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“Have you talked to Liberty Senior lately?” I asked Waylynn as I took my niece out of her mother’s arms. Liberty Senior was Liberty’s birth mother, who she was named after.
“I have. She’s doing amazing and only has a few weeks of school left in the semester.”
“She still working for Mick and Wanda?” I asked.
“Yep. They have taken her under their wing and are treating her like their own daughter.”
Corina smiled. “That doesn’t surprise me in the least bit. They are such amazing people.”
As I gazed down at my niece, I couldn’t help but wonder what things would have been like if Harley and I hadn’t gone down the paths we did. Would we have kids by now? If so, how many would we have wanted? Would I still be wanting to run for mayor, or would I be content with my job?
“You’re deep in thought, little brother. What are you thinking about? The kid bug hitting you?”
Corina and Waylynn both laughed, but when I looked up at them, their smiles faded.
“Oh. My. God. It is.”
I laughed. “I guess it is, Waylynn.”
“Are you and Mallory…um…are y’all talking about kids?”
“What?” I asked as my gaze bounced between the two of them. “Why would you think that?”
They looked at each other and shrugged. “People talk,” Waylynn stated.
“People talk? Who’s talking and what are they saying?”
“Nothing,” both of them said at once.
I shook my head. “I think I’ve heard enough small town talk for a while. I got an earful from Karen yesterday.”
Turning, I headed over to the living room and planted myself in the rocker. Liberty was staring up at me, those big blue eyes gazing into mine.
“What do you think about all of this?” I asked her in a sing-song voice.
Her mouth rose into a smile.
“Waylynn! She’s smiling at me!” I softly yelled.
“It’s gas, Tripp. Just gas.”
Corina chuckled.
Running my finger along Liberty’s cheek, I smiled bigger. “That wasn’t no gas, was it, baby girl? You love your favorite uncle, don’t you?”
Liberty smiled again. This time it was followed by a rumble in her diaper.
“Oh, dang girl. What are you trying to say?”
I sat there for another few minutes until it was clear to my nose that my precious little niece had just shit in her diaper.
Heading back into the kitchen, I cleared my throat. “I believe your child needs a diaper change.”
Corina plugged her nose. “Whew! Man, oh man, can that kid stink up a room.”
Waylynn chuckled as she took Liberty from my arms. “Come on, you can help me change her.”
“Hard pass,” I stated.
Rolling her eyes, Waylynn walked off.
I stepped farther into the kitchen, grabbed a grape and popped it into my mouth.
“How are you feeling, Corina?”
Her cheeks flushed and an adorable smile appeared on her face. My brother, Mitchell, was a lucky son-of-a-bitch. His wife was so incredibly sweet and loved my brother like he was the reason the sun rose and set each day.
“I feel amazing, Tripp. I honestly do. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so happy.”
A rush of happiness for her and Mitchell ran through my body. Even though we once dated, I always knew we were better at the friend’s thing. “I know Mitchell feels the same. Every time I see him he looks even happier.”
She bit her lip. “He’s so happy working at your folks’ ranch. I was worried he would regret his decision to leave the Texas Rangers. I know he also loved being a cop.”
“All’s well in that department?” I asked, knowing the answer already. Mitchell didn’t have a single regret. His life was the ranch and Corina—and not in that order.
“Yes. He’s helped out on a few cases that were still open that he was investigating, but other than that, he loves working on the ranch.”
I nodded while picking up a strawberry. “I know he does. That ranch is in all of our blood. There’s something about working on it that seems to soothe the soul.”
“Maybe you should stop by and give them a hand sometime. Lately, you look like your soul could use some soothing.”
I let out a gruff laugh. “You hit that on the head.”
“Anything you want to talk about?”
Glancing at the floor, I took in a deep breath and blew it out before catching her eyes.
“I guess I’m just a bit confused.”
“Mallory and Harley?”
With a nod, I sank onto one of the stools at the kitchen island.
“Well, it seemed pretty clear to everyone the other night at Cord’s that Mallory and you are an item. Especially to Harley.”
A lump instantly formed in my throat. “What?”
“Well, I mean, it’s pretty obvious you don’t intend on forgiving Harley and that you told her you were moving on. I think she saw that the other night at Cord’s Place. We were hoping by forcing her to go out that y’all might run into each other, but our plan sort of backfired when we saw you with Mallory.”
