Page 78 of Home in the Country
“That’s awesome,” Waylon says with a smile as he strips out of his shirt and pulls the new one on.
“What the hell is that?” Hank barks out a laugh as Case comes around with a cardboard cutout of Tanner with a shirt that we draped over it and tied so it wouldn’t fall off.
“Briggs’s dad.” I shrug andevery singleset of eyes lands on me, and I feel my cheeks heat.
“How did you even manage to get that made that fast?” Hayden asks.
“I know a girl…” Case smirks and everyone laughs.
My father wraps me in a side hug that has me clearing my throat when he lets go.
“Everyone ready?”
Affirmatives go up around us as we cross the parking lot and I press the buzzer.
“Can I help…oh my…hold on.” The woman’s voice is full of wonder, but she’s absolutely beaming as she opens the front door. I recognize the secretary, Mrs. Hicks, immediately.
“Mrs. Hicks! You’re lookin’ beautiful as ever.” She blushes even as she swats at my shoulder.
“Snake charmer, this one.”
“Only because it’s true.” I wink and then add, “We’re here for the lunch thing.”
“And we brought food,” Hank says, and Sorren lifts his box too.
“Fallon said that you’d be comin’ but she didn’t mention you’d be bringin’ so many.”
‘We don’t do anything small in this family.”
Mrs. Hicks dabs at her eyes before hustling us down the hall toward the gymnasium, which still smells exactly how I remember when I went here.
“Excuse me, Miss Baker, Briggs has some last-minute guests.”
We pile into the room, and it doesn’t escape my notice that there are several kids without an adult present today.
“Everyone take a kid, okay?” my father says under his breath, and we all nod as Briggs jumps up from the table and sprints across the room.
His little body collides with mine, and I hug him as tight as I can manage without cutting off his air supply.
“You came.”
Pulling back, I look him in the eye as I say, “We always show up for family.” And because the tears in his eyes match my own, I point at my shirt and say, “We made shirts.”
His eyes widen as he takes everyone in for the first time before spotting the cutout.
“That’s my dad!” His head tilts to the side. “He looks funny.” Briggs giggles, and it’s honestly the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard.
Pulling the final shirt from my back pocket, I put it over his head and smile as he looks down.
“That’s my name!” Cheyenne printed his with just his name on the front because she’s on top of things like that.
“And ours sayProperty of Briggs.”
The guys take turns with hugs, fist bumps, and hair ruffles, which Briggs doesn’t even complain about even though all eyes are on us.
“This is the best day ever!” Everyone chuckles and then Miss Baker gathers us up with Briggs in the front for a picture. I have her take one with my phone and send it off to Fallon before turning my attention back to Briggs.
“Ready, Big Rigg?” I ask before grabbing the cutout of Tanner and hauling it toward the table. Briggs’s little hand rests in mine as he leads us to his seat.
