Colters' Daughter (Colters' Legacy #3)(51)

Ethan stood in the living room. Though he opened his arms for Callie, he looked at Max with an indecipherable expression on his face.

“Be good,” Callie whispered as she hugged her dad.

Ethan kissed her cheek and then extended his hand to Max. “I’m Ethan Colter, one of Callie’s dads.”

“Max Wilder,” Max said as he shook Ethan’s hand.

One down, two to go.

“Where are the other dads?” Callie asked.

“In the kitchen. You and Max get comfortable. I’ll go get them,” Holly said.

Callie perched on the couch next to Max and laced her fingers through his.

“Isn’t it me who should be nervous?” Max murmured. “Relax, Callie. I’m pretty sure they won’t threaten to kick your ass.”

Callie burst into laughter, which caused Ethan to raise an eyebrow in their direction.

Just then Holly returned with Adam and Ryan in tow. Predictably, both dads’ faces were set in stone. Callie rose and when their gazes alighted on her, they softened and warmth entered their eyes.

She hugged Adam first and then went into Ryan’s arms. He squeezed her tight and then pulled her to his side as both dads stared Max down.

“Stop,” Callie hissed. “Give him a chance.”

With a grunt, Ryan disentangled himself from Callie and closed the distance between him and Max. He stuck out his hand. “Ryan Colter. Glad to meet you.”

Max shook his hand and then extended it in Adam’s direction. “Glad to meet you, sir.”

“Where is everyone else?” Callie asked, breaking the silence. “Are they coming?”

Holly nodded. “They’re on their way. Why don’t you come help me in the kitchen a moment, Callie?”

Callie’s mouth popped open. Ethan tried hard to suppress a smile but failed miserably. Holly frowned at them both and then tucked Callie’s hand into her own and pulled her toward the kitchen.

“So, Max, tell us about yourself,” Ryan said.

Holly shoved Callie into the kitchen so she heard no more.

“Subtle, Mom. Real subtle.”

Holly scowled at her daughter. “Better to let your dads interrogate Max without you in the room. Let them do their male bonding or beating their chest or whatever it is they do and we’ll sit in here and have a glass of tea.”

“Poor Max,” Callie sighed.

“He looks quite able to handle anything your fathers throw at him.”

“Soooo, what do you think?” Callie asked.

Holly plunked down on a barstool and her eyes sparkled as she looked back at Callie. “He’s gorgeous, Callie! And the way he looks at you. There’s no doubt he cares a lot about you.”

“He loves me,” Callie said softly. “And I love him.”

“So you’ve worked things out?”

Callie nodded. “Yeah. We’re getting there.”

Holly reached for her wrists and turned them over as she stared at the silver bands. “What are these? They’re beautiful. So feminine and delicate looking!”

Callie’s cheeks warmed. How could she possibly explain their significance to her mother?

“Max bought them for me,” she said in a low voice.

Holly leaned closer and peered at the engraving. “Oh, that’s lovely. Such a wonderful sentiment. That’s funny. He doesn’t strike me as an expressive sort of man.”

Callie smiled. “Oh? What does he strike you as?”

Holly frowned for a moment, her lips pursed in thought. “He seems…hard. Unyielding. Like someone used to getting his way, which of course would never work with you so clearly I’m wrong. You’re such a hardhead. Always have gone your own way, much to your fathers’ and my despair.”

Laughter bubbled out, nearly choking Callie. If her mother only knew.

“You’re pretty dead-on,” Callie said. “Max is very used to getting his own way.”

“Until he met you, anyway,” Holly said cheekily.

She wouldn’t blush. She would not give herself away. She bit her cheek and remained silent, content to let her mom make of her relationship what she wanted. What was between her and Max was private. She wasn’t comfortable with her family knowing the dynamics of their relationship. It would only cause them concern, because they’d never imagine her happy in a situation where she gave up so much control.

“Oh look, the guys are here with Lily,” Holly said as she craned her neck to look out the kitchen window.

Eager to see her sister-in-law, Callie hurried from the kitchen. She cast a quick glance to see her fathers deep in conversation with Max. No one looked like they were ready to kill anyone else, so she took that as a good sign.

Dillon was first inside. He hugged Callie fiercely and cast a dark look in Max’s direction. He moved to the side to hug his mom but made no effort to walk over to Max.

Lily was next inside and Callie pounced on her immediately. Lily hugged her and then whispered urgently in Callie’s ear. “There’s something I have to tell you.”

Callie pulled away in puzzlement. “What’s wrong?”

Lily’s mouth turned down into an unhappy frown. “It’s Seth. He’s been doing some checking.”

Lily was cut off when Seth barreled through the door, his face grimmer than Callie had ever seen it. It went beyond his sheriff look when he tried to be all intimidating. He looked…pissed.