“I can do a mean ‘Chopsticks’ on piano,” June said with a smile. “But I can teach you how to play guitar.”
Alarm sent my fork skidding across my plate until a pile of eggs landed on the table. June did not need to be in my house, cozied up with my kids any more than she already was. She was too easy to fall in love with, and the girls were already halfway there with her entertainment persona.
June was hard as hell to falloutof love with. Proximity was not a good thing. “You can’t just make offers without talking to me. I know you’re used to planning everything around you, but I have others to think about.”
The blaring silence made a return.
“I’m sorry,” June said quietly. “It’d have to be okay with your dad.”
The girls shrank in on themselves.
Guilt replaced my flare of irritation. It wasn’t June’s fault I wanted her far away from me. Just like it wasn’t her fault I’d been an ass the last time we talked. Butneither of us could do the things we needed to do in life if we were in each other’s orbit.
I flipped the eggs back onto my plate. “I’ve gotta get outside. I’m already late and the animals are hungry. Girls, feed the cats and dog when you’re done.” I rose and stuffed an entire pancake in my mouth on the way to the sink.
Then I shoved my feet into my boots, grabbed my cowboy hat, and stormed outside. The girls would be fine in the house with June. I’d trust June with my kids’ lives, but I couldn’t trust myself not to unearth all those feelings that had taken me years to bury.
June
“Honestly, you don’t have to help.” I lugged a suitcase after Bethany. She was carrying my other one with both hands instead of rolling it. Hannah was struggling with the guitar case. She’d run it into the wall once and almost died of fright until I adamantly reassured her the guitar was fine, that was why it was in a case.
“I wish you didn’t have to go,” Hannah said, huffing through her haul.
“I wish you could give us lessons,” Bethany said with so much disgruntlement I almost felt sorry for Rhys. He was going toget itfrom her.
“I’m sure your dad has a good reason.”
Bethany’s stomps grew louder. “He never yelled when I asked to raise a goat for 4-H.”
“I got a chicken,” Hannah added.
Finally, my luggage was at the door. I stuffed my sandals into one of my bags. I’d already dug out my most comfortable pair of cowboy boots that I didn’t keep at Mama’s place.
Tenor pulled up in a pickup. Clumps of mud from last night’s rain caked the sides until I could hardly see the blue underneath. Tenor was the mellowest of my brothers and the youngest. He was also the most likely to stay out of my business if I asked.
The girls grabbed what they’d been carrying before. Tenor got out and dropped the tailgate. He grinned and waved. He didn’t rush to help Bethany or Hannah, ever the mentor for teaching kids how to handle themselves. It was a hazard of the household we’d been raised in, with its multitude of foster kids. Everyone had to pull their share.
I stepped out, ready to leave this ranch behind and forget Rhys’s cutting comment about how selfish I was.
“Tenor.” Rhys’s voice cut through the day. He was walking toward us from the barn. Goats roamed a large pen next to the red building, and red-feathered chickens darted in and out of the open barn door.
“Hey, Rhys,” Tenor replied. “Thanks for rescuing Junie last night. Hell of a thing. Brand-new car just dying.”
That was what I got for buying the first one I found. I hadn’t even test-driven it. “I’ll call the dealership today.”
“Lane and Cruz are going to tow it to the shop at Mama’s place,” Tenor said.
Lane and Cruz were Wynter’s brothers-in-law. They’d been young adults when we’d met them, but Mama had taken them in like me and my sisters and so many otherkids over the years. Even Wynter’s husband, Myles, had been one of her fosters.
“Thanks.” I loaded my guitar case in the back and shut the tailgate. “It was nice meeting you two,” I said to the girls.
They rushed me for hugs, and I soaked up the attention. I’d run into a ton of adoring fans over the years, but many of them only knew me as June Bee. Bethany and Hannah had seen me irritate their dad and wash dishes and wipe sticky syrup off the table. I’d put them to work too. When it came down to it, I was a Bailey, and every Bailey did their part around the house. Good thing Rhys hadn’t been in the house to get upset again.
“Bye,” they said in unison.
I lifted my gaze to meet Rhys’s stormy blue eyes. “Goodbye.” I’d never gotten to say it before, not since he’d snuck out of the cabin and all.
“Got everything?” he asked.
