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Nine
Emery
I was less nervous going to see Holden today than I had been the other night. At the game yesterday, he’d high-fived Landon and coached like normal while I replayed the sweet kiss he’d left me with. Every time my life gave me a moment to myself, that kiss was on my mind.
I had sat with my mom, and the other three kids kept me plenty distracted. No one got hurt, and after the game, we all went our separate ways. The kids and I worked on the house and homework and planned meals for the weekend. The day had gone by so slowly.
I had a restless night’s sleep, anticipating today. Which was ridiculous. I’d be making sure Riley didn’t get away from me and run under a horse. Same with Afton, and probably Landon, depending on how excited he was.
He was pretty excited.
“Mom, is that his place?” Landon was staring out the window at a giant white-and-red shop.
“No, that’s his mom’s place.”
“Holden’s house looks like a log cabin,” Avery said, sounding like the all-knowing one. “It’s cool.”
It was cool. Like an alpine ski lodge in the middle of a pasture. He’d built off the road with three rows of young trees planted between him and the gravel county road. A ground-level porch ran across the front of his house, and it looked like there was a second-level loft. The house had no basement, so there were no egress windows or a basement foundation. I’d been surprised by how small it was. It was big, but with no upper or lower level, my rental house probably had more square footage.
It was like he’d built it planning to be a bachelor all his adult life. Or at the very least, to not have kids.
I was reading too much into his home. I had to stop.
Landon strained against his seat belt. “Is that it?”
“Yes.”
“There’re the horses!” Afton hollered from the back seat.
“Ho’ses!” Riley echoed.
Avery had already told them all about the dog, Sally.
“Please take it easy on her,” I warned. We’d had the lecture I told Holden about, but reminders didn’t hurt. “She’s an old dog.”
“I want to pet Sally first!” Afton was going to vibrate out of her seat.
I was grinning despite my underlying stress when I pulled in. After I parked, the kids spilled out of the car. I unbuckled Riley from her car seat and carried her to keep her from running off.
She struggled against me until she saw Holden, then she stared. I knew the feeling. I couldn’t take my eyes off him for a different reason. He was just so much. He was sexy at the restaurant and sitting in my recliner in the living room, but in his space, wearing his dirty boots and jeans that moved with him like they knew how to best show off his form and his muscles, he was a work of art.
The other three kids piled against the fence around the riding pen. “Don’t climb over that,” I called.
He put his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “I just took Pittance out instead of Poppy. He’s been around Liam’s twins a few times.”
I shifted Riley to my other hip. “Who’s Liam?” The name was familiar.
Holden lifted his chin toward the road. “He lives on the other side of Coal Haven. He’s my cousin. There’s history there I’m sure you’ll hear soon enough.” He flashed a smile. “When kids aren’t around.”
“I’ll keep my ears open.”
Avery ran over to take Riley. She set Riley down and held her hand all the way to the edge of the pen.
“She’s a protective big sister,” Holden said.
“She’s been such a huge help. That’s why I’m so grateful you can help with the horse lessons. She’s had to mature a little more than I would’ve liked at her age.”
“I know the feeling.”
