“My cowboy boots are the only item maintaining the illusion that I’m taller and stronger,” Jolene announced, showing her heel. “I’m enjoying the final days. But yes, they still grow like weeds. They eat like pigs. And they?—”
“Drive her absolutely loco,” they all said at once, bursting out laughing.
Hannah shook her head. “Well, that hasn’t changed at least.”
“Never.” Jolene nudged Dylan. “Why don’t you grab our little gift for Hannah?”
He ran off with a whoop.
“We debated a welcome home gift for a couple of days but kept circling back to one.”
“You didn’t have to get me anything,” she protested.
Dylan thundered back and thrust out the gift bag as purple as his goose egg. “Here you go.”
When she looked inside, she did a little dance as she pulled out a bag of Old Man Roy’s Crispy Spuds. Even though her mother had picked up her bag, somehow knowing this family—who divided up every last chip in the bag to share—volunteered their stash had her grinning like a fool.
“You gave me your allotment?” She pressed her hand to her chest dramatically. “That’s love.”
“So much love!” Dylan agreed, hugging her side.
She opened the bag, sniffed, and then brought out one single, perfect chip. Holding it to the light, she made apleasing sound. Yeah, her appetite was back. “Come to mama.”
The salt and oil hit her first, followed by the crunch of the potato. She hummed as she chewed.
“Observe, boys.” Jolene pointed with a wry grin. “When you eat, you do so with your mouth closed.”
“Are we still working on that?” Hannah joked. “Thank you. Neil, you have to try one.”
“No, you enjoy the first bag, lass.” His shoulders were shaking with amusement, probably because he knew she had another in the car. “Hannah craves these chips like some people crave orange juice.”
“Orange juice?”Dylan scrunched up his face. “Why would anyone crave that?”
Jolene sent her eyes heavenward as Hannah started to munch. “Cravings are individual, my sweet boy.”
“Hannah, can you and Neil stay for Sunday pizza night?” Dylan asked, tugging on her arm. “It’s Father’s Day, which you know always sucks a big one since our dad is such a deadbeat?—”
“Dylan,”Jolene warned.
“Fine, I’ll keep my opinions to myself, but what do you call a guy who leaves his wife with three little kids?” Dylan asked glibly.
“An asshole,” Luke offered as Ford nodded along.
“Luke, please try to set a good example for your brother. Boys, you know I don’t agree with your father’s choices, but we don’t hang our dirty laundry out with guests around.”
Jolene peered at each one of them in a way Hannah had seen her do many times over the years when Aaron Prentice’s name came up. Hannah thought asshole was pretty apt for the rodeo cowboy she’d married at eighteen and left her high and dry at twenty-three.
“Mom, we can express our true feelings because Hannah’s family.” Dylan took her hand like he used to when he was akid. “And if Neil is like her work husband, doesn’t that make him family too, kinda?”
“You bet,” Hannah added before Jolene answered. “You can say anything in front of Neil that you’d say to me.”
“Good,” Luke broke in, his brow knitting. “Because I have a question. Are you going to be staying in Will’s cabin with Hannah like everyone is wondering, or will you be staying in the private loft in the bunkhouse Ben’s cleaned up for you?”
“Luke Prentice!” Jolene swatted the back of his head as Hannah raised her hand to her mouth in shock. “I’m shocked at you.”
Hannah was too. Everyone was wondering about the sleeping arrangements, huh? Welcome back to small-town life. But hearing Ben had created a different place for Neil to live chapped her hide.
“Mom, I’m only thinking about Hannah’s reputation,” Luke said softly. “I don’t like some of the talk I’ve heard.”
