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There just wasn’t enough room in my chest to hold the love I felt in that moment. I’d never imagined I would have this. Once I had thought my dad would have to be Bryony’s father figure. I hadn’t thought I would find a man that I trusted to love her enough. To want her, too.
But I hadn’t been expecting Brady Higgens either. Of all the boys in Lawton, I’d managed to win the love of the best one. My fairy tale had come true.
GUNNER AND WILLA
“This was going to be a journey, but it was one she had needed for far too long.”
CHAPTER ONE
WILLA
Nonna put a cup of coffee and a slice of pie in front of me on the table. I had mentioned missing her apple pie last month when we talked on the phone, and she’d remembered. This one was still warm from the oven, and the smell had been the first thing that hit me when I walked in the door.
“This is heaven,” I said with a sigh of happiness.
“If you and Gunner would have stayed here while visiting, you’d have had that and more by now,” Nonna said with a smug smile on her face.
I felt guilty about that, but staying at Nash’s had been something Gunner wanted to do for this visit. This was the end of the field party and the beginning of something new.I was proud of Ryker and Nash for all they had done and were going to do.
“I know, Nonna. But we always stay here. This is a big deal for the guys, and being there among them through this was something Gunner wanted to do.”
Nonna nodded. “I understand that. I’m just pointing out the facts. I baked two pies and a batch of brownies for you to take over to the Lee boy’s house. But you tell Gunner I still expect him to come see me again. He’s only stopped by the one time this trip, when y’all first arrived.”
“He will, Nonna,” I assured her.
She poured herself a cup of coffee, then took the chair across from me. “I’ve got some things to talk to you about. Ain’t something I’m wanting to do, but it’s got to be done.”
I put my fork back down without taking the bite of pie from it. When Nonna made that face, it was never a good thing. Although I wasn’t a kid anymore, that expression and tone of voice made me feel ten.
“What is it?” I asked, watching her closely.
She sighed heavily and gripped her coffee cup in her arthritic hands.
“Nonna, are you sick? Is something wrong?” I asked, feeling panic grip me.
She shook her head. “No, it ain’t me. It’s your mom.”
Relief and unease settled over me then. Nonna was fine.I could live with that. As for my mother, we didn’t speak of her. Even my brother, Chance, never mentioned her when we spoke or visited. He did talk about Bella, our six-year-old little sister, who I had never met. He adored her, and I knew he wanted me to know her. If it weren’t for my mother, I would want to also. But seeing Bella meant seeing my mother.
“Oh” was all I could manage as a response.
“She’s got the cancer, and it ain’t good,” Nonna told me. I could see the pain in her eyes, and that hurt me more than anything. I knew how much my nonna loved my mother, even if it was one-sided. My mother only loved herself.
“I’m sorry, Nonna,” I said.
She nodded. “I reckon I didn’t expect much more of a reaction from you, but that isn’t what this is about.”
I waited for her to continue without saying anything. Part of me felt guilty for not reacting with more emotion but then if anyone would understand my relationship with my mother it was Nonna.
“Chance is still a kid himself. You know that. He stayed with your momma for Bella’s sake when his dad left. He’s been protecting Bella and taking care of her. She ain’t any better a momma to that little girl than she was to you. Except you didn’t have a big brother to step in and save you.”
“She also has her dad. He adores Chance. I can’t imagine Rick feels any differently about Bella.” I could hear the bitterness in my tone. After all these years, I still disliked the man. He’d never wanted me in their home. He treated me as if I were an outsider to their little family. Chance never talked about his father to me. He knew how I felt about him. Chance wasn’t a kid anymore. He was old enough to drink, but I didn’t point that out to Nonna.
“Rick ran off with some young woman two years ago, Willa. Chance hasn’t heard from him but once since then. He was living in some town in Oklahoma, but Chance doesn’t know the address, and he don’t have a good number for him no more.”
I’d had no idea, but then Chance would never tell me things like this. I felt guilty for making my brother feel like he couldn’t share this with me. My dislike of the man shouldn’t override my brother’s problems. He should be able to talk to me. I was his big sister. It was my job to be there for him no matter what. Even if we had grown up with very different situations.
“I didn’t know,” I said simply.
