“Call me when you need to be picked up,” he says, bringing me back into the conversation.

“I don’t need you to pick me up. I don’t plan on drinking that much.”

“I love when you drink, baby,” he says. I can hear the smile in his voice and I roll my eyes. “Call when you need to be picked up,” he repeats more firmly than the previous time.

“Fine.” I sigh, knowing there’s no point in arguing with him. “Love you.”

“Love you too, baby,” he says, and I click the phone off, set it on the counter, and get into the shower. It’s been a month since the night Kayan and I went to spy on Z, things have cooled down. The guys who had taken Landon’s sister were arrested by Uncle Nico and are awaiting trial. I was definitely looking forward to them getting what they deserved, and hopefully that came in the form of becoming the bitch of some scary inmate in the state pen. I found out through Wes that Snake had taken Landon’s sister and was using her as leverage over Ronnie the owner of Mamma’s Country Landon also confided in Wes with the information about the dogfights that were being held. He said that when the guy Snake and his boys had taken over a few times a week they would hold fights but he didn’t know where the dogs came from. He said that when he was forced to remove the loosing dog he would take them to me in hopes that I could save them. I hated that there were probably still dogs suffering somewhere but I was thankful that Snake no longer had a hold over Landon or his father.

Kayan also opened up about being pregnant. She was afraid I would have the same reaction her parents had. They were disappointed in her for having a baby with someone they didn’t approve of, but her parents had always been part crazy, so I was glad she was finding a way to get over what they thought. She also admitted to me that she and Z had been seeing each other since their first encounter, but she wasn’t sure then where their relationship was going until the night they came over for tacos. He made it clear then that he wanted to be with her and that he wasn’t taking no for an answer.

She also said that half the things she said I needed to ignore, because the hormones were making her partly crazy. That, I had to agree with her on. If it weren’t against the law, I would have fired her already. The other day, someone called about having their dog fixed, and she freaked out on them, questioned them on how they would feel if their balls were chopped off.

After that outburst, it took me a good hour to get the person calm enough to continue using me as their Vet, and the whole time I was talking to them, she was crying, apologizing about how she acted. I don’t know if I’m going to be able to deal with her for the next few months. I feel bad for Z, but I swear every time I’m around them and she freaks out about something or another, he gets a weird smile on his face, like he thinks it’s the most adorable thing he has ever seen in his life. They are both insane, and I guess a perfect match.

I finish getting washed up, get out, and wrap a towel around my head. I go out to the kitchen, grab a bottle of water before feeding both Juice and Capone, and then go back into the bathroom to blow out my hair, using a large round brush so the volume is at full capacity. Once I have my hair dry, I put large rollers into my hair with clips.

Going out with my sisters and cousins is different than going out with my normal girlfriends. Even in high school, we would all compete with each other for the most over the top look, even if we were just going to a bonfire. I think part of the reason we did it was no one else could ever really understand our fathers, and the extreme competitiveness in which they raised us.

We are all daddies’ girls, and we all fought tooth and nail to get our way, some more than others. My cousin Ashlyn has had it the hardest of any of us. Uncle Cash is overly protective of her, so when we were younger and she would go out with us, it was the one time he didn’t fight her on her outfit or makeup, because he, my dad, and my other uncles would get together, drink beer, and complain about us, while our moms rolled their eyes and insisted we have our time. I don’t regret the way I grew up. Having the father I have has shown me how a man is supposed to treat not only his wife, but also his children.

I start my makeup with a smoky eye that causes my eye color to pop, and then add bronzer and blush that define my cheekbones. I use a lip liner to make my lips look even plumper than normal then find the perfect shade of light pink lipstick that gives me a nice, pouty mouth. Wes has never seen me this dolled up, so I have no idea what his reaction is going to be tonight when he comes to pick me up.

After my hair and makeup are done, I go to my closet, pull out the dress I bought a few weeks ago, and set it on the bed. Going to the dresser to pull out a black strapless bra and a seamless black thong, I put both on and look at myself in the mirror. The bra gives me the perfect amount of cleavage, and the thong sits just above my pubic bone, the fabric black but sheer, letting you see everything.

I step into the dress, the strapless ensemble ending just above my knees. The fabric covering my breasts is tight, and then the waist poofs out where there are pockets. The bottom is tight again, showing off my hips and ass. After struggling with the zipper for a few minutes, I slip on a pair of five-inch heels that wrap around my ankles and have a slim strap across my toes. Once I’m completely dressed, I step in front of the mirror, unroll my hair, toss the rollers onto the bed, and then fluff my hair. I look hot and am glad Wes isn’t home, ’cause I have a feeling that he if he was here to see me, I wouldn’t be allowed to leave the house.

I touch up my lipstick then head to the front room and grab my coat from the closet before going to the garage, which Wes cleaned out for me so I could actually fit my jeep inside without having to climb out the trunk.

Once I pull out onto the highway, I call December to let her know I’m on my way to my parents’ house. My sisters normally stay with me when they are in town, but since Wes is basically living with me, they decided to give us our space and have been staying at my mom and dad’s.

After I park and get out, not even knocking before going inside, the moment I cross the threshold, I see my sisters all standing in the kitchen, each of them defending themselves against my dad. My sister June has on a navy blue dress that is the same length as mine, but the outer shell is a lace material. Her long brown hair is tied back in a straight ponytail.

December is wearing a dress similar to mine, only hers has one long sleeve, and her long dirty-blonde hair is down each side of her breasts. May has a dress with cap-sleeves. The top is tight then it flows out at the waist, making her waist look perfectly curvy and her long white-blonde hair is pulled over one shoulder, showing off the curve of her neck. April has on a dark purple dress that swoops down, showing off her cleavage and tattoos. Her bright red hair that she colored weeks ago is hanging in waves down her back. I have seen my sister with every color hair you can think of, but she always looks beautiful. June smiles looking at me instead of wearing a dress she has on a black strapless romper with a chunky gold necklace that somehow accentuates her cleavage the bottom of the romper flares out at the ankle showing off a pair of gold heels that I may have to steel from her. Her hair is short but the cut stylish, which fits her almond, shaped face perfectly.