around his son’s shoulder in an easy, comfortable fashion. Max watched Savannah set another plate at the table as Hugh headed back inside and reappeared a minute later with a beer in his hand.
“Did you get one for our guest?” Savannah asked with a nip of irritation.
“No, really—” Max interrupted, but Hugh was already on his way back inside.
He came back with an ice-cold beer. “Here you are, Max.”
“Thank you, but I really shouldn’t stay,” she said.
“Nonsense. You don’t have to eat if you’re not hungry,” Hal said just as her stomach growled. “But then again…”
Why do I keep forgetting to eat?
The family moved so quickly that Max was a little overwhelmed, which was not a feeling she experienced often. She should be helping, organizing, doing something other than standing around with her jaw hanging open; instead she was letting them guide her from one place to the next. Hell, she should be running for her car. She had no business being at Treat’s father’s house. Especially without him .
Before she had a chance to make her feet and mind work in unison and escape the backyard, she had a plate full of food and was laughing at a joke Dane had made.
“How did you and Treat meet?” Josh asked.
“I can answer that,” Dane said.
“Let the lady speak,” Josh said.
Hugh reached across the table in front of Max. She leaned back, giving him room to retrieve the condiments. It struck her how different each of Treat’s brothers were. Treat had impeccable manners, and he’d never sneak peeks at anyone—at least she couldn’t imagine him doing so.
Savannah narrowed her eyes at Hugh, and after a moment of confusion, he finally took the hint.
“Excuse me,” Hugh said, withdrawing his arm.
Max raised an eyebrow at the way Savannah jumped in just as a mother might have done. She loved watching Treat’s family in action. It was so different from her own family’s silent meals. “That’s okay,” she said with a smile.
“Max?” Josh asked again.
She’d been surveying the family so intently that she’d forgotten that Josh had asked her a question. “Oh, sorry. We met at a friend’s wedding.” I could just bolt. Not say a word and take off running for my car.
“Cousin Blake’s wedding. Remember? You were all too busy to attend.” Dane glared at Hugh.
“What? I had an award ceremony.” Hugh lifted his palms toward the air as he explained. He was much more demonstrative than his brothers were. Max watched his eyebrows draw together, as if he didn’t understand what the issue was.
“Don’t you always?” Dane said.
“Oh, please. You ran off to some shark-infested area and missed it, too.” Josh folded his napkin in his lap, crossed one ankle over the other leg, and leaned back in his chair.
“At least I made an appearance first, which is more than I can say for any of you,” Dane said with a smirk.
Max enjoyed the playful banter and couldn’t help but wonder what it must be like to have that many siblings—that many people who would be there for her. Dane was as quippy as Hugh was clueless to what she was sure his siblings saw as his self-centeredness.
“We were supporting Hugh,” Savannah explained.
“Right, for his five minutes of fame that he gets every couple of months. How long has it been since you’ve seen Blake? You know, he spent a lot of time with us when we were younger, and you get married only once.” Dane lifted his chin at Hugh, as if to say, Top that!
“As far as I can tell, none of my lovely brothers are walking down the aisle anytime soon. Once, twice, or whatever.” Savannah buttered a piece of bread and took a bite.
“Max, have you ever been married?” Hugh asked.
She was about to take a drink and stopped midair, bottle in hand.
“Hugh.” All it took was one word and a harsh glare from Hal for everyone at the table to understand that that line of questioning was off-limits—including Max.
“What about you? You’re so
“Did you get one for our guest?” Savannah asked with a nip of irritation.
“No, really—” Max interrupted, but Hugh was already on his way back inside.
He came back with an ice-cold beer. “Here you are, Max.”
“Thank you, but I really shouldn’t stay,” she said.
“Nonsense. You don’t have to eat if you’re not hungry,” Hal said just as her stomach growled. “But then again…”
Why do I keep forgetting to eat?
The family moved so quickly that Max was a little overwhelmed, which was not a feeling she experienced often. She should be helping, organizing, doing something other than standing around with her jaw hanging open; instead she was letting them guide her from one place to the next. Hell, she should be running for her car. She had no business being at Treat’s father’s house. Especially without him .
Before she had a chance to make her feet and mind work in unison and escape the backyard, she had a plate full of food and was laughing at a joke Dane had made.
“How did you and Treat meet?” Josh asked.
“I can answer that,” Dane said.
“Let the lady speak,” Josh said.
Hugh reached across the table in front of Max. She leaned back, giving him room to retrieve the condiments. It struck her how different each of Treat’s brothers were. Treat had impeccable manners, and he’d never sneak peeks at anyone—at least she couldn’t imagine him doing so.
Savannah narrowed her eyes at Hugh, and after a moment of confusion, he finally took the hint.
“Excuse me,” Hugh said, withdrawing his arm.
Max raised an eyebrow at the way Savannah jumped in just as a mother might have done. She loved watching Treat’s family in action. It was so different from her own family’s silent meals. “That’s okay,” she said with a smile.
“Max?” Josh asked again.
She’d been surveying the family so intently that she’d forgotten that Josh had asked her a question. “Oh, sorry. We met at a friend’s wedding.” I could just bolt. Not say a word and take off running for my car.
“Cousin Blake’s wedding. Remember? You were all too busy to attend.” Dane glared at Hugh.
“What? I had an award ceremony.” Hugh lifted his palms toward the air as he explained. He was much more demonstrative than his brothers were. Max watched his eyebrows draw together, as if he didn’t understand what the issue was.
“Don’t you always?” Dane said.
“Oh, please. You ran off to some shark-infested area and missed it, too.” Josh folded his napkin in his lap, crossed one ankle over the other leg, and leaned back in his chair.
“At least I made an appearance first, which is more than I can say for any of you,” Dane said with a smirk.
Max enjoyed the playful banter and couldn’t help but wonder what it must be like to have that many siblings—that many people who would be there for her. Dane was as quippy as Hugh was clueless to what she was sure his siblings saw as his self-centeredness.
“We were supporting Hugh,” Savannah explained.
“Right, for his five minutes of fame that he gets every couple of months. How long has it been since you’ve seen Blake? You know, he spent a lot of time with us when we were younger, and you get married only once.” Dane lifted his chin at Hugh, as if to say, Top that!
“As far as I can tell, none of my lovely brothers are walking down the aisle anytime soon. Once, twice, or whatever.” Savannah buttered a piece of bread and took a bite.
“Max, have you ever been married?” Hugh asked.
She was about to take a drink and stopped midair, bottle in hand.
“Hugh.” All it took was one word and a harsh glare from Hal for everyone at the table to understand that that line of questioning was off-limits—including Max.
“What about you? You’re so
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