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I think about the way Tenley called Loren and the girls my family before. Nothing has ever felt so right. “You heard me.”
“I’m not letting you kidnap my sister and tell her what?—”
I ignore him as I turn to open the door this time, looking up at Loren.
“Hey, how are you feeling right now?”
She inhales raggedly. “Honestly? Very overwhelmed. A little terrified. Somewhat angry, and mostly hungry.”
I grin at her. “Okay. I told you I’d take you wherever you wanted to go. And I will.”
She nods.
“And I agree that you should see your mom, but on your terms and no one else’s.”
She shakes her head. “I’m not ready today.”
“So can I take you home?”
“Well, I?—”
“I’ll feed you on the way, Agnes.”
Her smile stretches wide, and she relaxes her shoulders. “Then take me home, Gus-Gus.”
I wink at her before turning back to Landry. He’s standing with his arms crossed, glaring daggers at my head.
“Sorry, Lando. You heard your sister. We’ll catch you next time we’re in town. Give my regards to your mama.”
Then I hop in the truck and leave him pouting in the parking lot while I reach over and lace Loren’s fingers through mine.
“Blake?”
“Yeah?”
“Will you still come with me, once I’m ready?”
My heart skips a beat. “Of course, Lo. Anything for you.”
CHAPTER 28
Loren
EIGHT MONTHS AGO
I duckdown in a hurry when I see Blake approaching the concession stand. He’s the last person I want to see after our interaction earlier today, when he basically declared me too unattractive to make anyone jealous.
I’m not even sure why I’m letting it bother me so much, but I am. I’ve never had trouble ignoring his insults in the past.
Well, maybe that’s not completely true. But even though it’s been a long time since I cared what Blake Bourgeois thought of me, for some reason his words cut a little deeper today than I expected, and I couldn’t bear letting him see that.
“Hey, Mrs. Kelli,” he greets my co-teacher at the window beside me, and she smiles widely, batting her eyelashes as they make small talk.
“What’s Jeff up to these days? You know, he still owes me a morning in that fancy duck blind of his,” he inquires about her husband, making me roll my eyes.
“So, what can I get for you, Coach Blake?” she asks after a while, her eyes flickering down to me. She’s probably wondering why I’m watching from the ground. I look away quickly and pretend to dig around in my purse for my phone.
Then I make the mistake of glancing up again, only to see Blake’s muscular forearms resting on the counter. “Oh, I’ll just take a Gatorade. And how about some of those Reese’s footballs?”
