Quin’s belly rumbled, and he wanted one right now, with a huge scoop of homemade vanilla, his ice cream of choice. Getting dressed in a pair of shorts that were almost ready for the rag pile and a T-shirt from college, he made his way barefooted to the kitchen. True to his word, his brother was eating one of the pies.
“You’re a pig.” He didn’t even bother denying it but nodded at him. Then he introduced him to his new cook. “Good to meet you, Mrs. Barclay. Do you know which person sent you to my home?”
“Brook Foster. She told me that any man worth his salt can cook, but there isn’t any reason for it if he hires someone to wipe his butt too. She’s a very vocal person, I think.” They both laughed. “I’m glad to be here. All you men—she got cooks for the rest of you single brothers. Told me to tell you that so you could let your brothers know. I like it here. If I make you a list of stuff I’ll need, how do I get it to you? Oh, my husband is going to do the butlering things for you. He likes being able to dress up, so you know.”
They made arrangements for her to be able to order for his house. Quin didn’t know how much to have her order, but he figured if she knew Brook, she had told her how. He was having his second slice of pie with whipped cream, the real stuff when he heard a helicopter go overhead.
If he’d not seen his brother when he heard it, too, he wouldn’t have believed how his entire body had changed in that second. Excitement like he’d never seen before not only had Loman smiling, but he was nearly giddy with it. Standing up, he did a dance around the room and even danced with Mrs. Barclay. Loman asked him if he’d go with him to pick her up, and Quin not only said he would but nearly didn’t change into something more presentable. Quin was putting on his shoes as he got in the car.
“Why are you in such a hurry? She’s going to be here for a while, I guess.” Loman told him how long it had been since he’d seen her. “I guess I can understand your excitement then. Seven years is a long time. But that means it’s a solid relationship if you can get this excited about seeing someone after this long.”
“Damn it.” Quin asked him what was wrong now. “Ronan picked her up before I could. Now I have to share her with everyone else when I see her. He was taking the kids out for ice cream and heard her coming in. I’m to go to Don’s house where her sister is.”
Turning around, they headed back to town. It wasn’t that far, but it was a good distance if you had to walk. Quin asked his brother if he thought Cass was going to win the suit for Rogen’s sister.
“Yes. I do. He took a few phone messages for Lily earlier. Missy, that’s the ex-wife’s name, had called Lily. I went out and got her another phone, so she’d not have to hear what that woman is spewing at her. I guess she’s really pissed off that Lily is going to try and get her things back. She threatened her to the point where she and the kids are going to hang out with one of us when they go into town now.” He also told him about Billy, the oldest daughter. “It might just be a passing phase for her. I don’t know a great deal about fifteen-year-old girls, but if you could take her with you or even to your office, it would be a great favor to me.”
“Sure. I’d love to.” He thought about having a girl at his office. While he didn’t care one way or the other if someone wanted to tag along with him, he didn’t want to have to put up with some girly girl in his office. He might even think of ways to let her see the dirtier side of veterinary care. “Have you thought of what will happen if this woman—either of them, I guess—turns out to be a mate for any of us?”
“I have given that a great deal of thought, as a matter of fact. I would be thrilled to no end to have one of you married to my best friend.” Quin laughed until he realized Loman was serious. “What? You don’t think you would like a woman who is a combination of Brook and Parker? Scary thought, I know, but you couldn’t do any better than Rogue. She’s about the most loyal and best friend I’ve ever had in all my life. And she saved my life.”
“When?” He just shook his head. “You’re going to have to tell me after saying that, Loman. I mean, was it a figurative saving or literal?”
“Literal. She saved my life, and I’ll never be able to pay her back. She also got me on the right path to working in college. If not for her, I would have dropped out. That would have been a bad decision on my part. I have a lot to be thankful for about her. So does Cass.”
Quin thought about that all the way to his brother’s home. Whatever was going on with this woman, if she saved his family, he couldn’t help but like her.
As soon as they pulled into the drive, Ronan was right behind him. The kids went to Rogue like they’d not seen her in years instead of only a few days. He got a kick out of
