Page 9 of Their Forever Daddy

“I don’t know, okay!” The words burst out of her, seemingly ripped straight from Edie’s heart if the ache in her chest was any indication. “I don’t know why I didn’t tell her to fuck right off when she said she was going to stay with me. Hell, I don’t know why I didn’t kick her out the second I found her sitting at my kitchen table. I’ve never known what I was doing when it came to Jesse Walker, and I guess that’s the one thing that hasn’t changed over the last ten years.”

“Oh, Edie.” Eyes shimmering with tears, Taylor rushed forward, throwing her arms around Edie’s neck. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… I’m just worried about you.”

“I know, honey. But I can handle myself.” She returned Taylor’s embrace, telling herself it was for the other woman’s sake, and not because she desperately needed to be held so she wouldn’t shatter into a million pieces. “I’ll be fine.”

“Of course you will.” Pulling away, Taylor sniffled and offered up a beaming if somewhat watery smile. “You’re Edie Fucking McDowell. If anyone can handle their ex gate-crashing their life after all this time, it’s you.”

“I appreciate the vote of confidence.” Despite her dry response, she actually did appreciate knowing one of her girls had that kind of confidence in her ability to get shit done.

Giggling, Taylor wiped at her eyes. “Just do me one favor, okay?”

“What’s that?”

“If it gets to be too much for you, call us. One of us, all of us, day or night. You’ve been our rock for so long. Let us be there for you.”

“Sure.” The lie rolled easily off her tongue, and she even managed a smile. “But I doubt Jesse will be staying around long enough for it to get to that point.”

“Uh huh.” Judging by the tone of Taylor’s voice, she didn’t believe that any more than Edie did. “Well, if I find out you needed us and didn’t call, I’ll be the one making you cut a switch.”

Edie raised a brow, though she couldn’t stop her lip from twitching with amusement at Taylor’s threat. “I’d like to see you try, Little girl.”

“I could be toppy if I wanted. I could!” Taylor insisted, her bottom lip moving into an adorable pout.

Before Edie could do more than smirk at Taylor’s declaration, her phone vibrated in her pocket. “Hold that thought.” Pulling the phone out, she sighed at the number on the screen and hit the button to answer. “Hey, Gary. What’s up?”

“How do you feel about llamas?” the overly cheerful voice on the other end of the call asked in response.

“Llamas? Seriously?”

“Yup. Someone with more money than sense bought his five-year-old daughter a llama for her birthday and long story short, I have a llama in need of a temporary home.”

“Jesus Christ.” Rubbing a hand over her face, she closed her eyes and groaned. “All right. Send me the address and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Thanks, Edie. You know I appreciate you.”

“Yeah, well, you owe me.”

“A bottle of Woodford?”

The offer of her favorite whiskey had a reluctant smile tugging at Edie’s lips. “That’ll do.”

She ended the call and stuffed the phone back in her pocket. “All right. I have to go pick up a fucking llama. If Jesse shows back up…”

“Offer her a ride to the closest Greyhound station?” Though the words were practically dripping with sweetness, Taylor’s smile was more than a little wicked.

“No. Point her in the direction of my farm and tell her to get walking.”

A wicked sort of glee lit Taylor’s eyes. “That’s the Edie McDowell we all know and love.”

Jesse

* * *

The walk around town helped to clear her mind, even if the interaction with Taylor and Carly still sat heavy on her heart. Somehow, when she’d been packing her bag for this impromptu trip back to Lost River, it had never occurred to her that Edie would have actually told anybody about them. The Edie she’d known had been almost militant about keeping their relationship a secret, especially after what had happened with her parents.

Then again, this Edie was obviously no longer the woman Jesse had fallen in love with that summer. One more thing to weigh on her heart, she supposed.

Back at the feed store, she frowned at the empty spot where Edie’s truck had been. Maybe she’d just gone to run an errand or something.

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