Rules of Contact
Page 60
Amelia held out her hand. “I’m Amelia Lawrence. It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Cassidy.”
“Call me Easton. Welcome to the Double C ranch. Come on in out of the hot sun. Flynn, grab the bags.”
Flynn cracked a smile. “Sure, Dad.”
Amelia looked back at Flynn, who made a motion with his hands for her to follow his dad, so she headed up the steps and walked inside when Easton held the door for her.
Easton was right. It was hot outside, so it felt supremely cooler indoors. And the house was lovely, with its mix of rustic and modern décor.
“Lydia is in town getting groceries with Aubry and Harmony,” Easton said.
“Aubry is my brother Tucker’s fiancée and Harmony is Barrett’s girlfriend,” Flynn said after he set their luggage inside the front door.
Amelia nodded. “Got it.” For the past couple of weeks, she had received the full rundown from Flynn on all of the Cassidy family members. She already knew Mia, but she’d wanted to have a general idea of who everyone else was before the family gathering. Flynn was the oldest brother. Grant, who she’d already met, was next, and Grant was engaged to supermodel Katrina Korsova. Katrina had custody of her teen siblings, Anya and Leo. The twins, Tucker and Barrett, were the youngest Cassidy brothers. Tucker was engaged to Aubry Ross, a doctor, and Barrett’s girlfriend was Harmony Evans, an interior designer. Of course, Mia was the youngest Cassidy sibling. And Flynn’s parents were Easton and Lydia. Now she just needed to meet them all. She was both excited and terrified.
“Thought we heard you pull up.”
They walked into the kitchen at the same time an absolutely stunning man came through the back door.
Flynn put his arm around Amelia’s waist. “Amelia, this is my brother Tucker. This is Amelia Lawrence.”
Another guy came through the back door. He looked eerily similar to Tucker, though he was broader and more muscular.
“And that one is Barrett.”
She knew they were the twins, so the similarity between them made sense.
“Hi, it’s nice to meet both of you,” Amelia said, recalling that Flynn had told her Tucker wore dark glasses that did absolutely nothing to distract from his stunning good looks.
“Great to meet you, Amelia,” Tucker said with a smile as he stepped forward to shake her hand.
“Good to meet you, Amelia,” Barrett said. “Sorry to hear you’re dating our brother. We’ll try to talk you out of that over the next few days.”
“Nice try,” Flynn said. “Won’t happen. She’s overcome with adoration for me.”
Amelia coughed. “Well, I wouldn’t exactly say that.”
Tucker grinned. “I like her already.”
“Where’s Grant?” Flynn asked.
“He’s out in one of the pastures with Elijah fixing fencing,” his dad said.
Amelia knew Elijah was one of Easton’s brothers, so Flynn’s uncle.
Flynn’s lips curved. “Didn’t take long for you to put him to work.”
“Put us to work,” Tucker said. “We’ve already replaced tires and changed oil in Dad’s old junker of a tractor.”
“Not a junker,” Easton said. “That baby will trudge on another twenty years.”
Amelia noticed the look that passed between Flynn and his brother.
“Sure it will, Dad,” Flynn said.
And the guys were off, talking farm equipment, giving Amelia time to take a mental step back and watch Flynn engage with his father and his brothers. It was quite the sight, especially when Grant walked in. Amelia waved at Grant, who came over to hug her.
“Hey, good to see you again, Amelia,” Grant said.
“Likewise, Grant.”
That was all she got before Grant entered the argument.
It was awesome. She pulled up a seat at the oversized kitchen island and watched the interplay between father and sons, each one convinced they were right. If it weren’t rude, she’d love to get this on video.
“It’s been like this my entire life.”
Amelia turned to see a grinning Mia walk in, followed by a very attractive older woman who had to be Mia’s mother, Lydia.
“Are they arguing again?” Lydia asked as she set down a bag of groceries. “Hey, all of you, knock that off. There’s food in the car. Go bring it in.”
And just like that, the disagreement stopped and all the men walked outside. Lydia had to be a miracle worker.
Mia grinned. “It’s so nice to see you again.” She came over to hug her.
“You, too.”
“This is my mom, Lydia. Mom, this is Amelia Lawrence.”
Amelia held out her hand. “It’s very nice to meet you, Lydia.”
Lydia folded her into a hug instead. “I’m very happy to meet you, too, Amelia. Mia has told me a lot about you.”
“And judging by what I just witnessed, I’m already a big fan of yours.”
Lydia frowned, then her eyes widened and she offered up a wry smile. “Oh, that?” She waved her hand. “They’re all like little boys.”
“And they know she means business when she tells them to do something. Even Dad knows not to mess with her.”
Amelia’s mouth ticked up. She could well imagine this petite woman running this household with iron fists. She’d have to with four boys.
Two more women entered the kitchen carrying grocery bags. After depositing them on the counter, they both turned to Amelia. The gorgeous blonde leaned forward to shake Amelia’s hand. “I’m Aubry Ross, Tucker’s fiancée.”
“Hi, Aubry. Great to meet you.”
The other woman, a beautiful dark-haired woman with a stunning smile, stepped forward and hugged her. “I’m Harmony Evans, Barrett’s girlfriend.”
Wow. The Cassidy men sure had gotten lucky in landing such amazingly beautiful women. Starting with Lydia, who was so beautiful with her soft brown hair and amazing blue eyes.
“It’s so great to meet you, Harmony. Honestly, it’s nice to meet all of you. Flynn has told me so much about everyone in the Cassidy family that I feel like I know all of you already.”
“This family can be imposing,” Harmony said with a smile. “You just have to dive right in because they’re the nicest people I’ve ever met.”
“How was your flight, Amelia?” Lydia asked as Mia began emptying grocery bags and putting things away.
“Call me Easton. Welcome to the Double C ranch. Come on in out of the hot sun. Flynn, grab the bags.”
Flynn cracked a smile. “Sure, Dad.”
Amelia looked back at Flynn, who made a motion with his hands for her to follow his dad, so she headed up the steps and walked inside when Easton held the door for her.
Easton was right. It was hot outside, so it felt supremely cooler indoors. And the house was lovely, with its mix of rustic and modern décor.
“Lydia is in town getting groceries with Aubry and Harmony,” Easton said.
“Aubry is my brother Tucker’s fiancée and Harmony is Barrett’s girlfriend,” Flynn said after he set their luggage inside the front door.
Amelia nodded. “Got it.” For the past couple of weeks, she had received the full rundown from Flynn on all of the Cassidy family members. She already knew Mia, but she’d wanted to have a general idea of who everyone else was before the family gathering. Flynn was the oldest brother. Grant, who she’d already met, was next, and Grant was engaged to supermodel Katrina Korsova. Katrina had custody of her teen siblings, Anya and Leo. The twins, Tucker and Barrett, were the youngest Cassidy brothers. Tucker was engaged to Aubry Ross, a doctor, and Barrett’s girlfriend was Harmony Evans, an interior designer. Of course, Mia was the youngest Cassidy sibling. And Flynn’s parents were Easton and Lydia. Now she just needed to meet them all. She was both excited and terrified.
“Thought we heard you pull up.”
They walked into the kitchen at the same time an absolutely stunning man came through the back door.
Flynn put his arm around Amelia’s waist. “Amelia, this is my brother Tucker. This is Amelia Lawrence.”
Another guy came through the back door. He looked eerily similar to Tucker, though he was broader and more muscular.
“And that one is Barrett.”
She knew they were the twins, so the similarity between them made sense.
“Hi, it’s nice to meet both of you,” Amelia said, recalling that Flynn had told her Tucker wore dark glasses that did absolutely nothing to distract from his stunning good looks.
“Great to meet you, Amelia,” Tucker said with a smile as he stepped forward to shake her hand.
“Good to meet you, Amelia,” Barrett said. “Sorry to hear you’re dating our brother. We’ll try to talk you out of that over the next few days.”
“Nice try,” Flynn said. “Won’t happen. She’s overcome with adoration for me.”
Amelia coughed. “Well, I wouldn’t exactly say that.”
Tucker grinned. “I like her already.”
“Where’s Grant?” Flynn asked.
“He’s out in one of the pastures with Elijah fixing fencing,” his dad said.
Amelia knew Elijah was one of Easton’s brothers, so Flynn’s uncle.
Flynn’s lips curved. “Didn’t take long for you to put him to work.”
“Put us to work,” Tucker said. “We’ve already replaced tires and changed oil in Dad’s old junker of a tractor.”
“Not a junker,” Easton said. “That baby will trudge on another twenty years.”
Amelia noticed the look that passed between Flynn and his brother.
“Sure it will, Dad,” Flynn said.
And the guys were off, talking farm equipment, giving Amelia time to take a mental step back and watch Flynn engage with his father and his brothers. It was quite the sight, especially when Grant walked in. Amelia waved at Grant, who came over to hug her.
“Hey, good to see you again, Amelia,” Grant said.
“Likewise, Grant.”
That was all she got before Grant entered the argument.
It was awesome. She pulled up a seat at the oversized kitchen island and watched the interplay between father and sons, each one convinced they were right. If it weren’t rude, she’d love to get this on video.
“It’s been like this my entire life.”
Amelia turned to see a grinning Mia walk in, followed by a very attractive older woman who had to be Mia’s mother, Lydia.
“Are they arguing again?” Lydia asked as she set down a bag of groceries. “Hey, all of you, knock that off. There’s food in the car. Go bring it in.”
And just like that, the disagreement stopped and all the men walked outside. Lydia had to be a miracle worker.
Mia grinned. “It’s so nice to see you again.” She came over to hug her.
“You, too.”
“This is my mom, Lydia. Mom, this is Amelia Lawrence.”
Amelia held out her hand. “It’s very nice to meet you, Lydia.”
Lydia folded her into a hug instead. “I’m very happy to meet you, too, Amelia. Mia has told me a lot about you.”
“And judging by what I just witnessed, I’m already a big fan of yours.”
Lydia frowned, then her eyes widened and she offered up a wry smile. “Oh, that?” She waved her hand. “They’re all like little boys.”
“And they know she means business when she tells them to do something. Even Dad knows not to mess with her.”
Amelia’s mouth ticked up. She could well imagine this petite woman running this household with iron fists. She’d have to with four boys.
Two more women entered the kitchen carrying grocery bags. After depositing them on the counter, they both turned to Amelia. The gorgeous blonde leaned forward to shake Amelia’s hand. “I’m Aubry Ross, Tucker’s fiancée.”
“Hi, Aubry. Great to meet you.”
The other woman, a beautiful dark-haired woman with a stunning smile, stepped forward and hugged her. “I’m Harmony Evans, Barrett’s girlfriend.”
Wow. The Cassidy men sure had gotten lucky in landing such amazingly beautiful women. Starting with Lydia, who was so beautiful with her soft brown hair and amazing blue eyes.
“It’s so great to meet you, Harmony. Honestly, it’s nice to meet all of you. Flynn has told me so much about everyone in the Cassidy family that I feel like I know all of you already.”
“This family can be imposing,” Harmony said with a smile. “You just have to dive right in because they’re the nicest people I’ve ever met.”
“How was your flight, Amelia?” Lydia asked as Mia began emptying grocery bags and putting things away.
