Page 66 of Home in the Country
“Hey! No one said there was a party out here!” Case says with a flourish as he steps onto the porch behind Otto. “What’s up, big man?” He holds his hand out to Briggs and he slaps it. Case makes a point of shaking his hand out, which causes Briggs to dissolve into a fit of giggles.
“Case, you remember Fallon, right?”
Case holds his hand out with a wicked grin.
“Sure do, nice to see you again, Fallon.” We shake, and it’s like he’s both teasing and assessing me. “Y’all hungry? We just put some chicken on the grill, and Otto stole some potato salad from Mama’s house so we have plenty.”
“I didn’tstealit. She told me I could take it,” he huffs.
“Well, I for sure took some of those little fruit tart things from Hank, so we got it all covered.”
The brothers stare expectantly at me, and I look down at Briggs who is practically vibrating with excitement.
“Sure, that would be great.”
“Cool, cool. Hey Briggs, do you wanna help me with the grill?”
My eyes widen in alarm at the same time Briggs says, “You know my name?”
“Yeah, man, Otto talks about how cool you are all the time.”
Otto blushes but he nods. “Definitely, coolest dude I know.”
“And we’ll be safe, right, Mom?” Case asks Briggs.
“We’ll be safe, Mom! Can I go?”
“Oh, um, okay. Just listen to Case, okay?”
“Okay!” Case and Briggs chatter away like they’ve known each other for a lifetime instead of only a few minutes.
“So…” Otto draws out the word and I shift my gaze back to him. He looks tired but so handsome, and I just want to fall into his arms and tell him that everything is going to be fine.
That we’re going to be fine.
“I’m sure,” I repeat.
“No sex until I’m ready.”
“Yes,” I say, and I’m proud of myself for keeping the whine out of my voice.
“We go slow and build something real. Lasting.”
“Yes.”
“And you’re mine. Like out for dinner and holdin’ hands in public—mine.”
“Yes.” My lips twitch and I take a step forward and turn the cup in his hand. “I wouldn’t have put that one on there,” I say, pointing to a particularly terrible picture of me singing into a wooden spoon, “if I had any reservations.”
Chuckling, he places the cup and truck in the bag before setting it down on the rocking chair behind him.
“I thought you’d be happier about this,” I say with a gently teasing tone.
Otto pulls me into his chest and wraps his arms around me, then rests his chin on the top of my head.
“I am,” he sighs, and his body relaxes a little more against me. “It’s just a lot for me too, you know?”
Did I? I wasn’t sure.
