Page 52 of Rancher's Pride

We walked into the living room and I sat down in the rocking chair he’d bought a few weeks ago. Nash put a log in the fireplace and started a small fire to take the chill out of the room, before sitting in the chair beside me.

The once organized, bare living room was now covered with toys of every kind. Large building blocks were stacked in one corner and a small ball pit in another. “Do you ever look around and wonder how your life turned out this way?” I said as I looked around and back at him.

“Lately I’ve been looking around wondering why it took so long.” He held out his hand to me and we sat in silence. The fire burning away, the slow whooshingnoise of the rocking chair, and Lottie sucking on her bottle. “I’ve dreamed about exactly this for so long, I didn’t think it would ever come true. We might not have taken the easy way, Toots, but we’re here and stronger than ever.”

Sitting in silence, for the first time, I was truly glad to be home. There was no place I’d rather be, and while I took the long way around to get back here, I wouldn’t trade Lottie being here for anything. She was loved, Josie was loved, and so was I.

“I love you Nash.” I whispered. I’d told him when we were at the height of our ecstasy, but nowhere in the quiet reality of life, I felt like I needed to say it again. Those three words had flowed freely in our younger days, but I don’t think I truly understood what they meant.

“I love you too, Toots,” he said. His voice was sleepy, and I couldn’t help but smile.

“Go to bed. I’ll be there shortly,” I said as I turned to look at him.

“Nope, we’re a team. You’re up, I’m up.” He tightened his arm around my shoulder. Silence filled the room again and his light snoring made me laugh quietly. Lottie startled and looked at me wide eyed.

“Your daddy can’t hang with us girls like he thinks he can.” I smoothed her dark hair off her forehead.

“I’m awake. I can hang with you two all night long.” He let his head roll over to the side and looked at me.

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

NASH

“Well, isn’t this cozy?” A voice said from the front door. I turned and looked at a woman I hadn’t seen in two years.

“Mom?” I said as I stood and walked over to her. “What brings you to town?” I closed my arms and stood in her line of vision of the people in my living room.

“I heard you’ve got some little ladies I’d like to meet.” She smiled sweetly and for one split second I saw the woman who’d raised me. The woman who at one time loved me, or pretended to love me. “Being a grandma is something I never thought I’d ever be.” She smiled and put her hands on my face. “I’m so proud of you, son.”

“Can you be civil?” I arched my brow and watched her eyes to see if she was lying.

“Of course I can. I also want you to meet someone.” She opened the door, and a man walked through. Hewas older than my mother, dressed to the nines, and I could tell his leather loafers hadn’t ever touched ranch property before. “Nash, I’d like you to meet my new husband, Desmond Tucker.” She beamed up at him and wrapped her arm around his.

“Hi.” I held my hand out, and he looked at it like it was covered with cow manure before he finally relented to sharing it. He shook hands like he was a wet noodle. “I’m Violet’s son, Nash.” Irritation flashed through the man’s eyes as he side eyed my mother. It was odd. Had she not told him she had a son?

I watched his eyes gaze at the room. It was like he was sizing up my house before he looked back at me. “Nice to meet you.” His voice was flat, and face blank, expressionless and evil. The hairs on the back of my neck rose, and I turned to look at Kipp and gave him our signal. Many wouldn’t even see it. I tapped my fingers in a sequence on my leg and I watched his eyes shoot from me to the man beside my mother.

Kipp stood and walked over to stand beside me. “Violet, it’s been too long.” His voice was unassuming, and his smile appeared genuine.

“Kipp, it’s so good to see you.” My mother’s syrupy sweet voice sang as she moved to him to hug him. “My hubby.” She smiled as Kipp held his hand out to the man. Desmond bristled at the word hubby, and I didn’t blame him. The word made me irritated. How hard was it to add two more letters and say husband? Kipp nodded to the man. And that’s where it ended.

“We were just sitting down to supper.” I left it open. I didn’t want to offer, but I didn’t want to kick them out.

“Do you have room for two more?” My mother’s eyes were hopeful, and her smile sincere.

“Of course we do,” Fallon said, as she walked up beside me. She put her arm around my waist and stood by my side, the way it should be.

I watched my mother’s eyes go from Fallon to her arm around me and they flashed with anger. It was something I’d seen many times in my life, and it was unmistakable. But what could have possibly caused that reaction from her?

Josie ran out of the kitchen and wrapped her arms around my leg. Bending down, I scooped her up and held her in my arms. “Mom, this is Josie.”

“I two,” she said proudly, holding out her hand and showing two fingers. “Who’s you?”

“Josie, this is Violet,” I said, making it clear that she hadn’t earned the right to be called Grandma.

“Josie, it’s so nice to finally meet you. Even though I knew nothing about you until yesterday.” She quipped, and Josie frowned at her before looking at me. I rubbed my daughter’s back, knowing she didn’t understand what my mother had said, but the tone was snarky. “What about the other one?” She arched her brow. And I wanted to toss her out of my house now.

“Lottie is sleeping, so you’ll have to wait to meet her.”

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