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He nods. I place my hand on the small of his back and give him a nudge. “Go apologize. And I’ll see you later today, okay?”
I stay rooted to my spot as Bear and his aunt share a hug, her hand clamped onto the back of his head, relief lifting her from her collapsed position on the ground.
She lifts her head off his shoulder, looking at me through the tall grass. “Thank you,” she breathes, still holding tight to her nephew.
“Ivy and I came out here to work and he was out here, skipping stones.” I smile at Bear, and realize he’s carefully taking in every word of this. I like Everly, and she likes me. But I hate this moment because sheisat fault. And had we not come out here, who knows. Maybe Bear would have been fine.
Maybe not.
“I’m glad we came out and explained to him why adventuring alone isn’t okay, and why it’s dangerous.” My lips twitch with the unused rant hovering on my tongue. Everyone makes mistakes, andEverly will be my family very soon. I can’t dislike her. I don't even want to. Still. “Bear, your safety is of the utmost importance to everyone around, so make sure you don’t sneak off again.”
I pass a glance back to my sister. There are years between the three of us, but I swear to God we share that twin bond. Ivy and Juni know what I’m thinking as soon as I think it, and vice versa. Ivy rests one hand on the weeping willow as she stands amidst our art supplies. She smiles at Ev. “Thank God we were here, huh?
Ev blinks a few times. “Yes,” she says, “thank God.”
She thanks us again and they head back up to the house. I haven’t spoken to Hudson since he came by the morning after the hospital, asking how I was feeling.
When he brought a bag of spider killing supplies.
Ever masturbated to a man bringing you spider killing spray? I have.
But after this mini incident, I wonder if I’ll hear from him today. I hope I do. Deuce’s bachelor party is this weekend, and he’s taking his boys to Las Vegas to celebrate. Hudson is leaving Bear with Everly, and they’d invited us over for a sleepover the first night. Juniper has plans, and Ivy has zero interest in hanging out with Everly now that Deuce is going to be her boss, so only I said yes.
Between the incident of Bear sneaking out and the upcoming weekend away, he’ll surely come talk to me today.
After I’m done working on my greeting cards for this weekend’s farmers market, I plan to go home and prepare for his visit.
He will come see me.
I just know it.
fourteen
LET ME LIVE IN DELUSION, DAMN IT.
Hudson
“I don’t expect you to cook all weekend, either,” I tell Everly as she tugs a t-shirt over Bear’s head. I’m gonna take him to the creek for a few hours before I leave for the weekend, to store up quality time with my favorite person doing his favorite thing. “That’s why I just ordered three pizzas and a salad.” I tug open the fridge, my eyes gravitating to the large tupperware on the middle shelf. “Tiffani brought food by, too.”
Everly, who has been Tiffani’s personal damn cheerleader thus far, stills, her fingers still lost in Bear’s hair as she styles it. “She did?”
I hide the smirk threatening to coil my lips. She doesn’t like that Tiffani did that, and yet she’s the one pushing metoward her like a magnet. “What?” I question, feigning innocence.
Bear grips the chair handles as she continues styling his hair, a furrow in her brow. “Well, I mean, it’s not like Bear is staying home alone all weekend.”
I bring a can of Coke to my lips straight from the fridge, letting the carbonation wash away the chuckle in my throat. “Well, hang on a second now,” I start, crossing the house to stand in front of them. “Has she tasted your biscuits and gravy?”
Bear brings his hands to his face, cupping his mouth as he giggles. Everly elbows me. “I’m choosing not to be offended by the casserole but instead view it as her trying to impress you.”
I finish the Coke with a second drink. “Casserole doesn’t impress anyone.”
Bear laughs again, and this time, Ev and I do, too. “Well,” she adds, walking to the sink to wash product from her hands while Bear runs off to grab his rock bucket. Bear made a habit of collecting stones on the way to the creek, so last summer, I bought him a bucket and asked Dolly to paint his name on it. He’s got hundreds of dollars of stuffed animals and toys, and that rock bucket is his favorite damn thing.
Once he’s out of earshot, Ev continues. “I know she isn’t your dream girl, Hudson. But she’s trying. And you need to try too.”
“We had breakfast,” I reply, even though I already told her that. “And we’re meeting up again next week.”
“Really?” Her eyes widen with excitement at the mention of another date between me and Tiffani, and it’sthat moment I realize just how much my sister worries about my life long term.
