AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Dakota looks at me and then at Oli. “He’s a pretty princess mama!” She exclaims, a huge smile on her face.
“He is, baby,” I responded. “I think he’s missing his tiara, though.”
“No, he’s not. He gets ponies.”
Oli looks confused. “Ponies?”
“Mhmm. Ponytails.” I explain with a smile. “I’m going to leave you princesses to it and go see if Ellen needs help with dinner.”
I walk out of the living area feeling better than I did all day. Seeing Oli, this serious, large male, all decked out in princess attire, brought some much-needed levity to today.
Ellen is working in the kitchen when I enter. She’s bent over a pot of something that smells scrumptious. “What are you making?” I ask, causing her to jump.
Hand to her chest, she swings around to look at me. “Dear, you startled me. I’m making roast chicken.”
“It smells delicious. Can I help with anything?”
“You want to help me cook?” She asks, startled. “You used to hate cooking.”
“I still do, but I feel like I should do something,” I tell her.
“How about if you put together the salad?” She orders, pointing me toward the counter where fresh vegetables sit waiting to be cut.
I sit down at the counter and grab the peeler and a carrot. I forgot how relaxing this could be. However, I never enjoyed cooking because I never felt like I was any good at it. Doing the prep work has always taken me out of my head. Ellen looks at me knowingly.
I wonder if that’s why she pulled me into the kitchen so often when I was younger. Every time Dad and I argued or when one of the guys was getting on my nerves, she’d sit me down at the counter and give me something to do.
“Seems like Dakota is having fun. I haven’t seen Oli so enamored by anyone since you all were children.”
I smile to myself when I recall the vision the two made in the living room. A small laugh crawls up my throat. “Yeah, he’s going to spoil her if he keeps that up.”
“I don’t think he minds. I remember when you used to make the boys play with you.” Her eyes twinkle with the memory she shares.
“I remember it too. How could I not? Those were the times when Shane didn’t seem too yucky.” I say.
Ellen laughs. “I don’t think you ever truly thought he was yucky at all. You were very good at pretending, though. I’ll give you that.”
Ellen and I share a look. No one could ever accuse her of being blind to the things going on around here. Ellen has always had this weird intuition. She seems to know things before anyone else and she can read a person’s emotions as if they’re a book laid out for her. I’d say she was an empath if I believed in such things.
“What are we talking about?” Matt asks, kissing me on the head as he steals a carrot from the cutting board and plopping it in his mouth.
“Just how easy you boys were to manipulate when you were younger.” Ellen laughs.
“Some things never change,” I say, nodding towards the living room.
Matt walks over to the entry and immediately begins guffawing when he sees his brother sitting on the floor, braids in his hair and a dainty pink tiara on his head. Oli says something to Matt I can’t hear before Dakota speaks. “Don’t he look prettiful?” She asks wistfully.
I return to my task of cutting vegetables and zone out of their conversation. I get so lost in the familiarity of chopping vegetables, tearing lettuce, and mixing up a vinaigrette that I don’t even realize that Manuel and Shane have walked in until I hear Manuel asking what’s going on.
I look back and see Manuel laughing like the two men and my daughter are the funniest things he’s ever seen. Shane looks on with a mix of jealousy and awe in his eyes, as he sees his two best friends acting like children with his baby girl. His eyes find mine and he looks at me with such hurt in his eyes that my heart clenches in my chest. Then I remember why I ran away and I let my resolve strengthen again.
I turn back to the salad that has long been done, keeping my eyes away from the man who stands glaring in my direction. “Tonight. We will talk tonight.” Shane whispers in my ear as he walks by. He places a swift kiss on Ellen’s cheek. “Dinner smells amazing, as always.” He praises, smiling at her.
Ellen looks at me as I stare at how soft and warm he is with her. And just like that, my resolve withers away and is swept up in memories of him being that soft with me.
Shane has me pushed up against the outside of the barn, holding me in place with his large hands around my waist. “Please,” I beg as I try again to kiss him.
That’s become a thing ever since I got back from summer vacation. At first, I tried to ignore the way he looked at me, knowing there was no way he was interested. I also know that if Daddy ever found out about the feelings I have for Shane, he’d make him leave.
