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She reached over and squeezed his hand. “Thanks, Todd.” Their eyes met, and Todd could feel her apprehension and sadness.
“He’s not going to be in Nashville long.”
She nodded, and then slid across the bench seat and to the ground, landing right beside Mama, who’d already started talking about the desserts Gina had first made when she’d come to the ranch for her initial interview.
Something about pinwheel s’mores, and Todd glanced up to the perfect, blue sky. “Heaven help us.” He followed the women into the house, catching his fiancé’s eye as he did. Laura flashed him a smile, and then went right back to Azure. The dog adored her, and Todd knew why.
She fed him from her plate, rubbed his belly, and told him how amazing he was all the time. If Laure did that for any animal, they’d follow her to the ends of the earth. In truth, Laura shared a kindred spirit with animals, and even when she had to stitch them back together or chastise them for breaking down fences and cutting their faces, they loved and trusted her.
He moved toward the back of the house and the chest-high table Mama set up to extend the countertop. His siblings stood there, eating chips and salsa and talking about something. He edged in next to Maddy and said, “Daddy, you’ve met Maddy, Kyle’s girlfriend, I believe.”
“Yes.” Daddy dusted the corn chip residue from his hands, his smile widening. “I’m so glad you came, Maddy.”
“Thank you,” she said quietly, her words sounding loud now that everyone had quieted. She glanced around at everyone. “This doesn’t need to be awkward. I’m fine. Kyle’s landed in Nashville, and he’s going to play for Greg in about an hour.”
Jesse nodded, and Adam’s jaw tightened. Todd didn’t know what that was about. He’d seen Kyle last night, packing and pacing and talking through everything though Todd barely responded. He’d been worried about playing for the owner of Black Hills Record. He’d been worried about leaving the ranch. He’d been worried about losing Maddy.
Todd had seen the way the two of them looked at each other, and Maddy might be frustrated Kyle wasn’t there, but she also hadn’t quit and fled Chestnut Springs.
“Great,” Daddy said. The ice broke, and Nash stole all the attention by tipping over his lemonade. That caused several people to jump back and yell, which was pretty standard for the Stewarts.
Todd stepped back, taking Maddy with him. “Your dress is white.” Nash’s lemonade was strawberry, and that wouldn’t look good on her clothes. “Come give Azure a scrub.” They joined Laura in the living room, where she sat with Sierra.
“What did Nash do?” his sister asked. She raised her own glass of lemonade to her lips and took a delicate sip.
“Spilled his lemonade,” Todd said as he sank onto the couch.
“I love your dress, Maddy,” Laura said.
Maddy tucked it and sat on the floor with her. “Thanks. I made it, actually.”
“You did?” Sierra asked. “You sew?”
“I can see that,” Laura said. “You’re very talented with artsy things. Sewing makes sense.”
Maddy smiled at her and told Sierra, “I brought some curtains from my house in Dripping Springs.”
“I’ve always wanted to learn to sew,” Sierra said.
“I can teach you.” Maddy gave her a smile.
Sierra gave Todd a look. “I don’t think that would work out.”
“Why not?” Maddy asked, looking around at everyone.
“Oh, I know this one,” Laura said. “Shannon probably tried to teach you how to sew, right?” She looked over her shoulder to Sierra. She lifted one hand and acted like she was dinging a bell.
Laura looked at Maddy. “She won’t like it if someone else teaches Sierra how to sew.”
“Sierra can’t sit for very long,” Todd said.
Sierra gave him a cocked-eyebrow look. “Look who’s talking.”
“Hey, I never said I wanted to learn how to sew.”
“Mama tried to teach everyone,” Sierra said.
Laura’s eyes lit up at that. “Really? You, Toddy?”
