chapter 5

That wasn’t completely true, however. I recognized some of the women from seeing them around Kara’s before. They were basically strangers, though. Still, they all brought Hank a gift and talked to me about how cute he was. Hank was swept into Kara’s arms pretty much right away, and she carried him around the house like he was next in line for the throne.

Kids ran through the house at max speed, their screams piercing my ears and making my brain hurt. I looked over at Tyler and sighed. He was staring around his house with an expression of exhaustion clear on his face. He’d done too much in helping set up for the party.

“Sorry about your house.”

He turned his head to me and snorted. “Sorry about your dress.”

I sighed louder. Running my hand down the silky material, I tried not to imagine the way it clung to my curves. Since having Hank, I felt like there were curvier than they should’ve been. “Your wife is a pain in the ass.”

“Your sister is.”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

“Should we sneak out to the shed and smoke like we used to?”

I laughed, a hundred different memories flooding my brain. Tyler had been in my life for so long that he was like a true brother. We’d spent so many nights getting high in the shed out back that it was almost tradition. That was before Hank, though. “Ugh. I’m a mom now.”

“Moms get high. Just ask Kara.” He leaned in and wagged his brows conspiratorially. “I have the medical grade shit. Cancer shit.”

“You’re a terrible influence.”

“Does that mean yes?”

I patted his cheek and shook my head. “Unfortunately, I’ve turned into a boring square. I stick to the straight and narrow these days. No drinking, no drugs, no—”

“Sex.”

“Fun.” I rolled my eyes at him and fought the childish urge to give into him and race out to the shed. It hadn’t been easy living like a nun since I’d found out I was pregnant with Hank, that was for sure.

Kara popped up at that moment with a giant smile on her face. “Mallory! He’s here!”

I winced.

“Stop that! Fix your face and push up your boobs. You look great!” Kara, bouncing Hank against her hip, glanced over her shoulder and then broke out in a welcoming grin. “Isaac! You made it!”

I looked up, expecting to see anyone but who I saw. Julian. Or Isaac, I guess. My blood all rushed to my face as I took him in. He was just as tall and strong as I remembered. I’d convinced myself that I’d made him bigger in my head, but looking at him then, I knew I hadn’t. He was just a massive man. His hair was longer and lighter, but those vibrant blue eyes were just as bright. Everything female in me fluttered, and I gripped the edge of the table, half ready to run and half ready to beg him for a repeat of before.

“Isaac, this is my little sister, Mallory. Mallory, this is Isaac. Isaac owns and operates a ranch on the other side of town.” Kara raised her brows at me, letting me know I needed to say something.

I was frozen. Isaac wasn’t looking at me like he remembered me. There was interest on his rugged face, but nothing else. Did he not remember me? I wasn’t about to out myself to Kara as having slept with the man already, so I finally managed to force a smile to my lips. “Nice to meet you.”

He twisted a cowboy hat in his big hands and sent me a slow smile that set my body on fire. A scar cut through his lips that I didn’t remember being there before, but it’d been dark in the bar and his truck. “Nice to meet you, ma’am. I hope you’re finding Briar’s Point to your liking.”

Tyler snorted. “I think it just got a little better for her.”

I kicked him under the table and forced another pleasant smile to my beet-red face. I didn’t know what to say. I wanted to crawl under the table and die. Isaac seemed completely calm and collected. Did he really not remember me? God, that was insulting.

“Mallory’s been in Briar’s Point before, just for vacations and things.” Kara pretended to notice something in the distance and gasped. “Oh, Casey is grabbing Taylor. Come on, Tyler. We’d better go get them.”

Tyler grunted. “Why do you need—”

“Tyler, come on.” Kara grabbed his hand and pulled him up. “Isaac can keep Mallory company until you’re back.”

I wanted to scream at my sister, but before I could do anything, she handed Hank to me and waved goodbye like the fucking queen of England. I bit my tongue and cradled Hank into my chest. His weight calmed me until I realized that I was holding the man’s son and Kara had just left me alone with him.

If he felt awkward at all, Isaac didn’t show it. He took the seat Tyler had vacated and turned to face me. His knee brushed against my hip, but he just apologized and shifted the smallest fraction away. The warm scent of him filled my nose, and it was hard not to breathe in deeper. “Your son?”

I cringed. “Yes. Hank.”

“He’s a beautiful baby.” Isaac pushed up his sleeves and laughed when Hank reached for him. “He’s not a shy kid, huh?”

I couldn’t take my eyes off of Isaac’s forearms. They were tan and dusted in blond hair, but they were bare. No tattoos. I sucked in a sharp breath and looked up at his face, surprised to find him already watching me.