“Yes, I do.” Arden set the basket on the table. “Can we talk?”
Maren stood slowly, like she was bracing for bad news. “Of course.”
“Look what I colored, Aunt Arden,” Juni said at the same time.
“Hey, Junebug.” Arden set the basket on the table and crouched down to Juni’s level. “You keeping these guys busy?”
“I colored Colin a knight.” Juni pointed toward the kitchen. “It’s on the fridge.” She grabbed Arden’s hand. “Come with me and I’ll show you.” Before Arden could answer, Juni was up and pulling her along, a huge smile on Arden’s face. “See? It’s him.” Juni pointed to the drawing that Colin had stuck to the refrigerator with a magnet.
“I see that. He looks very brave.”
Colin felt his ears heat. Mac, leaning against the counter, was grinning like an idiot.
“Can I talk to your aunt?” Arden asked Juni.
“You mean my other aunt.”
While Arden beamed, Colin watched Maren shrink into herself, just the tiniest bit.
“Yes, yourotheraunt.” Arden turned to Maren. “Can we sit?”
“Of course.” They took the couch. Colin stayed near the door, close enough to hear but far enough to give them space. Mac drifted toward the kitchen to supervise where Juni wanted to place her latest masterpieces.
“I’m sorry that you’re staying here instead of at the ranch,” Arden said quietly. “I want you to know that I would prefer if you were.”
Maren’s hands twisted in her lap. “It’s okay. I understand.”
“No, it’s not okay.” Arden’s voice sharpened with frustration. “You drove across the country with Juni because a dead man told you to trust us. That took guts. And we repaid that by keeping you at arm’s length.”
“You’re keeping Juni safe. That’s all that matters.”
“We’re keepingbothof you safe because you’re both family,” Arden said. “And it kills me that it doesn’t feel that way to you.”
Maren’s throat worked. “I’m the one who should be apologizing. After I took custody of Juni, I thought about getting a DNA test for her, so I could find her father and tell him about her.” She closed her eyes. “But I kept talking myself out of it. Mira had always wanted a family, so there had to be a good reason why she wouldn’t tell me who he was. For all I knew, the guy lied to her and was married with his own family, or she found out too late he was abusive, or he just didn’t want kids.”
Colin tried not to flinch.
Maren went on. “If any of that was the case, I didn’t want to invite trouble into our lives. I didn’t want Juni to meet her father until she was old enough to understand.” She grimaced. “Not that this is better. This was way worse, actually.”
She looked down at her twisting hands on her lap. Colin fought the urge to go to her, to wrap his hands around hers and still them, tell her she’d done nothing wrong. That she was amazing.
“I’m glad her DNA isn’t on file somewhere,” Arden said, as she did what Colin wished he could do and placed her hand over Maren’s. “Anyone can find that information. Anyone can sell it.” She squeezed Maren’s hands. “And as far as meeting this way? It doesn’t matter. You did the right thing coming to us. We’re strangers to you now, but we are your family.”
Maren looked down at their joined hands. “Well, Juni’s at least?—”
“No.” Arden squeezed hard enough that Maren’s head came up. “Bothof you. The moment you crossed that gate, both of you became family, and not just by blood, understand?”
Colin watched Maren’s eyes go glassy. She nodded.
Arden cleared her throat and her tone shifted, lightening deliberately. “Which brings me to my other reason for barging in. Book club’s next Saturday night at the ranch. I want you to come.”
Maren blinked. “Book club?”
“Monthly gathering. Let’s see…” She let go of Maren’s hands and counted off on her fingers. “Ellie, Wren, Rochelle, Frankie, Charlie—she picked this month’s book, a romantasy by Kat Healy—April, who owns Riversong Coffee in town, Jodie, who you already know, and of course Stephanie.” Arden’s mouth twitched. “Who is... well, you’ll see when you meet her.”
“I don’t want to intrude?—”
“You’re not intruding. You’re family.” Arden stood and pulled Maren up with her. “Six o’clock. Bring your appetite, and I hope you like wine.”
