Unexpected Rush (Play-By-Play #11)(65)

Her mother patted her cheek. “You know I’m just joking, honey. Home is Tampa. Always has been, always will be.”

“Unless I get traded to Houston,” Drake said.

“Now you bite your tongue,” Barrett said. “Nobody wants to get traded to Houston.”

Everyone laughed.

Lydia grabbed a clipboard off the kitchen counter.

“Tucker, you and Aubry will be in the cottage. Grant, you, Katrina and the kids will stay in the eastern guesthouse because it has three bedrooms. Barrett and Flynn will be in the downstairs guest room. Diane, you and Harmony in the upstairs room to the left because it has its own bathroom.”

Harmony’s mother smiled. “Thank you, Lydia. You know that’s my favorite room.”

Barrett’s mother gave her a smile. “I remembered that. Drake, you’ll be right next door to them.”

She saw the look Barrett gave her. The one that said they were going to have to fight for alone time.

“Shall we go settle our luggage upstairs?” her mother asked.

She dragged her gaze away from Barrett and smiled at Mama. “Yes. Let’s do that.”

Great. Barrett couldn’t imagine how he’d be able to sneak any time with Harmony with Drake in the room right next to hers, and her sharing a room with her mother. Plus, Barrett would have to share a room with Flynn, who gave him a knowing smirk.

Asshole.

He’d figure it out somehow. Because he wasn’t going to spend a weekend on the ranch and not be with her.

He wandered into the kitchen, grabbed a beer and stepped out onto the front porch. Tucker was out there with a beer in his hand.

Sometimes it was like radar with him and his twin. They always gravitated toward each other. They’d fought like wild animals when they were kids, but they’d always had each other’s backs.

“Saw the game the other night,” Barrett said, as he pulled up a chair next to Tucker. “You didn’t suck when they finally felt sorry for you and let you pitch.”

Tucker’s lips curved. “Thanks.”

“Where’s Aubry?”

“She and Mom and Mia went over to the cottage to unpack the luggage, which I think translates to girl talk about the weddings.”

“So in other words, you weren’t invited.”

“Yup.” Tucker took a long swallow of beer.

“I can’t believe you’re getting married, man. You and Grant.”

“Yeah, sometimes I can’t believe it, either. It’s happened pretty fast, at least for Aubry and me. But we just decided we wanted to make it happen, and neither of our lives is going to slow down or get simpler, so why wait?”

“Grant and Katrina’s is coming up next March and then you and Aubry’s next November.”

“Yeah. Mom’s loving it, though. Marrying off two of her sons in the same year. She’s in heaven right now. Aubry said she sends her links all the time.”

“Well, you know, it’ll probably be a while before Mia’s in the wedding zone. At least as far as I know. So Mom has had to wait for one of us to decide to settle down.”

“Aubry’s having fun with both of the moms helping her with wedding stuff. She’s busy as hell with her residency. She can use all the help she can get.”

“I’m sure she can.”

Tucker turned to him. “What about you? Any weddings on the horizon?”

Barrett laughed. “No.”

“Come on, man. Time to jump in, find a woman and commit.”

Was it? He hadn’t yet found a woman he was interested in committing to.

But just then Harmony walked outside.

“Hey. Have you seen Drake?”

Barrett shook his head.

“He’s out at the barn with Grant and my dad,” Tucker said. “Dad bought some classic car that he’s showing off to them.”

“Okay. Thanks, Tucker.”

“Is there something you need, Harmony?” Barrett asked.

She gave him a sweet smile. “No. I’m good. But thanks, Barrett.”

“Okay.”

Harmony disappeared inside.

“Oh . . . I see,” Tucker said, his lips lifting.

Barrett frowned. “You see nothing. Especially with those glasses you wear.”

“I see just fine. And speaking of just fine . . . Harmony definitely is.”

Barrett looked around, but no one was in sight. He cradled his beer in both hands and stared straight ahead. “Nothing to see, Tucker.”

“I’m not blind, man. I’m also good with keeping secrets. Is it a secret?”

Damn his twin brother for ferreting out what was going on between him and Harmony with one look. “I don’t want Drake to know. Not right now. It’s complicated. He and I are best friends and Drake’s protective of Harmony. Like . . . way overprotective. I don’t know how to explain it well. I just feel it could put a wedge in our friendship.”

“I get it. You need to figure out if what you and Harmony have is real before you get into it with her brother.”

Tucker was the first one who truly understood. “Yeah.”

“I won’t say anything. Didn’t see anything. Don’t know anything.”

He grinned. “Thanks.”