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A woman with graying dirty-blonde hair combed away from her face floated forward, her smile warm and her arms outstretched. As she wrapped me in a hug, Bruce said, “This is my wife, Willow. You let us know if you need anything while you’re here.”
Her embrace made emotion clog my throat as memories surfaced of Mama playfully chasing me and Ansen around the kitchen until she caught us in a bear hug.
“So pleased you reached out,” Willow said as she pulled away. I thought for a moment she might pat my head like I was five. I wouldn’t have minded—Mama had given hugs like her.
I hadn’t expected being here to make me miss my family more than I ever had.
A guy pushed off the island he was leaning on. The only other male cousin I had was Stetson. The oldest of us all. Also the tallest and widest. He was a mountain, but his smile was congenial as he shook my hand.
“Stetson?” I guessed.
His eyes crinkled at the corners. “The one and only.”
Holden’s sister, Nora, with golden curls and cornflower-blue eyes was introduced next.Nora’s a sweet little thing. Nothing like Kira, but she’s young yet. She could surprise us all.
Stetson’s sister, Isla, was the next introduction. She wasn’t much older than Nora.
Stetson and Isla seem like polar opposites. Stetson is the center of attention and pretends to be a big teddy bear, but his smile fades as soon as the person he’s talking to turns his back. Not sure what that’s about, but there’s more to him than what he shows the rest of town. As for Isla, well, she reminds me of those smiling virgins inPride & Prejudiceremakes. People don’t realize there’s more going on in her head than what she shows them, like Stetson.
Isla pushed her flaxen hair off her face and tied it back. “I hope you don’t mind if I greet and run. The farmers market is going tonight and I’m the director, but I wanted to make sure I got to meet you first.”
She darted out the door as Uncle Cameron scowled. Didn’t he like Isla putting her responsibilities first? The only person I hadn’t been introduced to sidled next to Uncle Cameron and slid her hand up his arm as if to mollify him. My aunt Naomi.
She glanced at me, her gaze calculating. She radiated as much authority as her husband, and there was less curiosity in her gaze when she looked at me. She was assessing me.
I dipped my head. “You must be Aunt Naomi.”
“Yes. Nice to meet you.” Her voice was warm despite the chilly atmosphere around her.
Naomi is a…People call Naomi a bitch, but she earns the title and, honestly, I think she wears it with pride. I’d admire her if she and Cameron didn’t stomp on people to get what they wanted.
All of Delaney’s observations had seemed logical, but this was spot on.
Uncle Cameron shoved a hand into a pocket. He was in jeans today, ones that hadn’t been through a round of working cattle. His pinstriped button-down shirt would’ve been nice enough to be considered Sunday best when I was growing up.
All eyes were on me as he spoke. “You and Laney Granger? Care to share what that’s about?”
* * *
Laney
I finished off my seltzer and ignored the crowd at Rattler’s. There were a few more stares than normal, but so far, no one had said anything. Archer had been here two weeks. Plenty of time for the news to have made its rounds.
“How do you think it’s going?” Kennedy’s eyes were wide. She’d been to plenty of Barron family meals. I had been a couple of times before Bruce had explicitly told Derek that I wasn’t family, therefore I wouldn’t be welcome anymore. But after the first time, I hadn’t wanted to go back. The second time had been out of spite, and I’d made out with Derek in Cameron and Naomi’s bedroom. So there.
“I’m sure they’re telling him what a bad idea I am. Or they’re ignoring I exist in their world.”Hey, Laney, I can’t bring you this time. Family only.Derek’s words should’ve stung more than they had, but it wasn’t like I’d gone home and felt like family any more than I had at a Barron family function.
The fate of an oopsie child. Ma hadn’t planned on me, but she hadn’t been able to afford a permanent prevention and Papa had refused to have a blade anywhere near his scrotum. I’d heard it all before.
Well, this unplanned pregnancy was saving Ma’s ass nearly twenty-eight years later. I’d save it again when she couldn’t work anymore and I took over Diamond UU.
The server delivered our food. I had ordered the chicken fettuccini. Remington’s partner in the restaurant made a killer sauce for his pasta. The town just called it Shawn’s pasta whenever anyone asked what they’d ordered. But tonight, my appetite had vanished. I ordered based off my history—I ordered the same thing at every place. Once I found something I liked, I stuck with it. At least food couldn’t decide it was done with me.
Liam dug into his steak. “The only reason they hate your family is because your grandparents didn’t sell out to your hubby’s grandparents, right? And your mom didn’t sell, and neither will you.”
“Yes.” Hubby. That sounded so normal. Like living in separate states was normal. Like giving a wave at the end of the day before my husband drove to his motel room was normal. And dancing with anticipation before his arrival every morning was normal. Actually, that was normal. The sun had risen and set around him. I couldn’t wait to be with him each day, and it turned out that hadn’t changed.
“So you never met Archer’s dad or his brother?” Liam swirled a piece of rib eye through steak sauce.
