A Fool's Gold Christmas (Fool's Gold #9.5)(34)

Evie scrambled to her feet and stepped in front of Dante. “You so did not. Because there is no way you have the right to get involved in my personal life. And just because you’re paying for this townhouse doesn’t mean you have the right to enter unannounced.”

Rafe ignored her. “I told you to check on her. To look after her.”

Evie spun to face Dante, who was pulling on his jeans. “He told you that?”

Dante stood and fastened his pants. “He mentioned something about it.” His gaze settled on her. “You know that’s not why I’m here.”

She paused, then nodded briefly. “I do. It’s okay.”

“It’s not okay,” Shane told her. “Nothing about this is okay.”

She turned toward her brothers. “No. You don’t get to dictate my personal life. You gave up that right a long time ago and you know it.”

She expected them to back off. It wasn’t as if they could have much of an argument. But Clay actually stepped forward.

“Evie, don’t you get it? You’re our sister and we love you.”

* * *

FIVE MINUTES LATER Dante finished dressing. Evie had sent her brothers to the kitchen to wait. She drew a sweater over her head, then pulled her hair free. Dante pulled her into his arms.

“Freaked out?” he asked.

“A little.”

“Sorry that had to happen. Families are a complication.”

She nodded, knowing in this case, he didn’t have a problem with complications. She knew he would do anything to have his mom back. Because of that, she wasn’t about to complain about her brothers showing up the way they did.

“I’ll see you later?” he asked.

“I’d like that.”

“Why don’t I come over around five with takeout and a movie,” he told her. “We can have a quiet evening in.”

She stepped into his embrace and hung on for a second. Dante was strong and warm and the kind of guy she would find it easy to fall for. Not that it would be a smart move. After all, he’d made it clear he didn’t do long-term, and she had spent years loving people who wouldn’t love her back.

He kissed her and then stepped back. “Come on. You can walk me to the door so no one feels compelled to attack.”

“Probably for the best,” she said, taking his hand in hers. “Clay knows martial arts. I think he could kill you with a matchbook cover.”

Dante winced. “I really didn’t need to know that.”

She laughed.

Her good humor lasted until they reached the living room. Dante grabbed his jacket and left, while she had to go face her brothers.

She hesitated, confused by Clay’s seemingly earnest words.

They loved her? That was news, as far as she was concerned. They didn’t act as if they loved her. Until she’d been forcibly moved to Fool’s Gold after her injury, she hadn’t seen any of them in over a year. Except for Rafe, who had shown up in the early part of the summer.

She wanted to say it didn’t matter, except she kind of liked the idea of having family who cared. She’d been alone for what felt like forever.

No, she told herself firmly. She wasn’t getting sucked in to home and hearth and all that crap. It was the season and Fool’s Gold. The town was holiday obsessed. How was she supposed to maintain a sensible amount of emotional reserve when she was going to things like tree lighting ceremonies?

She drew in a breath, then walked purposefully into the kitchen. Her brothers sat at the bar stools by the counter. They each had a mug of coffee and plates littered with dark crumbs. Her lone bag of bread was now crumbled and empty.

“You don’t have a lot of food around here,” Shane said. “You need to go to the store. Toast isn’t breakfast.”

Clay nodded at the refrigerator. “You don’t even have milk.”

“I drink my coffee black.”

“Why?”

She sighed. “You can’t do this. You can’t show up with no warning.”

“Because we might find you in bed with a guy?” Rafe asked flatly. “I don’t like you sleeping with Dante.”

Evie faced him. “You don’t get a vote. I’m over eighteen.”

“That’s not the point.”

“It’s exactly the point. He’s a good guy. I like him. It’s not your business.”

“I work with him.”

“Then don’t ask how his weekend was because, believe me, you don’t want details.”

Clay stood and leaned toward her. “Is it a money thing?”

Evie stared at him, unable to grasp what he was asking. Then she realized he was still talking about the lack of food in her refrigerator and not her reasons for sleeping with Dante.

“It’s not money. I don’t keep food in the house because if it’s here, I’ll eat it.”

Shane picked up his mug. “What else would you do with food?”

Clay punched him in the arm. “It’s about weight, moron.” He turned back to her. “You need to eat. You’re too thin.”

“Is that possible?” she asked, trying to go for humor and suspecting she failed.

“You’re not dancing anymore, Evie,” Clay told her. “It’s okay to be like everyone else.”