Colters' Lady (Colters' Legacy #2)(5)

He left her to run her water, and he headed into the kitchen to see what he could rummage up for dinner. It was lucky for him he’d gone to the market the day before so he had all the ingredients on hand for a decent meal.

His dads had taught him to cook—taught all his brothers to cook—because A. his mother was hopeless in the kitchen and B. his dads lived by one truth: Women should be cherished and protected, and there wasn’t a woman more loved or cherished than Holly Colter.

Maybe that’s where the overwhelming protective urge he felt when he first saw Lily came from.

He shook his head. No, he felt a certain obligation to any woman in need, but it was different with Lily. She was his. He couldn’t explain it—in truth he was utterly baffled by it—but he didn’t fight it. It felt…right.

After browning the boneless pork chops in the pan, he put together the casserole and then popped it into the oven. It wasn’t exactly cordon bleu, but pork chop casserole was great comfort food, and Lily looked like she needed comfort most of all.

He set the timer and then his cell phone rang. The ringtone signaled it was someone from the Colter household. Probably his mom. With a smile, he dug his phone out and said hello.

“Hi sweetie.”

His mom’s voice, filled with warmth and love, came over the line. He relaxed. It was a natural reaction around her. He didn’t know of anyone who didn’t do the same when she spoke to them.

“Hi, Mom. How are you?”

“I’m good. I’m more interested in hearing how you are. You haven’t called in a while.”

There was gentle reproach in her voice that he didn’t miss. Guilt made him cringe.

“Sorry,” he mumbled. “Haven’t had much to say.”

“Are you feeling all right? Are you still hurting?” she asked anxiously.

“I’m fine, Mom. I swear. My shoulder hardly bothers me anymore. I have a psych evaluation next week, and as long as I don’t froth at the mouth I should be cleared for work.”

“You should come visit before you go back to work, Seth. We don’t see enough of you anymore. After you go back to work, you’ll never make it over.”

“I’ll see what I can do. Promise. How are the dads?” he asked.

She sighed but allowed him to change the subject. “They’re as good as ever. Ethan is in town helping your brother do some repairs on the pub. They had trouble last night.”

Seth frowned. “What kind of trouble? Is Dillon all right?”

“Oh, he’s fine. Just a bunch of drunk college kids. Broke out a window. Lacey locked them up and they spent the night in jail.”

Seth smiled. Life in Clyde. It never changed.

“Adam and Ryan are here. Did you want to speak to them?”

Though it was voiced as a seemingly innocent question, it was anything but. It was a command, and one he didn’t dare ignore. His mom was about the sweetest woman on earth, but she was also a tyrant when it came to her family.

“Sure, put one of them on.”

Seth sighed and waited.

“Son, how are you doing?”

Adam Colters’ voice, as gruff as ever, came over the line, and Seth smiled. Damn but it was good to hear their voices. His mom was right. He didn’t call often enough.

“I’m good, Dad. How are things there? Is Mom doing okay?”

Adam sighed. “It’s not your mother you need to be worried about.”

Seth laughed. “What’s she on your asses about now?”

“You,” Adam said bluntly. “You know, if you’d just come see her, our lives might go back to being peaceful.”

“Is it my fault you married a tyrant?”

“Don’t sass me, boy,” Adam growled. “I can still whip your ass.”

Seth laughed again and felt the tightness in his chest ease. A tightness he hadn’t realized he’d carried around so much lately.

“How is everyone else? How is Michael’s practice doing?”

“Good. Real good. He’s busier than a one-armed paper hanger. Your mother stays after him about sleeping enough. Ryan and Ethan and I keep telling her that the only way the boy is going to make a success of his practice is if he gets out there where the animals are. You know your mother, though. She’s only concerned that he’s eating and resting.”

“Yeah, I hear you on that,” Seth said in amusement. “Mom said that Dillon had some trouble at his place?”

There was silence for a moment and Seth tensed.

“Dillon wasn’t there when it happened. Your sister was. Your mother doesn’t know that part of it, so you don’t need to mention it.”

“What? Callie’s back? When did this happen and why did no one tell me?”

“She didn’t stop in at your place when she flew in to Denver?”

Seth frowned. “No, this is the first I’ve heard of it. I thought she was still in Europe. I got an email from her a couple weeks ago and nothing since.”

“Your mother’s convinced something happened to her. Callie’s tightlipped, though, and isn’t talking. She just showed up a few days ago and asked Dillon if she could work behind the bar at his place.”

“Damn,” Seth murmured. He and Callie were close. All his siblings were, but he’d always shared a closer relationship with his little sister than his two brothers. And she hadn’t said a word to him about coming back.