I sit up straight and look at him, trying to gauge if he’s joking, but he’s not.
“So, you’re not moving into the studio?” Whitney asks from down the table. “Are you wanting to move off the ranch?” A deep crease forms between her brows before her eyes dart to Caine. “I don’t understand. What did you do?”
“Thank you for that vote of confidence,” Caine mutters with a frown. He puts his silverware down and scowls at his mother. “Did it maybe occur to you that Mick isn’t moving out at all and wants to live with me?”
“No one wants to live with you,” mutters Patrick from the other end of the table.
“You aren’t helping!” scolds Rabecca. She elbows him in his side, and he winces.
“I want to live with Caine,” says Sawyer. “His house is really clean and smells good.”
“I reckon that’s Mikayla’s doing,” says Franklin with a grin. “I don’t know if Caine ever learned how to turn on the oven.”
“I can cook—some things,” Caine says.
“And Caine is pretty good at cleaning,” I defend.
“Does that mean you are staying?” Whitney asks. “You’re moving in with Caine permanently?
“Yes. I do need to make a trip to Seattle to get the rest of my things,” I say. My heart pounds at the thought.
“I’ll come with you,” says Jack. “I don’t want you going out there alone.”
“You can come, but she isn’t going without me,” Caine says defensively. “Not letting her go see that woman without me.”
“What woman?” asks Whitney.
“I didn’t tell them anything,” Caine whispers into my ear.
“Our mom,” answers Jack. “We’re estranged.”
A hush comes over the family, and everyone looks at me and Jack.
“I think it’s for the best,” says Kyle. “You need to take care of yourselves.”
I didn’t expect his words. I mean, he is completely aware of everything that went down, and he was the one who wanted me to take better care of my mental health, but I am surprised he spoke up for us.
“Thank you.” I give him a slight bow of my head.
The conversation turns to more exciting topics. And soon after, Caine gets up andstarts clearing the table. I stand to help, but he places his hand around my waist and says, “You do enough. Sit and relax.”
Once the table is cleared and dessert is eaten, Sawyer, Jack, Caine and I make our way back home. Each of us is carrying Tupperware full of leftovers.
“I still have a food baby,” Jack groans, sitting down beside me on the couch.
“Me too.” I pat my belly and relax against the cushions. Caine goes to the bathroom, and Sawyer is hanging out in his room.
“You lost weight,” Jack says, his voice low. “I should have come here sooner and made you come to Atlanta. I’m sorry you had to deal with all that alone.”
“I’m not alone. Caine took care of me. I probably got better care here than I would have back in Seattle,” I tell him truthfully.
“I just feel like I should have been with you. I hate that we’re apart.”
I take my brother’s hand and rest my head on his shoulder. “I miss you too.”
“Do you really want to move out here?” Caine asks, approaching us.
“If my work approves it, yes. I’d like to be near my sister,” says Jack. “I don’t have anything in Atlanta.”
