Page 131 of When It's Us
Ginger
Theranchhouseishumming with what can only be described as a shit storm of activity. Wren ushers the boys and me into the kitchen and it’s a sight I’ll never forget. The large space feels cozy with all the bodies crammed in.
“Look who I found!” Wren calls out.
Finn stands at the island, leaned back against Hudson, whose got his hands under her belly, per usual lately, cradling it to take the weight off, and Paige jumps up from the table and rushes forward to grab both boys by the hands to take them out to the back yard.
Hayley, Norah, and Nat all chorus a hello, and Hank gives me a squeeze on the arm as he passes by to take the meat out to the grill, where Duke waits with the door propped open.
Emily beams at me as she takes something out of the oven.
My eyes light on everyone, but the one person I really want to see either isn’t here yet or is somewhere else in the house.
It seems suspicious, or I don’t know…strangeto ask about him, considering I’ve already given most of the women here a reason to ask questions I don’t have the answers to multiple times, and I really don’t feel like doing that again.
I get busy helping Emily and Wren with the rest of dinner, and by the time it’s done, he still hasn’t turned up. Excusing myselfunder the guise of using the restroom, I detour back to the front entry and dig into my purse and pull out my phone.
I shoot off a text.
Ginger:Hey, foods ready. You on your way?
When he doesn’t immediately text back, I tuck the phone into my back pocket and head back into the kitchen.
I help the boys get their plates and grab some for myself before settling in at the table.
It’s loud and crowded, but I can’t help but smile as the family chats and laughs, ribbing each other over this or that. No one mentions Hutch and I get the feeling maybe it’s not unusual for him to not be here. But he invited me and the boys so it seems strange that he would skip out on it. Did something happen?
We’re halfway through the meal when my phone vibrates in my pocket. Pull it out under the table. Unfortunately, it’s an email notification.
I cast a glance around the table and then drop my eyes back to my phone on my lap. I get a sideways look from Wren, but then Hank asks her to pass the mashed potatoes.
Ginger:Everything ok?
Dots appear and bounce on the screen, then stop before starting up again. But no new text comes through, and soon the dots disappear altogether.
Considering all the times Hutch has texted me over the last couple of weeks, all flirty, sarcastic, or sometimes filthy and demanding like last night, his silence feels odd.
I chew on my lip. Maybe he’s sick? He seemed okay last night. Especially after fucking me senseless. Tucking my phone into my back pocket, I catch Wren’s eye.
She nods and pushes out of her chair, nudging me on the shoulder. “Wanna help me feed the girls?”
“Sure,” I say, even though the girls are both down for the evening naps.
I follow her out of the dining room, through the kitchen, and into the front entry.
“You look worried,” she says, touching my arm and pulling me further out of earshot from the dining room.
Glancing back that way, I pull out my phone and show her the text thread.
She reads it, her lips moving silently. When she’s finished, she looks up at me.
“Okay, what am I looking at?”
“Don’t you think it’s weird that he isn’t answering?”
She shrugs. “I mean, not really. Hutch comes around, but not a lot. This is pretty typical of him.”
I shake my head. “But he invited us here, then he doesn’t show?”
