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“Oh.” I cleared my throat, taking a peek over at Reid, minding the fact that Hailey was still holding on the end of my hair. He grinned, but I could’ve sworn he, too, had some extra color in his face. “Well, I’m not very good at remembering to get it cut.”
“Daddy likes my hair short, but I think I might want to make it long one day, too,” Hailey continued.
I raised a brow. “Daddy?” I said low, mostly to Reid. I had never met this sweet girl before, but I assumed she belonged to one of Reid’s brothers. I was pretty sure she had called him uncle.
“Hailey is Roman’s daughter,” Reid explained.
I nodded. That made sense. Roman was the oldest. Turning back to Hailey, I bent to her level. “Long is good, but so is short hair.” I tucked a piece of hers behind her ear. It was thick and soft. It was probably much easier to manage being short. “No matter what you choose, your hair is beautiful.”
Hailey beamed. Her eyes darted back to her uncle standing behind me as she smiled. “I like her, Uncle Reidsy. She’s pretty and nice.”
Reid chuckled and before any of us could say anything else, Raleigh’s joyful voice boomed from the threshold of the kitchen.
“Food is ready, y’all. Time to eat!”
Little Hailey spun on her heel and hurried into the kitchen, closely followed by her uncles and grandfather, who hauled it from the living room.
Reid’s hand pressed into the small of my back, sending a shiver up my spine. I met his gaze as he nodded toward the kitchen.
“After you,” he offered.
I nodded, my mouth going suddenly dry, and headed for the kitchen.
Raleigh stood near the entrance when I walked in, and she pulled me into a quick hug. It didn’t ache as much as it had the first time. Instead of the stark sting of grief, warmth seeped into my chest.
“Good to have you back again, sweetheart.”
When Raleigh let me go, I almost wanted to pull her back into me. But I didn’t.
The long farmhouse table was beautifully set in the center of the space. Various dishes were placed on top of the worn wood. My mouth watered at the spread. I wasn’t much of a cook, never had been, and stuck to simple meals and take-out. I’d forgotten how amazing home-cooked meals were. Raleigh had prepared a couple of beautiful baked chickens with golden crispy outsides, roasted red potatoes, fresh rolls, and green beans.
“This looks ah-mazing, Grandma.” Hailey took her seat next to her father.
Roman Ramsey was much like I remembered. He was broad shouldered, with hair so dark it was almost black. His bushy eyebrows almost seemed stuck in a permanent furrow. I used to be scared of him when I was younger because of his grumpy demeanor, but the few times I’d heard him speak, he was always kind.
Graham Ramsey, the second oldest brother, sat across from Roman. His hair was a couple shades lighter than his older brother, and he was the only one with a good bit of curl to it. I didn’t know him very well at all; I’d only seen glimpses of him as I grew up. He had gone away to school out of state for a long while.
I lingered around the edge of the table as the rest of the family found their seats. Warner took his usual place at the head of the table, while Fox and August sat across from each other, one next to Graham, the other next to Roman. Reid settled on the chair by August, which left two open seats: the one at Warner’s right hand, where Raleigh always sat…and the one next to Reid.
I wasn’t sure why I hesitated; it was only a moment, but Reid glanced up at me with a questioning expression. He pulled out the unoccupied chair beside him, patting the seat. I gave him a wobbly smile as I sat.
Raleigh cleared her throat, gaining everyone’s attention as she stood behind Warner, holding a thin, cylindrical glass jar filled with oversized matchsticks. “Who’s going to light the candle for tonight?” she asked.
Hailey’s hand flew into the air. “Oh! Oh, I will! Pick me!” She practically stood on top of her chair.
Raleigh grinned. “Of course you can.”
Hailey clapped, bouncing with excitement as her grandma approached her.
Raleigh pulled out a thick, long matchstick from the jar. “Now, you have to be very careful, remember?”
The little girl nodded, her eyes zeroed in on the match. “I remember. I’ll be soooo careful.”
“And do you remember why we light the candle for family dinners?” Raleigh’s eyes flicked to the centerpiece on the table.
A large white pillar candle sat in the center of the wreath of eucalyptus leaves and white flowers. Swirls and filigree were delicately carved into the candle, giving it dimension and texture.
Haley nodded again. “We light the candle for Auntie Thea in heaven.”
