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“What do ya think?” she asks, spinning around.
“It’s perfect!” I squeal. “How do you want your hair?”
“In piggy braids!”
I lead her to the bathroom, and she steps up on her little stool in front of the mirror. I get to work, doing it exactly how she likes.
“Alright, sweetie. What do you think? Look okay?” I ask, holding up a handheld mirror so she can see the back.
“It’s the best, Mom!” She smiles wide, and it fills me with so much pride. “Can we go eat some of Maize’s pancakes now?”
“You bet!”
We say goodbye to Grayson, then hop in the SUV and drive over. A couple of days after Amora came, we introduced her to the entire family. At first, she was a bit overwhelmed, but she’s high-spirited and has had no problem adjusting to having so many people around. Grandma Bishop absolutely adores her and so does my mom, who loves taking her out for lunch on Sundays after church.
“There’s my girl,” my dad says as soon as we enter. She wraps her arms around him and squeezes as hard as she can.
“We came for coffee and pancakes,” she tells him.
“Um…” I clear my throat. “Coffee’s for me, pancakes for her,” I clarify.
Amora giggles, then skips toward the dining room. A handful of ranch hands are eating, and she goes to each one and gives them high fives.
After I help add butter, syrup, fruit, and whipped cream to her pancakes, I place her plate next to Gavin and the kids. The twins turned three a couple of months ago, and their baby boy, Maverick John, will be one soon, so it’s safe to say their hands are full.
Right before Amora came into our lives, Elle and Harper both announced they were expecting, and a month ago, they gave birth within days of each other. Connor and Elle welcomed another baby girl named Evelyn Grace, who we call Evie for short. Ethan and Harper also had a girl who they named Hailey-Mae Rose. You’d think with all the new babies on the ranch, Grandma wouldn’t be asking me when I’m getting pregnant, but she hounds me at least once a month. Of course, Amora then confirms she wants to be a big sister, and well, I’d do almost anything to make her happy.
“Mornin’, Mom,” I greet when she comes over.
“Hello, my sweet babies.” She gives kisses to Amora and Maize’s three kids.
“Am I chopped liver?” I scoff.
Maize walks over with her apron covered in flour. “We are now that she has grandchildren.”
“Not true…” Mom squeezes Maize’s cheek.
“I beg to differ,” I blurt out. “I called to talk to you last night, and you spent thirty minutes chatting with Amora first.”
Maize chuckles. Mom shrugs.
Though I give her a hard time about it, I love how much Amora is already a big part of the family. She’s the same age as Riley and Zoey’s son, Zach, and they play a lot, along with Dawson and Olivia, who are a bit older. There’s almost always a birthday party, pregnancy announcement, engagement, or wedding around here, but honestly, I wouldn’t change it for the world.
GRAYSON
I’ve been looking forward to today for months. Pulling this off without Kenzie knowing hasn’t been easy, but luckily, Amora and the after-school program have kept her busy. However, since the school year ended a few weeks ago, I’d been worried she’d come across her surprise before it was ready.
“She’s gonna freak.” Maize beams.
“She’s gonna love it.” Gavin stands next to me as we stare at the prefab house I bought for us.
We’ve talked about getting a larger place, and though we could build, I know she wanted something sooner rather than later. So after I had the land developed, I started planning. Giving Amora a larger bedroom was my top priority, as well as adding another bedroom in the event we had more kids. I also know she wanted a deep jet tub, and since I knew every detail of what she wanted, I made sure to get her dream home. I can’t wait to see her face and give her the full tour.
“I hope so,” I say, brushing a hand through my hair. “Or she’ll be pissed I didn’t tell her so she could micromanage every aspect.” I bark out a laugh because it could go either way with her.
“Trust me, she’s gonna be so happy,” Mila confirms.
I brought out the entire family to witness the big reveal and make sure everything was in place. Though it’s been ready for a few weeks, I wanted it landscaped first. Then her sister and mom helped with some decorating while a few ranch hands put together furniture and installed the appliances. The property Grandpa Bishop gave us is on a side of the ranch Kenzie hardly visits, which is how I’ve kept it a secret.
