Chapter 12

12

“You are upset about something. Tell us what it is.”

Dylan turned. Right there beside the desk were two of her million sisters. Two who she knew almost better than she knew herself. Beautiful, identical faces watched her. “I am not upset about anything.”

“How is the big bossman today?” Devaney asked, giving her that smirk her sister had perfected years ago. It could be a bit annoying, that smirk. “He was looking rather fine when he walked you in tonight.”

“He didn’t walk me in. He came in to say hello to her .” Charlotte. But Charlotte wasn’t around, so Fletcher had told Dylan he was going home to eat and take care of a few things and would be back to get her before her shift ended. Which—she had about fifteen minutes until that happened. “It is late. Shouldn’t the two of you be in bed or doing homework or off on hot dates somewhere?”

She eyed Devaney—that girl had been seen walking around the inn with one Mr. Logen Hauffman lately. And, well, she wasn’t really ready to talk about Fletcher.

There had been something in the way he looked at her tonight. And even when he’d realized Charlotte wasn’t in the inn anywhere, he had been strangely reluctant to leave. She’d also told him she’d get a ride back—her uncle had been right there—but Fletcher insisted he was coming back to get her.

“It’s not me who needs to explain herself. So spill. What is it like living with a man?” Devaney asked. “Inquiring minds want to know.”

“It’s like living with Dad. He’s a man.” Dylan knew she was deliberately avoiding the question Devaney was really asking. “I take care of the things inside the house, and he does all the ranch stuff. We only see each other a little bit.”

“Have you been arguing a lot? Has he been really mean?” Dahlia whispered.

“Not at all. Mostly, the man just works…and eats. He really likes to eat. I left him beef stew tonight.”

But Devaney was looking at her—her sister knew. Devaney had magic powers or something. She had always known when something was bothering Dylan.

But she didn’t know what it was that was bothering her—it had been something in the way he had looked at her tonight.

* * *

Fletcher had been off-kilter all night. Ever since the damned grocery store. His damned house had seemed so damned empty without her there. He’d wanted to see her, be with her, and that was just driving him insane.

The woman was going to be the end of him.

In more ways than one.

He parked in the private family parking lot. Most times, he used the front visitor’s, but since he was picking up one of the family, he wanted to be closer. He didn’t want her slipping on the ice either. Just like he would have picked up Dusty or Nikki at the inn.

There was a small crowd of people at the entrance when he stepped in.

“Hey, gorgeous,” Charlotte said, looking at him with a confused look. “What are you doing here so late? Dining room is closed.”

“I bet I know.” His sister snickered at him. “Looking for your housekeeper, dear bubba?”

“Yes, actually. She nearby?”

“We just got here,” Charlotte said. “We’re going to find food—I am starving—and then we are going to use the conference room. We have to find identical twins fast.”

“Identical twins who look enough like Perci and Pan and who can act and are willing to do it,” Rowland Bowles said. The man looked horrible. His assistant, Jenny, was standing next to him. She looked exhausted. They all did. “They seem to be mythical creatures.”

Fletcher just hugged Charlotte like he always did and nodded. He’d heard the story of what was going on from Nikki and Hunter a few days ago. Hunter looked just as stressed. “Any luck?”

“We need to replace four women. Two shouldn’t be much of a problem. But the twins, I had trouble finding actresses as it was.” Rowland was about ready to panic.

Jenny told him to calm his ass down. His panic and melodrama weren’t helping anyone. All in a sweet, melodic tone.

Fletcher liked Jenny. They had met many times before.

“So…what’s this about your housekeeper?” Quade Davis, the asshole, asked. “She doing okay?”

It wasn’t any of Quade’s damned business. And the guy was eyeing Fletcher like he knew exactly what had been on Fletcher’s mind all day. “She had to cover for Daisy tonight. I dropped her off. Now I’m here to get her again.”

“Someone could have run her home,” Charlotte said. “Not like it’s that far. It’s a little late for you to be out, isn’t it?”

“Big brother has an eight o’clock bedtime. I heard Dylan insists now,” Nikki said. “She told me he gets crankier if he doesn’t get enough sleep.”

“I’m sure she did,” Charlotte snickered at him. Those green eyes were laughing at him. Just like Dylan’s always did. They had the same eyes, no denying that.

Fletcher just grunted. He didn’t want to deal with Charlotte and Nikki tonight. He wanted to find his housekeeper and get home. Make sure that he hadn’t imagined whatever it was before.

* * *

Dylan’s sisters were some of the most annoying creatures on the planet. Devaney just kept pushing Dylan to tell her what she was feeling about Fletcher. And her sister could see her very soul sometimes. It was really irritating sometimes. Especially since Dylan didn’t know what she felt about that man right now.

It wasn’t like there was ever going to be anything with her and Fletcher. That was just insane to even think about. And she wasn’t going to think about it, she decided, while she put the last of the clean silverware rolls where they could find them in the morning, and Devaney was helping Dahlia with the clean buffet pans. Dahlia liked hiding in the kitchen best, with Meyra. And with what had happened to Meyra recently, their cousin was taking some extra time off. Dylan completely understood that.

A crowd came in. Dylan turned—the dining room was well past closed. It would be her job to chase them away. But…Fletcher was there.

And Charlotte.

And people Dylan didn’t really recognize besides Nikki and Hunter. “Hey, peeps. Sorry, we’re closed. No food.”

“Not even for me?” a voice said behind Fletcher and Hunter and a man she did not recognize at all. “Hey, babe. Miss me?”

“Quade!” Dylan laughed and let him scoop her up. “I didn’t know you were coming back so soon.”

“Still problem-solving. You doing okay? Liking your new…job?” He shot Fletcher a look. One Dylan really didn’t quite understand. It was almost a challenge. Fletcher tensed and almost pulled her closer to him.

Well, he and Quade really were fighting lately, weren’t they? Quade took off to call his brothers. She watched him go—there had been a look in his eyes she hadn’t understood. She would have to get to the bottom of whatever it was as soon as she could. Sometimes she thought Quade needed a bit of a keeper, too.

The kitchen door opened. Her three younger sisters almost came tumbling through. They’d picked up a Dorie a few hours ago—she’d helped, but she wasn’t on the schedule for tonight. Her sister was lonely, Dylan thought. She was the baby of the Talley clan, after all. And her new friends had all been off tonight.

“Dylan, we—” Dahlia said and then stopped, seeing the crowd. She took two steps back, shy like she always was. She was almost back in the kitchen, she was so far away.

Devaney stepped in front of her twin. “Oh. We heard voices and wanted to check on you. Make sure you were okay.”

“I am always okay, Devaney, I am always okay. Char’s back. Again. That whole popping up out of nowhere thing,” Dylan said.

“I turn up like a wart. Hi, girls.” Charlotte looked at her friends, especially the red-haired man who was not a Tyler. Who was eyeing her sisters in a completely weird way. Dylan shifted in front of them. That whole overprotective big-sister thing. “You three look like you are up to something.”

“We are always up to something. It’s genetic,” Dylan told her. “You have met our father, correct?”

“That I have. And I do believe it. Of all eight of you.”

“Hello, Charlotte,” Dorie said. “Grandma said you were checked in. Welcome home.”

“It’s been a long day. And we’re going to be in the conference room. Working. For several more hours,” Charlotte said.

It was already near eleven. Yikes.

Her cousin looked beyond exhausted. Dylan thought about what they could possibly need. “There are pulled pork BBQ trays already thawed out, Char. I can heat one up in about fifteen if you all need food. Plenty of time to thaw another one out before the crew in the morning; we had out an extra already. There are fresh potato salads in the cooler too, and I can open a bag of salad greens. Nothing fancy, but we can provide food.”

“I think you are my favorite cousin of all time,” Charlotte said. Devaney and Dahlia shifted a little—where Dahlia was more visible. She gave the people her signature shy, sweet look. “Hi, Dahlia. You doing okay?”

Everyone looked at Dahlia as she finally stepped out.

“OMG, there are two of you!” The other redheaded man hit his knees. Just feet away from Dylan. “There are two of you! And you are beyond beautiful!”

Dylan couldn’t help it—she squeaked and jumped. Hard, hot, familiar hands caught her. She found herself pulled back against Fletcher’s strong, broad chest. “You good, brat?”

“Yeah. Just…what is this man doing exactly?” He was saying praise to the heavens and offering his soul to the goddess of twins right now. A bit of an extreme reaction to seeing her sisters, that was for sure. “Is he possibly off his rocker?”

“This man…this incredibly grateful, blessed man,” the man said. “Is begging the two most beautiful identical twins I have ever seen to let me make them my stars.”

“Is this dude a pimp or something, Char? Just what exactly are you getting into in that great big city of yours?” Devaney asked, calm as she always was. “I’m starting to get concerned here.”

“I think it’s a stress-induced reaction,” Charlotte said, equally as calm. “He’s been looking for identical twins for the docudrama. Been a bit of a long journey for him. He’s just not holding up well, I’m afraid.”

“That is a bit of an understatement,” Devaney said.

“You have identical twins right here in Masterson, in your family, beautiful, beautiful, young, redheaded twins, and you didn’t share that information?” the man said. “I feel betrayed. Betrayed! Introduce us, you wicked Charlotte creature. I am begging you.”

“Are we redheaded?” Dahlia whispered to Devaney.

“Just a little. Mostly lighter brown, though. I think this guy is a bit looney. Stay close. I’ll protect you,” Devaney told her twin.

“Have some dignity, Rowland. You are going off the deep end,” the redheaded woman Dylan didn’t recognize said.

“Rowland Bowles, director extraordinaire,” Charlotte said drily. “Meet Devaney and Dahlia Talley. Yes, they are identical. Their sisters Dylan Talley and Dorie Talley, not identical. My newest cousins. I was trying to protect them from your insanity. Family obligation and everything.”

Okay, so that was Rowland Bowles, Charlotte and Quade’s director. He was a bit more something than she had expected.

“Please, please, please, be mine. I need twins. I need you.”

“Well, it’s very nice to be needed,” Devaney said. “I’m not so sure you are doing a great job of that, Char. I am just not so sure. Might want to work a little bit harder. You may just be the family underachiever, I think.”

“Devaney, dear, Poophead Dad said underachiever is my role in the family. Multiple times this week. Please do not give it to Charlotte.” Dylan felt obligated to say it. “I’ll start to feel displaced or something.”

“Of course. I forgot.” Devaney just shot the man a mildly sarcastic look. “Please excuse me. We have a lot of underachievers in our gene pool, apparently.”

“Oh, please, be my Perci, you beautiful creature. Please!” the redheaded man said.

“I have heard of you,” Dahlia said quietly—but not a whisper. “I have watched all of your movies. You are very good.”

“Sweetie, how would you like to be in one of those movies?”

Dahlia looked at Dylan. “Dylan, is he for real?”

“Beats me. I’m just a spectator,” Dylan said, leaning against the man behind her. It just sort of…happened. He was big and strong and just watching. “Life just gets weirder and weirder around this place.”

“No kidding. What’s this I hear about you moving in with Fletcher, anyway?” Charlotte asked. Her gaze narrowed, dropped. To the hands currently around Dylan’s waist. She hadn’t even realized he was still holding her—he’d just felt warm and safe and… “Or do I really need to ask? Just what are you doing with my baby cousin, Fletcher Tyler? You have some serious explaining to do.”

Well. Not like Dylan poached or anything. “I’m just his housekeeper, you know.”

“Sure you are. Sure you are. I know all about Tylers and their housekeepers.” Charlotte looked at his hands when Fletcher snatched them back. “All about them.”

“Huh? What about Tylers and their housekeepers?” Dylan looked at Fletcher. “What is she talking about?”

Nikki peeled with laughter. Charlotte wasn’t much better. She laughed until she cried.

“Okay, so what am I missing?”

Hunter sent her a grin. “I’m sure Fletcher will tell you later.”

“People around here can be really strange,” Dahlia said, taking a step back from the redheaded man still on his knees. “Dylan, is this normal?”

“No, sweetie. It really isn’t. I’m beginning to think this place is the least normal place we have ever lived before.”