Page 25 of Moonshine Lullabies

I stood up, too fast I think, because the next thing I knew, something cold and hard was pressed against my face.

“Easy there, Captain! We gotcha now…”

CHAPTERNINE

Jessie-Lou…

His voice was soothing, melodic, and gentle with just a hidden depth and just a bit of husky rasp that had me sinking into it like a place of comfort. Hell, I could listen to this man read the contacts outta my phone or a grocery list or something.

Still, something about him reading my book to me was, well,something. He wasn’t trying to make fun of me or making me feel dumb for reading what I liked. He simply picked up my book and read to me and it was… sweet… soothing. I liked it.

I simply settled back in my seat, closed my eyes and listened. Within a few moments, I think I slept, or he stopped. I was so comfortable in that state, just before drifting off, I didn’t notice that he’d stopped.

It was tranquil and relaxing, so of course, my brother had to ruin it like any doting sibling.

“Hey, what’re you two doing?” J.P.’s voice demanded and Collier jumped beside me.

“Ah, I just started reading and I think we both dozed off,” he said. He marked the page he left off on and gave me a wink that my brother couldn’t see, handing me my book and stiffly getting to his hands and knees to crawl backward off the bed.

“Weird, but whatever,” J.P. declared. I rolled my eyes and set my book aside.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” Collier said, and I nodded. He went out and into the living room.

“You crushing on him?” my brother demanded with a devilish grin. I pulled a pillow out from behind my back and threw it at his big dumb head. He caught it, laughing at me, and threw it back before walking out the door and going across into his room and shutting the door.

I sighed. Setting my book aside, I clicked off my bedside lamp to sleep.

* * *

I gotup with my alarm the next morning to make sure Tate got up and ready for school, quietly passing the couch and going into the kitchen to make some breakfast for the boys and coffee. It bothered me how my eyes wanted to linger on Collier’s well-muscled back and I felt damn foolish when my insides turned to liquid gold at the sight of the light freckles spattering his skin along the tops of his shoulders, fading as they got down past his shoulder blades.

I didn’t know what it was about that, but good Lord, did it rev my engine and I needed tostop.

It was a damp and foggy morning out there and as cold as a cucumber, fresh out the icebox. I stared out into the open space and through the windows on the other side of my workbench and leaned back in my seat going limp with defeat at the sight of my truck out there now.

I needed to stop by the school before work to have a talk with the principal over Tater’s little tiff the day before. The letter he’d brought home had said they’d tried to call me, but it was before I’d gotten my phone fixed. I was sure I was going to go on up in there, lookin’ like the bad mom everyone liked to claim I was from bein’ so young.

The truth was I tried my best, but my best just weren’t never good enough, and that always frustrated me and made me so damn sad.

I sure as hell wasn’t ready to have Tate when I did. I didn’t want him at first. Didn’t want to carry him but I had to. My folks didn’t believe in abortion and they were so damn mad, they wanted me to be punished. And I was, right up until he was out and the doctors set him in my arms. I took one look at his little face and I knew…

It weren’t his fault. Not that he’d been conceived, not that he’d been born, and I’d be damned if I’d treat him like it was. I sure as hell didn’t deserve it and he didn’t either. The second I looked at him, I decided I would be the best damn mamma that boy could ask for and I tried like hell to do just that.

I just hoped it were enough.

I got the coffee pot to brewin’ and was gettin’ water in a measuring cup to make up some oatmeal when an arm reached around my shoulders and lips touched the side of my head.

“Mornin’, Bubba,” I said and a sleep-gruff voice said, “Mornin’,” but it wasn’t Tate’s.

I startled slightly and turned. Collier gave me a little squeeze and was gone from me with this little smirk before I could register what just happened.

“What in the hell?” I murmured as I heard the bathroom door shut and my kid let out an exasperated noise in his doorway. I smirked, and he came around the corner.

“Beat you to it, huh?” I asked as he stood there doin’ a little dance like he had ants in his pants.

“I’m goin’ outside,” he said, and I rolled my eyes.

“Not right by the back door!” I called, and he waved me off and bounced down the back steps just as the bathroom door reopened.

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