Page 83 of Bailey

Codi smiled and nodded. “We just have a regular kitchen, and there are plates in the cupboard above the sink to the right and silverware in the drawer next to the dishwasher.”

Bailey nodded and went to get the woman some food. She’d just put a ham and cheese pocket on a plate when the back door opened.

“Hey, hey, I see Bailey’s SUV out front,” Bryce said.

Bryce first looked to his wife, and then to Bailey. “Hey, Bryce,” she said. “These are ready right now. Do you want one?”

“One hundred percent I do.” He grinned at her and swooped over to his wife, where he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “How are you guys?” he asked in a much quieter voice.

Codi said something to him while Bailey turned her back on them to give them more privacy. Then Bryce came into the kitchen to wash up while Bailey danced out of it to take Codi her food.

“Where’s Matthew?” she asked, because she’d babysat the little boy once, and she’d brought him a gift.

“He’s out with my daddy,” Bryce said from the kitchen. “He came to help with the horses this morning.”

“I brought something for him,” Bailey said. “It’s on the counter over there.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” Codi said.

“Well, I was almost eight when my momma had Ronnie,” Bailey said. “And I know it can sometimes be hard to have a new baby in the house. It’s nothing special; it’s just a little sticker sheet of horses I found lying around at the clinic.”

“Matthew loves stickers,” Bryce said with a chuckle. “He’ll probably stick them all over his face within three minutes.” He reached for a towel to dry his hands. “Are you going to eat with us, Bay?”

“No,” Bailey said. “I ate before I came, and I brought extra for breakfast tomorrow—or lunch.” She watched Bryce pick up a plate and put a ham and cheese pocket on it. “Ronnie says he heats his up in the toaster, but I don’t think that’s long enough to get the cheese melty.”

Codi took a bite of her hot pocket and moaned. “These are incredible,” she said through the mouthful. “You made these?”

Bailey nodded. “There’s salad too,” she said to Bryce, as he hadn’t seemed to see it.

He did the job and came over to the living room, sitting on the other end of the couch from Codi. Bailey simply looked at them, this seemingly perfect family. Bryce had two boys now that he got to keep and raise, and Bailey’s throat tightened.

“Did you guys already talk about Reeves?” Bryce cut a look over to Codi before making eye contact with Bailey.

“Not yet,” Codi said.

Bailey couldn’t help the smile that infused her soul. It leaked out onto her face too, no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

Bryce grinned at her. “Sure seems like it’s going well.”

“Yeah,” Bailey said. “It sure does. I mean, it is. He’s really great, and I really like him.”

Bryce took a big bite of his ham and cheese pocket, and to her surprise, neither of them asked another question. Bailey didn’t want to sit there and watch them eat, so she went into the kitchen and started to wrap up the extra pockets. She put the salad and ranch dressing in the fridge, noting that Codi and Bryce had plenty of food there. Casserole dishes, bowls of grapes, a pizza box.

She put the sticker sheet next to a notepad lying next to the sink, that maybe looked like Codi’s feeding notes, and she wondered if she could simply start doing their dishes while they dined. Then the back door opened and Tex walked in with Matty toddling alongside him.

“Momma!” the little boy yelled, and then a string of unintelligible words followed. He tried to climb right onto Codi’s lap, but Tex grabbed him and lifted him into his arms.

“Buddy, you can’t climb up on your momma, remember?” He held the little boy on his hip as the child told Codi about something Bailey didn’t understand.

Codi said, “Wow, that’s amazing,” as if she could understand Matthew. Maybe she could. Bailey wouldn’t put anything past her, for she was an incredible woman.

“There’s lunch, Daddy,” Bryce said, nodding toward the kitchen. “Bailey brought it.”

Tex turned to Bailey, and she immediately opened the fridge. “Sorry, I already put everything away. I don’t know what I was thinking; Bryce said you were here.”

“Ain’t no thing,” Tex said. “I’m leaving right now. Matthew and I have a lunch date with Grandma.” He grinned at the little boy. “Don’t we, bud?”

“Auntie! Auntie! Auntie!” Matthew chattered.