes Chloe for the right reasons. Please try to tolerate him for her sake—she really likes him.”
I better not regret this. “I’ll give him a chance, but his ass is mine if he does anything to hurt my sister.”
“I’ll gladly turn you loose on him, McLachlan.” L reaches for her phone. “Nothing from Addison. She and Chloe have been hanging out a lot since the wedding, but I’m puzzled about the reason she didn’t tell me about them.”
I’m not puzzled. “She didn’t want you to tell me so I could ruin it before it got started.”
“Maybe. She’d expect you to go apeshit crazy, so maybe that’s it. But she’s been weird lately—sort of like she’s checked out on me the last couple of weeks.”
Addison’s never been great at being there for L so I’m not sure why she’s surprised by this. “Ask her to breakfast when we get back to Wagga. Take her to Fusion and you can coerce the truth out of her with their Belgian waffles. They’re magnificent.”
“Speaking of breakfast, I’m going out to eat with your mum and the girls in the morning before we go back.”
“That sounds good.”
“What will you do while I’m gone?”
“Sleep in.”
She looks at me skeptically. “You don’t sleep in.”
“I do once a year because I need my rest after my wife gives me birthday sex all night long.” Her laugh tells me she must think that’s pretty funny. “Don’t tell me you find that humorous because I’m wrong.”
“You’re not entirely wrong but there’s more to it than that.”
“Partially wrong?”
“I refuse to answer that. You’ll find out in two minutes when we’re inside and you open your gift from me.” Nice. I bet she’s going to wear some sexy lingerie.
We go into the apartment. L tells me to sit on the couch while she gets my birthday gift from our bedroom. I’m not so sure it’s what I was thinking. She isn’t acting like herself—she seems nervous.
She returns to the living room and sits next to me before placing a small rectangular box in my hand. It’s wrapped in chocolate-brown paper with a blue ribbon bow and definitely isn’t big enough for lingerie—unless it’s really tiny.
“Open it.”
I remove the bow and tear into the paper
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