“I bet I could throw this farther with my left hand than you can throw it with your right,” Sean challenges Declan after they were arguing. I lost track of what the disagreement was this time.
Declan scoffs. “You’re on. You think you’re some hotshot, you’re not, pretty boy.”
“I believe the name is Stud.”
I giggle and finish my wine in one gulp.
“Brenna, you’ll have to forgive the boys for their bad behavior. I can promise you, their mother raised them better than this,” Sydney says as she slaps her husband’s chest.
“I love it.”
“You love their constant shit talking?” Devney asks with a raised brow.
I shrug. “I was an only child, so our house was very . . . quiet. We didn’t have constant laughter and our family dinners were just the three of us. This is so much fun.”
Jacob laughs. “I think the four of us would’ve traded places with you when we were kids.”
“That’s because you didn’t know what solitary childhood was like.”
He raises his hands. “Easy, Doc.”
I roll my eyes. “That wasn’t me as a psychologist, it was me as a person.”
Sean nudges Jacob. “Be careful, you might end up as her next test patient.”
“Me?”
“You’re the most in need of therapy,” Declan says with a chuckle.
Sydney snorts. “That’s debatable.”
Jacob glares at him. “I’ve already illuminated you jackasses on how superior I am in my thinking.”
“Really?” I say, unable to help myself.
The three brothers laugh.
“Here we go,” Sean says while rubbing his hands together.
Jacob turns back to me. “Do you think I need help?”
“We all need help, but I’m wondering if you might need it more.”
Connor walks around and fills all the girls’ cups again—except for Devney’s as she shakes her head. “He needs it more than anyone. I’d bet my house on it.”
Jacob flips him off. “Says the douche canoe who is afraid of ducks. And I’ll take your bet if that means you’re in the tiny house.”
“I was six when I was afraid of the duck.” He ignores my second comment about the house.
Sydney clears her throat. “Sixteen.”
“You’re a liar, Sydney Arrowood,” Connor says with a huff.
“There’s a story here,” I say, curious as to where this is going.
Connor shakes his head. “We can get to me later, let’s stay on the topic, Doc. My brother Jacob here has some issues. Deep-seated issues. Things that . . . I don’t know if anyone can actually help the poor bastard get through them.”
“The only issue is that I’d like to beat all three of my brothers until they cry,” Jacob says through his teeth.
The brothers all laugh. “Anger management might be a good place to start.”
“I’ve known them since they were all small, trust me, there’s no shortage of issues here,” Devney informs the group. “However, Jacob has the most hope between all these boys.”
“Why is that?” I ask.
Devney smiles. “He loves the deepest and has the biggest heart.”
My eyes move to him, and his gaze is cast toward the fire, unwilling to look at anyone. Jacob has shown that his heart is definitely big. Offering to work with teenagers when you’re a Hollywood superstar shows it.
“I can see that,” I say, and his eyes cut to me but his head doesn’t turn. “I mean, he spent time with an eleven-year-old boy he had never met and is now going to direct their play.”
Beer flies toward the fire and Sydney pats her husband’s back. “You okay there?”
Declan nods. “I’m sorry, did you say that Jacob is directing a play?”
“For the middle and high school kids.”
He turns to Jacob. “Well, when we said to make sure you do something while you were here for the next five months, I didn’t expect this.”
“Sebastian mentioned it, and . . . well, I couldn’t tell the kid no. I have other reasons too.”
He looks to me, and there’s something in his eyes. Something I don’t know how to interpret. It’s a sense of longing mixed with apprehension. The butterflies in my stomach take flight, causing a nervous rush to go through me.
What is it about this man? Why am I so pulled to him when every instinct I have is telling me that I shouldn’t feel this?
It’s been so long since I’ve felt this way about anyone other than my husband, but Jacob Arrowood makes me feel like a woman. Someone to be desired, cherished, and cared for. My chest rises and falls a little harder as this realization dawns on me.
Ellie smiles and reaches her hand toward him, breaking my and his moment. “I think it’s wonderful, Jacob,” she says. “Mrs. Finnegan was so upset that she had to cancel. This makes me proud to be an Arrowood. You’re not only the hot one but you’re also the kind one now too.”
“Let’s not go that far,” Sydney says with a laugh.
Connor clears his throat. “It’s great that you’re doing it. You were worried about being bored.”
“I wasn’t worried about being bored. I have a movie to prepare for.”
“Well,” Declan speaks up, “I think it’s a good use of your time.”
Jacob rolls his eyes. “I’m so glad I have all of your approval on how I’m spending my time.”
“No one has issues with what you’re doing, Jacob. In fact, we’re proud of you.” Sean reaches over and punches his arm. “You have a talent you’re going to share with kids. If their coach broke his leg, I would offer to help out if I could. I’d just hate to see you mixed up in something you can’t get out of when you leave.”
I can sense the tension around here, and I feel like there’s another conversation happening that I don’t know about. I look down at my phone and internally groan. It’s late, and I have to be up stupid early tomorrow. “I really need to get home. Tomorrow my mother-in-law wants to ride out early to go to breakfast.”
“Oh, that’s too bad,” Devney says as she gets to her feet.
When I rise, the wine or . . . something, hits me. I stumble a little, but Jacob reaches out quickly to grab me.
His hands are around my waist as I plaster to his chest. The smell of smoke and cologne fills my nose, and the sense of security wraps around me.
“Sorry,” I say softly.
“Are you okay?”
I nod. “I’m fine.”
Although, I’m not.
He releases me and drawing breath is just a little difficult. I feel slightly dizzy, but I’m not sure if it’s what caused me to wobble or if it’s the fact that I didn’t want him to let go.
Devney is at my side a second later.
“Oh my God, I thought you were going to fall.”
I rub my cheek and try to smile. “I guess I had a few too many glasses.”
The truth is, I haven’t drunk more than a glass of wine in a very long time. Before the fire, Ellie, Sydney, and I finished off two bottles.
“I’ll drive you home. Sean can follow in my car,” Devney offers.