Page 79 of Skye's Fall
“You’re too kind, Ralston,” she says, blushing.
“No, you call me dad,” and I swear to all heaven that Skye starts to cry as my dad hugs her. Hormones.
“We’ll be back in a couple weeks to get you and bring you home,” I tell him as we say goodbye.
“I’m looking forward to it. I want to get back into the cattle business with you, if you’ll let me.”
“I think it’s time you rest and relax. We will need a babysitter some nights,” I laugh.
“I’d like that,” he hugs Skye one more time before we leave.
“He’s really nice,” she says as we head home. She never met him before because I was embarrassed to bring girls around the house. My friends knew my dad was a drunk and didn’t care, we always hung out in the barn. And Skye was special. I didn’t want to scare her away. I’m sure she heard the rumors. To her credit, she never mentioned them to me.
“All that fidgeting for nothing,” I tease her as I take her hand.
“Hey, I was nervous,” she mock pouts. She’s trying hard not to smile but can’t help it. She seems more at ease as we leave.
“Now there’s no need to be,” I say, and she squeezes my hand.
We start the drive home in comfortable silence.
“I’m happy,” she says out of nowhere. I feel the same.
“Me too,” I reply just as we pass the water tower with her words of affection still bright and big and I smile.
We’ve come a long way, had bumps and bruises, but in the end, I think that’s what makes us perfect for each other.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Linc
Now it’s my turn to be nervous. I left Skye at my house, our house. She hasn’t officially moved in, but she’s going to. We’re going to build a great life together and I’m excited.
But today, I’m going to see DD, her mother. She called Skye last night and asked for my presence. Just me. Skye laughed it off. She told me I didn’t have to be nervous and made a joke about when I said it to her when we went to visit my dad. But I was with her then. And this is her mother. And I’m going by myself. DD is a force to be reckoned with. She actually scares me and I don’t have anyone as back-up.
I actually called Memphis to come with me and he laughed at me as he hung up.
“Not a chance,” he had said. She scares everyone. But I understand why. She raised a hellion like Beau and an angel like Skye all by herself.
I pull in and park, taking a minute before I get out to compose myself.
“You going to sit there all day?” she hollers from the porch.
I bet my face goes white because she laughs as I climb out of the truck and head up the porch steps.
“Ma’am,” I greet her, feeling awkward.
“You have nothing to be nervous about,” she chuckles.
“Well, to be honest, you are kind of scary,” I snort, feeling a little bit more relaxed as we move into the living room.
“I’ve had to raise two hellions, of course, I’m going to be scary,” she laughs as she gestures to the couch and heads to the kitchen.
She hands me a cup of coffee as she takes a seat in the chair across from me and stares.
And we’re back to awkward.
She taps the arm of the chair before speaking, “My girl is precious to me.”
