Ryker nodded. He knew it took a lot to admit. He didn’t have friends either besides Olivia and his family. “It’s hard when you’re us. We go after what we want come hell or high water. That tends to burn some bridges. Then you put yourself out there and learn they’re only with you for the power or money.”
Olivia sighed and then nodded. “Men don’t like that I’m smarter than they are. They don’t like that I put my career ahead of them. Screw them. I have a vibrator and it doesn’t whine about how hard it is to date a woman who makes more money than they do.” Olivia looked up at him as he fought a smile. “By the way, thanks for making me rich.”
Ryker shrugged. “You’re the best lawyer I know.”
“And I’m proud of that. But now my brothers are going to come, and they’re going to be the biggest pains in the ass and probably ruin the great working relationship we have all because they think I’m dating you.”
“Just tell them we’re not dating.”
Olivia made a very agitated noise, nearly a growl, which surprised Ryker. “I did! They didn’t understand why I’d buy a house down the road from you. Now they’re all coming here. They’ve each bought a house in Shadows Landing and they’re going to drive me crazy. They still think I’m a little girl who needs protecting.”
Ryker looked over at Ridge lecturing Tinsley for being late to the reception. He also saw Jackson and Ryan staring daggers at Gage Bell for dancing with their little sister, Greer. Although, with her closing in on thirty, little was about as relevant to Greer as it was to Olivia or Tinsley.
“I don’t think that will ever change,” Ryker said, gesturing with his chin to the older brothers around them.
“Ugh! Your cousin Parker is with the US Marshals right? Maybe he can put me in witness protection.” Olivia started to look around for Parker, and Ryker shook his head.
“You never back down from a fight. I can’t imagine your brothers causing this type of reaction.”
“Oh, I can beat them up. But it doesn’t stop my brothers from completely interfering with my life and treating me like a ten-year-old girl in pigtails. I know they love me. Heck, they’re moving here just to be with me. But, Ryker, it’s going to be too much. They’ll want to be involved with everything. My brothers are slightly overprotective.”
“Did I hear something of overprotective brothers?” Greer asked as she joined them.
“Yes, my brothers are moving to Shadows Landing,” Olivia groaned.
“Don’t worry,” Greer said, giving Olivia a hug. “I’ll show you how to erase their tracking software on your phone. Oh, I have all kinds of tricks to teach you. Between our fathers and brothers, we Keeneston girls have you covered in how to deal with overprotective men. Come on, let’s tell the girls, and we’ll give you some tips.”
Greer grinned back at Ryker and he mouthed his thanks as Ridge came over to join him. “I can’t believe they stopped at home before coming here. Tinsley said it was to check on their Manet. How dumb does she think I am? Then Savannah got mad at me for getting mad at them.”
Ryker silently handed his bourbon over to his cousin who downed it. Thank goodness he’d never fall in love and have to go through this.
Tinsley danced with her husband as other couples began to join them on the dance floor. There was a little commotion as the crowd parted and suddenly Paxton yelped and jumped five feet in the air.
When Tinsley looked to see what had caused it, she didn’t just laugh. She bent over with big belly laughs. She looked up at Gator, Skeeter, and Turtle and swiped at her tears from laughing so hard.
“That is not funny,” Paxton said, shaking his head at them, but the smile on his lips told them all it was very funny.
Tinsley looked down at Bubba, all decked out for the wedding in a bow tie and shook her head. “How did you get him to walk on a leash?”
“We’ve been working on it since you two got engaged,” Gator said proudly. “He loves it. He tries to eat us until we get it on, but then he parades around with it.”
“Then he tries to eat us again when we take it off,” Turtle said, causing Paxton to hide a laugh under a cough.
“We took pictures. It’s our wedding gift,” Skeeter said, holding out a large print.
Paxton took it and looked down at it. She could see him struggling not to laugh. “I love it.”
He turned it around and Tinsley felt her mouth open. “How on earth did you get Bertha to wear a veil?” There was a picture of Bubba and Bertha as a groom and bride. Sketched out in front of them on the sandy bank was Tinsley and Paxton’s wedding date.
“That was a little trickier and bloodier. But we got it,” Gator said proudly.
Paxton held out his hand and shook each of the men’s hands. “It’s the best wedding present I could ever imagine. Thank you all.”
“Shucks. We’re just glad you like it. We’re still going to give you crap for screaming like a girl, though,” Gator said as Skeeter and Turtle nodded.
“That’s fine with me,” Paxton smiled.
Tinsley wrapped her arm around her husband and looked up at him. The ghosts of his past had been left behind as soon as he’d woken up from his surgery. Now they were both filled with the happiness for their future together.
“Come on, Mrs. Kendry. Let’s show them how to dance,” Paxton said as he spun her around the dance floor and
