“Wazzup!”
“Oh snap! Oh snap! Oh snap!” Zach laughed as he eased around her and Miss Leona. She watched as he executed an elaborate handshake with his little brother, then pulled him into a tight hug. “’Sup, man.”
“Just thought I’d hop on a flight and see what all the fuss was about. Hey, girl.”
Sam had a combination of Zach and Jesse’s features, all arranged in a sweet, high cheeked face. Evie figured he and Lilah were around the same age. He had Zach’s same charming smile, but he lacked his brothers’ facial hair and their massive height. He was still tall though, at least a whole head taller than Evie. He wasn’t sporting the whole cowboy-in-a-business-suit ensemble that his brothers made work so well, but he still looked handsome in his Rams hoodie.
“Evie, this our brother, Sam.”
“Nice to meet you,” Evie said.
Sam’s expression dropped and his gaze darted between Evie and his brothers and Tilde. “Oh shit—I mean shoot. Okay. So she really—okay. It’s nice to meet you? See you?”
“Either is fine,” Evie said. “I’m sorry I stole your brothers away for Christmas.”
“Psshtt. They were right where they needed to be. Man, I haven’t seen you in ages.”
“How long are you in town?” Jesse asked as he made his way into the kitchen.
“I fly out day after tomorrow. I have to do this thing forVarietyon New Year’s Eve.”
“Turning into Senior right before our eyes,” Zach said, his mouth turning up at the corner.
“Checks are already better though.”
“Geez, man,” Zach said with a wince.
“Hey. Chill out,” Jesse scolded.
“All of you go sit down. All in the way. Jamming up my kitchen,” Miss Leona grumbled. “Be useful or move. Corie, can you show Miss Sweetheart here to her room?” Evie realized she meant Tilde.
“Absolutely.”
“Actually, I got it,” Jesse said. “And then I gotta head over to the ranch right quick.”
“It’s the Rock!” Sam shouted. Zach and Lilah laughed. Evie had no clue what they were talking about. Jesse rolled his eyes, then nodded in Evie’s direction.
“You’re in good hands. Listen to Miss Leona. Get some rest.”
“Thank you, Jesse.”
He nodded one more time, then led Tilde down the hall.
Sam laughed when he was out of earshot. “Man,he’sturning into Senior.”
“Said the same thing and then he threatened to toss me out of the plane at thirty thousand feet,” Zach said. Evie must have missed that conversation.
“Evie, baby. Do you want something to eat?” Miss Leona asked.
“We have tons of leftovers, including my amazing chili,” Lilah said.
Evie hated to turn down their hospitality, minutes after she walked in the door, but she was suddenly too overwhelmed. She was still getting to know herself, but she knew if she pushed herself any harder, and tried to force interactions with this many new people at once, she might cry again. And no one needed that. “Chili sounds good, but is it possible to see where I’ll be sleeping? I think I might take a nap. I couldn’t sleep on the plane.”
“Of course, baby. You get your rest. Zachariah, we’re gonna put her in the sunshine room.”
“Excellent choice, Miss Leona. Come on with me.” Zach took Evie’s hand and she couldn’t ignore the small thrill that ran through her the second their fingers laced together. They walked through first floor of the large house and stopped at a room near the end of the hall.
“You’re in here. Miss Leona, Lilah, and Corie are upstairs,” he said, just as Tilde came out of the room right beside them.