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Her scowl burns into the back of my head as I make my way into the house, fucking dying to clean myself up a little after a morning spent on top of a horse and helping out around the ranch. It's amazing how fucking dirty you get here. I swear I've barely done anything yet there's dirt under my nails, on my face, in my hair, caking my boots.
Leaving the dirty boots on the porch, I pad inside the house on socked feet. Everyone else is still outside so I take a moment to just admire the place. I really, really like this house. It kind of reminds me of Ma's place, way more expensive but just as chaotic.
Jackson's artwork is everywhere, and some of Eliza's too; one of the many things I learned in the last day or so is that Eliza is a little art nut too, just as talented as her brother. The fridge is covered in a myriad of post-it notes and schedules and permission slips to sign. Homework is strewn across the kitchen table. I almost trip over a stray soccer ball more than once. Thrown over the back of the sofa are a bunch of wooly blankets that are softer than anything I've ever felt in my life; shocked doesn't even begin to describe the emotion I felt when I learned Lottie was the one to knit those.
The spawn of Satan is a knitter. You learn something new every day.
I'm washing the morning's grime off my hands when a picture on the windowsill catches my eyes. A complete family picture, the only one of its kind in this house, as far as I've seen. All five of the Jackson kids—Eliza is just a lump in Jackson’s arms—and four adults I'm guessing are their parents—God, Lux is her mom’s double—and grandparents.
Everyone looks fucking miserable. The whole photo reeks of tension, so immensely different from every other picture around the house.
“It's for show.” I jump at the sound of Lux's voice, spinning around just as the screen door slams shut behind her. She's staring at the photo too, a slightly pained expression on her face. With a strained sigh, she tears her gaze away from the photo and trains it on me. “Our grandmother pitched a fit about there not being any family pictures so we put that up just to pacify her.”
I back up a step, resisting the urge to hold my hands up in the air like a thief trying to prove their innocence. “I didn't mean to snoop.”
Lux shrugs. “You weren't. Not like it's hidden away.” Tossing me a dish towel for my wet hands, Lux gently nudges me aside, flicking on the sink to rinse her own hands. “It's awful, right?”
“What?”
“The picture.” A grimace twists her face. “We look ridiculous.”
“You look sad.”
“Observant.”
“For a dumb blonde?” I wince as the sarcastic words leave my mouth before I can stop them. “Sorry.”
“Don't be.” Lux takes the dish towel from my hands. “For the record, I never called you that. I would never.”
“Thanks, I guess.”
Lux doesn't reply. Leaning around me, she simultaneously flicks the kettle on and reaches into the cupboard above us to retrieve a couple of mugs. “You want coffee?”
“No, thanks. I don't drink coffee.”
“Shit, yeah. Tea, right? We're not big tea people around here but I bought a box in case you wanted some.”
A little surprised that the tea I drank last night was her doing, I offer her a smile. “I found it. Thanks.”
Lux nods as she potters around the kitchen, pulling out stuff for lunch, and I excuse myself, making my escape to Jackson's room. I don't make it far though before Lux stops me. “You wanna help?”
I hesitate for a moment, briefly contemplating saying no just to be petty. I quickly decide against that idea and nod, cautiously moving to stand beside her. “I feel like I need to warn you though, my mom nicknamed me Fire Hazard when I was five.”
Lux shoots me an amused look. “Five?”
“I was very advanced.”
She chuckles softly as she points me towards a chopping board and sets me to work slicing tomatoes. We work in silence, the only sound the hissing of the bacon Lux is frying. Might not be too friendly but the girl can cook. I'm still drooling over dinner last night, only aided by the sight of Lux slathering butter on thick slices of homemade bread and toasting them off.
She hands me lettuce to rinse off and I do so dutifully, my gaze drifting out the window to where Jackson, Eliza and Grace are messing around outside. A smile tugs at my lips as I watch him grab a sister under each arm and whirl them around, the girls' squeals wafting inside.
“You want me to get them?” I ask, glancing over my shoulder at Lux and finding her already staring at me.
“No. I…” She shifts, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m sorry about yesterday. I was having a bad day, I took it out on you, and I shouldn't have done that.”
Lux pauses briefly, breathing deep before continuing. “I love my brother. He's my best friend but I have to share him a lot, and the little piece of him I get just got smaller. I didn’t handle it well and I’m sorry.”
Well, damn. I wasn't expecting that. “I appreciate the apology,” I say slowly, receiving a brisk nod in reply. “For what it's worth, I get it. You're just looking out for him.”
