Unexpected Rush
Page 62
“I totally agree. You could set up a desk with study space over here, which affords your best use of natural light. Sofa here, a couple of tables here. A conversation area here.”
Within twenty minutes she had sketched out furniture placement and had provided several design links for Mia to consider, from accessories to pillows to furniture.
“This is awesome,” Mia said. “Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome. It’s a great space. All you need are a few key pieces of furniture and some accessories to set it off, and it’ll be perfect.”
She heard male voices—a lot of them.
“And it was so quiet while it lasted,” Mia said, winking. “The boys are home.”
Lydia and her mother came through the back door at the same time as a horde of people walked into the kitchen.
“What, did you all show up at the same time?” Lydia asked.
“Seems that way,” Barrett said, eyeing Harmony and giving her a big smile.
She felt a burst of butterflies flitting around her stomach. Ridiculous, but there they were.
Flynn was there, and Grant and Tucker with their respective fiancées and families. Flynn gave her a grin that told her their secret was safe with him.
There was also an older man who looked just like his sons.
“Okay,” Lydia said, “introductions all around since I don’t know who has met whom yet.”
She met Grant’s fiancée, Katrina Korsova, whom she recognized because she was a world-renowned fashion model. She also met Katrina’s younger siblings Anya and Leo.
Tucker introduced his new fiancée, Aubry, who Harmony learned was a doctor.
Then she met Lydia’s husband, Easton, who shook her hand. “Last time Diane was here with Drake she raved all about you.”
Harmony looked over at her mother, who beamed a smile at her. “Mama does like to do that. And it’s very nice to meet you, Easton. I’ve heard amazing things about you.”
Easton grinned. “I like the amazing part.”
She also met Easton’s brothers, Eddie and Eldon, and their wives. And then there was Elijah.
Oh, Elijah was quite handsome. She could see why her mother had mentioned him.
Drake came over to hug them.
“Hope you two had a good flight.”
“We did,” her mother said. “I’ve already been out back with Lydia checking out her garden. Makes me want to expand mine.”
Drake shook his head. “Of course you do. Do I need to buy you a bigger house?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I need to move to Texas.”
“Bite your tongue, Mama,” Harmony said. “We’d miss you too much.”
Her mother patted her cheek. “You know I’m just joking, honey. Home is Tampa. Always has been, always will be.”
“Unless I get traded to Houston,” Drake said.
“Now you bite your tongue,” Barrett said. “Nobody wants to get traded to Houston.”
Everyone laughed.
Lydia grabbed a clipboard off the kitchen counter.
“Tucker, you and Aubry will be in the cottage. Grant, you, Katrina and the kids will stay in the eastern guesthouse because it has three bedrooms. Barrett and Flynn will be in the downstairs guest room. Diane, you and Harmony in the upstairs room to the left because it has its own bathroom.”
Harmony’s mother smiled. “Thank you, Lydia. You know that’s my favorite room.”
Barrett’s mother gave her a smile. “I remembered that. Drake, you’ll be right next door to them.”
She saw the look Barrett gave her. The one that said they were going to have to fight for alone time.
“Shall we go settle our luggage upstairs?” her mother asked.
She dragged her gaze away from Barrett and smiled at Mama. “Yes. Let’s do that.”
Great. Barrett couldn’t imagine how he’d be able to sneak any time with Harmony with Drake in the room right next to hers, and her sharing a room with her mother. Plus, Barrett would have to share a room with Flynn, who gave him a knowing smirk.
Asshole.
He’d figure it out somehow. Because he wasn’t going to spend a weekend on the ranch and not be with her.
He wandered into the kitchen, grabbed a beer and stepped out onto the front porch. Tucker was out there with a beer in his hand.
Sometimes it was like radar with him and his twin. They always gravitated toward each other. They’d fought like wild animals when they were kids, but they’d always had each other’s backs.
“Saw the game the other night,” Barrett said, as he pulled up a chair next to Tucker. “You didn’t suck when they finally felt sorry for you and let you pitch.”
Tucker’s lips curved. “Thanks.”
“Where’s Aubry?”
“She and Mom and Mia went over to the cottage to unpack the luggage, which I think translates to girl talk about the weddings.”
“So in other words, you weren’t invited.”
“Yup.” Tucker took a long swallow of beer.
“I can’t believe you’re getting married, man. You and Grant.”
“Yeah, sometimes I can’t believe it, either. It’s happened pretty fast, at least for Aubry and me. But we just decided we wanted to make it happen, and neither of our lives is going to slow down or get simpler, so why wait?”
“Grant and Katrina’s is coming up next March and then you and Aubry’s next November.”
Within twenty minutes she had sketched out furniture placement and had provided several design links for Mia to consider, from accessories to pillows to furniture.
“This is awesome,” Mia said. “Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome. It’s a great space. All you need are a few key pieces of furniture and some accessories to set it off, and it’ll be perfect.”
She heard male voices—a lot of them.
“And it was so quiet while it lasted,” Mia said, winking. “The boys are home.”
Lydia and her mother came through the back door at the same time as a horde of people walked into the kitchen.
“What, did you all show up at the same time?” Lydia asked.
“Seems that way,” Barrett said, eyeing Harmony and giving her a big smile.
She felt a burst of butterflies flitting around her stomach. Ridiculous, but there they were.
Flynn was there, and Grant and Tucker with their respective fiancées and families. Flynn gave her a grin that told her their secret was safe with him.
There was also an older man who looked just like his sons.
“Okay,” Lydia said, “introductions all around since I don’t know who has met whom yet.”
She met Grant’s fiancée, Katrina Korsova, whom she recognized because she was a world-renowned fashion model. She also met Katrina’s younger siblings Anya and Leo.
Tucker introduced his new fiancée, Aubry, who Harmony learned was a doctor.
Then she met Lydia’s husband, Easton, who shook her hand. “Last time Diane was here with Drake she raved all about you.”
Harmony looked over at her mother, who beamed a smile at her. “Mama does like to do that. And it’s very nice to meet you, Easton. I’ve heard amazing things about you.”
Easton grinned. “I like the amazing part.”
She also met Easton’s brothers, Eddie and Eldon, and their wives. And then there was Elijah.
Oh, Elijah was quite handsome. She could see why her mother had mentioned him.
Drake came over to hug them.
“Hope you two had a good flight.”
“We did,” her mother said. “I’ve already been out back with Lydia checking out her garden. Makes me want to expand mine.”
Drake shook his head. “Of course you do. Do I need to buy you a bigger house?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I need to move to Texas.”
“Bite your tongue, Mama,” Harmony said. “We’d miss you too much.”
Her mother patted her cheek. “You know I’m just joking, honey. Home is Tampa. Always has been, always will be.”
“Unless I get traded to Houston,” Drake said.
“Now you bite your tongue,” Barrett said. “Nobody wants to get traded to Houston.”
Everyone laughed.
Lydia grabbed a clipboard off the kitchen counter.
“Tucker, you and Aubry will be in the cottage. Grant, you, Katrina and the kids will stay in the eastern guesthouse because it has three bedrooms. Barrett and Flynn will be in the downstairs guest room. Diane, you and Harmony in the upstairs room to the left because it has its own bathroom.”
Harmony’s mother smiled. “Thank you, Lydia. You know that’s my favorite room.”
Barrett’s mother gave her a smile. “I remembered that. Drake, you’ll be right next door to them.”
She saw the look Barrett gave her. The one that said they were going to have to fight for alone time.
“Shall we go settle our luggage upstairs?” her mother asked.
She dragged her gaze away from Barrett and smiled at Mama. “Yes. Let’s do that.”
Great. Barrett couldn’t imagine how he’d be able to sneak any time with Harmony with Drake in the room right next to hers, and her sharing a room with her mother. Plus, Barrett would have to share a room with Flynn, who gave him a knowing smirk.
Asshole.
He’d figure it out somehow. Because he wasn’t going to spend a weekend on the ranch and not be with her.
He wandered into the kitchen, grabbed a beer and stepped out onto the front porch. Tucker was out there with a beer in his hand.
Sometimes it was like radar with him and his twin. They always gravitated toward each other. They’d fought like wild animals when they were kids, but they’d always had each other’s backs.
“Saw the game the other night,” Barrett said, as he pulled up a chair next to Tucker. “You didn’t suck when they finally felt sorry for you and let you pitch.”
Tucker’s lips curved. “Thanks.”
“Where’s Aubry?”
“She and Mom and Mia went over to the cottage to unpack the luggage, which I think translates to girl talk about the weddings.”
“So in other words, you weren’t invited.”
“Yup.” Tucker took a long swallow of beer.
“I can’t believe you’re getting married, man. You and Grant.”
“Yeah, sometimes I can’t believe it, either. It’s happened pretty fast, at least for Aubry and me. But we just decided we wanted to make it happen, and neither of our lives is going to slow down or get simpler, so why wait?”
“Grant and Katrina’s is coming up next March and then you and Aubry’s next November.”
