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“Let’s take a walk,” Sparrow said and pulled her along.
“I should stay here so Lois knows where I am.”
“She’ll know you’re with us, and Evan will take care of her and Kenny,” Ridge said as he walked with her and Sparrow and continued to hold her hand.
Sh
e felt uneasy as she walked with them. Her anxiety stemmed from numerous things—the concern for her sister and Kenny, the attraction for the Brazos brothers that she was trying to ignore. Then all thoughts ceased as Sparrow slid his hand from her shoulder down her back to her waist, guiding her along the paths away from the small crowd of people and toward a large house. As they passed by, a woman was coming down the steps. She looked older, maybe in her fifties. She smiled widely and waved hello.
“Afternoon, Mamma,” Sparrow called out to her. Valentina’s heart raced. This was their mom.
“Afternoon.”
“Valentina, meet our mom, Ella.”
Valentina smiled. “Nice to meet you, ma’am,” she said and smiled.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Valentina. I’ve heard lots of good things about you.”
Valentina was embarrassed. Did her sons actually talk about her to their mom?
She heard some more voices, and she looked up as Ella turned around and they saw three large men approaching. They towered over Ella, kind of like Sparrow and Ridge towered over Valentina. The thought that she compared herself that way caused a burning sensation in her gut. The men approached and looked her over then smiled.
“This is Valentina?” one man asked.
“Sure is. Valentina, meet our dads, Scout, Sarge, and Ray.”
She shook their hands hello and they started talking and asking her about the cottage and about her sister and nephew and then invited them all over for dinner on Sunday. “That’s so kind of you. I’ll have to see if we can make it.”
“I hope you can make it. Our sons come for dinner every Sunday,” Ella said, and the fathers looked serious for a moment. She felt kind of rude saying that she would see, but in all honesty, Lois wouldn’t come. Valentina just knew that wasn’t going to happen.
“I’ll let your sons know by tonight, and thank you again.”
Their parents headed the other way, and then Ridge took her hand again.
“I hope you can make it to dinner. We’d like to get to know you and your sister,” he said to her. She understood their thinking. In a normal world, under normal circumstances, that could happen.
“I’m sorry, Ridge, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.” She stopped walking and turned, pulling her hand from his.
“I need to find my sister,” she said and then felt Sparrow snag her around the waist and press against her back. He pushed her hair away from her ear and cheek and whispered to her.
“Are you scared of us?” he asked. She was surprised.
“No.”
“Then why not come over?”
She took a deep breath and exhaled.
“I can’t leave my sister, and she won’t come. It would be too intimate of a setting, too many eyes on her. She isn’t ready for that.”
He kissed her neck.
“Then you come over.”
“Sparrow, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
Ridge stepped in front of her and cupped her cheeks. She was stuck between both men and her heart began to race.
