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“Corina?” I asked.
The family shared a look as if it was a subject no one wanted to talk about.
“Corina’s my best friend,” Paxton said. “She’s also a teacher at the elementary school. She and Tripp are sort of dating.”
Trevor laughed gruffly. “Mitchell has the hots for Corina. Tripp knows it and that’s probably the only reason he keeps dating her.”
“Oh, well, hell. I’m not touching that with a ten-foot pole,” I said.
“Yeah, don’t,” Steed added.
Waylynn stood. “Well, as much as I love y’all and as fun as Aunt Vi’s party is, I’m in serious need of a hot bubble bath.”
“When you gonna tell us what’s wrong?” Cord asked with a raised brow.
Waylynn snarled. “Do you boys all have some radar that alerts you when something’s wrong?”
“Yes!” Amelia said with a chuckle. “They do.”
“I see it in your eyes, big sis,” Cord said.
She gave him a sweet smile. “I promise I’ll tell y’all tomorrow. Right now I need to be alone and do some thinking.”
They all nodded, and I felt like I was invading a private family moment.
“Night, y’all,” Waylynn said. “Wade, it was nice meeting you.”
I stood and tipped my hat. “The pleasure was all mine.”
Waylynn headed over to her parents while I reached across the table for Steed’s hand. “Thank you so much for letting me dance with your beautiful daughter.”
Steed shook my hand firmly. “Thanks for being so patient with Chloe. She adores you.”
“You got yourself a future heartbreaker.”
Both Steed and Paxton groaned as I chuckled.
I turned to Cord and extended my hand. “Let’s plan something at your place soon.”
“Yeah, I’ll give you a call this week. I’m serious.”
“Me, too!” I said with a grin.
Trevor slapped me on the back. “Thanks for helping me prove something to my sisters, but I’m afraid I might have started the Wade Adams fan club.”
I shook my head. “Payback’s a bitch, my friend.” I swung my eyes to Amelia. She was staring at me with a look I couldn’t read.
She smiled. “Where are you staying, Wade? In the foreman’s cabin?”
“Well, that was the plan, until your father found out there were bees in the walls.”
Her eyes widened in shock. “What?”
“Yeah, Dad’s having it fumigated so Wade’s staying at the main house in Steed’s old room.”
I glanced over to Steed. “By the way, I found your stash of Playboys in the closet.”
“Damn, I was looking for those.”
Paxton hit him on the chest. “Steed Parker, you do not have Playboy magazines!”
Laughing, he shook his head. “Dude, those are Mitchell’s. I stole them from him years ago. He was pissed. I forgot all about them. Well, now I know what I’m giving him for Christmas this year.”
“I’ll be sure to have them delivered over to your place. Wrapped to keep them from prying eyes, of course,” I said as I peeked over at Chloe who had crashed asleep on a table.
“May I walk with you to the house?” Amelia asked.
“Sure.”
Lifting my hand, I glanced around the table. “Evening, y’all.”
“Bye, Wade. You calling it a night, as well, Meli?” Paxton asked as Steed swept up his sleeping daughter.
“Yeah. Night, y’all.”
Amelia and I headed to the house. The large oak trees that lead to the house cast a shadow from the rising moon. When I looked up, I was in awe at the endless amount of stars I could see. There was something about a Texas sky. No matter if it was day or night, it seemed to go on forever.
“You don’t want to say goodnight to your folks?” I asked.
She shook her head. “Nah. They’re talking to friends. I’ll see them in the morning.”
We walked in silence until we got to the back door. Opening it for her, I motioned for her to go in first.
“So, will you be joining us for breakfast?” Amelia asked as we made our way to the back stairs.
I couldn’t help but like the way she was looking at me. I wondered if she looked at her city slicker the same way.
“No,” I said, holding my hat in my hand. “I’ll be up and out of the house early, checking on a few things.”
She tilted her head and stared at me. “Wade, you do know you’re welcome to join us for breakfast.”
My chest tightened. “I know. I don’t want to intrude on your family.”
“You are family already, and I know how much you mean to Trevor, so please don’t think that way.” There went that brilliant smile again. “I wanted to say thank you for being a gentleman about earlier. I appreciate you keeping what you saw to yourself.”
Laughing, I pushed my fingers through my hair. “Well, if your brothers found out what I walked in on in that kitchen, I’m afraid they’d all kick my ass. I’ll take it to the grave, darlin’.”
Her cheeks flushed as we walked farther into the house and stopped at the bottom of the stairs. We both stood for a few seconds, staring.
