Page 81 of I'm Yours

He shrugs and just says, “I have my sources. Be careful with that one, little girl. He’s no good for you. Never has been.”

I roll my eyes. “He’s maybe too good for me.”

“Oh, hush you. I hated that you ever thought that. You two are made for each other. Bring him by, will you? I haven’t seen his handsome face in far too long.”

“I will, Mom, promise. I’m sure he’ll want to see you as well.”

Henry steps forward and takes Mom in his arms again, this time bending her over backward and kissing her. “He’s handsome, huh? Then what am I?” His voice is just on the side of angry and I wonder for a second if I should leave him alone with my mother. But then she places a hand on his cheek and whispers something in his ear that has him grinning like the cat who just got its cream.

“Okay, I’ll leave you two alone. Just wanted to stop and say hi.”

“Don’t be a stranger, Sadie. You’re welcome hereanytime.”

Gross. Why does everything he say sound like an innuendo?

“Yeah. Thanks.”

I can’t get out of the trailer fast enough, practically falling down the stairs as I run to my car.

Chapter Twenty

Reed

It’s been a long ass day. Thank goodness Mom is around to help with Emmy and was able to pick her up from school. We had to go on a rescue mission when a few cattle had gone missing. Turns out, they’d just found a little hole in a fence and made it a bigger hole. But that meant we spent the day rounding them up then fixing fence line.

By the time Dad and I get inside the house, we’re dirty, sweaty, and exhausted. I wouldn’t want it any other way. There’s something about coming home after a hard day of work, physically spent because I’ve worked my ass off, that makes me damn happy. I know I made the right choice to move back to Lakeside.

As I shower I think about all the changes in my life. Not that I hate living in my childhood home, but I’m excited to get into a more permanent home with Emmy. Of course, I’d love for Sadie to be with us, too, but not until any of us are ready for that step. I don’t know when that will be, but I’m certain it will happen. My cheeks are split into a wide smile just at the thought of the possibilities. I finish getting ready and my thoughts don’t stop running through my mind. Thoughts of what our future — mine, Emmy’s, Sadie’s — looks like.

I return to the kitchen just as Mom’s setting down a big pot of baked potato soup, a loaf of her homemade bread, and a bag of potato chips. Dad has a weird thing about dipping chips into his soup instead of crackers so it doesn’t come as a surprise.

“Smells amazing, Mom.”

“It does.” Dad walks over and kisses her cheek.

Emmy is sitting on a stool at the island coloring a picture, completely ignoring us. I snatch her around the waist and she squeals in delight as I throw her over my shoulder. “Can’t say hi to your dad?”

She giggles and kicks. “Hi, Dad.”

“That’s it? Just hi?”

She’s laughing while I spin her around. When I come to a stop, I’m a little dizzy and Mom and Dad are watching us with smiles on their faces.

I set her on her feet and she wobbles a bit so I catch her. “Again!”

I bark out a laugh. “How about later? I don’t think I can handle more spins right now.”

“Promise?”

Crap. Why do I start these things? Dad laughs loudly and pulls out a chair at the table. “Let’s eat before it gets cold.”

Saved by Dad.

“I helped Grandma make the soup!”

“You did?” I ask her, glancing up at Mom who nods, lovingly looking down at Emmy.

“She was a big helper. She even learned how to grate cheese.”

---