Page 52 of Wildest Forever

“You've been gone a day Pacey Rivera, how the hell is there so much?” and I smirk.

“Did you pack dirty washing?” her hands are on her hips as she taps her foot to the floor.

My cheeks turn pink.

“Pacey!” Morgan squeals as she shoves her hand into the top of my arm and I laugh softly.

“I will never understand you,” Mom huffs, pulling more laundry out the bag.

“Mrs Rivera,” Morgan begins, “I will teach your son how to use the washing machine.”

“Orla, please,” my ma beams at Morgan.

“What time shall I pick this up?” and I get a thunderous glare from Morgan.

“What?” I half laugh, and her eyes widen.

“She's not a laundromat!” Morgan clips me around the back of the head, and I laugh.

“Ow,” I rub out the sting.

“Orla, pack it back up, I'll do it,” and my mom shakes her head.

“No sweet girl, I'll do it today, Pacey can grow up and learn to do his own laundry tomorrow,” she winks, and I roll my eyes.

“You shouldn't be bringing laundry home to your mom,” she whispers as she knocks her shoulder into mine.

“I know, but...” I shrug my shoulder up as I pace over to my mom, placing a soft kiss on her cheek as she leans into me.

“Collect it tomorrow after work,” she says softly before I turn and smirk at Morgan, but she just crosses her arm in front of her and shakes her head softly.

“Ready?” I ask, winking at my wife before she rolls her eyes.

“Bye Orla,” she waves, and my mom closes the gap between the both of them before she pulls her into an embrace, holding her tightly and my chest hurts.

Once my mom breaks away, Morgan gives her a soft smile before she is walking past me. I give my mom one last look andshe blows me a kiss. Following behind Morgan, I close the door behind me and climb into the truck.

If we were coming back here, I would walk down the fields and climb the fence like we did as kids, but knowing that we're going back to Cottonwheel Ranch, well, it seems a bit pointless.

Turning the key, the truck rumbles as she closes the door behind her.

“You don't mind coming to Austin's with me do you?” I ask, looking at her before I pop the truck into reverse.

She just nods, her fingers picking the skin around her nail.

“Sure?” I raise a brow as I run my hand through my thick blond hair.She nods again.

“Okay.”

Turning the car around, I move out the long and winding driveway of Rivera Ranch and within minutes I am pulling into the orange dusty road of Maple Farm. I look at the idyllic house in the distance, maple trees line the road and my heart pumps in my chest.

We spent many of our childhood days here. More so Riggs than me.

But Riggs' childhood was different to the one me and Tripp remember.

His was hard.

Ours was a little easier.

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