Page 78 of Unspoken Hearts
My heart falls again at how sad she looks. Bending down, I scoop her up into my arms. “Why do you say that?”
“He’s alone.”
My chest aches, and I kiss her cheek. “Your Dad will find someone soon enough. I promise.”
She smiles, cheeks rosy and freckled as I give her a cuddle. “I like you, Aunt Macie. And so does Uncle Gray, and Uncle Reid…”
My heart pounds a little harder at that name, my own cheeks flushing. I smile at her. “Well, I like being here. Especially because of all the animals.”
“Which is your favourite?” she questions, holding onto my hand once more as she edges the river bed. It’s slippery here with the mud, so I don’t dare let go of her as she waddles around, completely oblivious to her surroundings.
“Cows.”
She gives me a look that makes me laugh. “Cows?”
I nod again. “Yeah.”
“Why?”
My smile widens. “Because they’re cute.”
“They’re stinky,” she chimes back, and I can’t hold in my laugh anymore.
Her boot slides on the wet earth, and I quickly lift her before she goes into the water. “All right, enough of that, before you get us both into trouble.”
She giggles loudly as I walk us back to the gravel path that leads to the main house. “Dad lets me play in the water.”
“You can when you aren’t still in your pyjamas. I don’t want to be responsible for ruining—”
“Dad would let me.”
I smile, shaking my head. “You can come back with him later, when you aren’t in your pyjamas.”
“Okay.”
I sniff a laugh as we reach to the porch, Aspen carrying her little basket of eggs. I remove our shoes before she runs inside to get her breakfast.
I go to walk in when I hear Reid’s voice behind me. Spinning, he and Holden are making their way over, talking about something that I can’t hear until Reid catches me staring at him. Eyes locking, I see the small tick in his mouth before Holden looks up too.
I blink away, reaching for the door, when he yells out, “Mae.”
Peering over my shoulder, Holden slips inside, either not caring enough about us, or not wanting to be out here when we talk, and I kind of don’t blame him.
Reid steps up onto the porch, removing his hat, his dark hair a little flattened. Running his hand through it to fluff it more, I watch his toned body move in sync, and can feel my cheeks heating.
“Hi, cowboy,” I say teasingly.
His mouth curls into a grin, and I bite my bottom lip excitedly. Being this close to him makes my body vibrate, like I'm being drawn to him. I’ve always felt this pull, and I never want it to break with Reid.
“Hi,” he echoes, and my smile grows.
“Did you stop me just to say hi?”
He snickers. “Hi is a nice greeting,” he quips, inching closer. “Plus you were the one who started it.”
I push his chest lightly, holding in a giggle.
Reid leans back, rubbing the back of his neck like he always does when he’s nervous. It makes my stomach flush. “I just wanted to know if you were busy this afternoon?” he questions slowly in his low, honeyed tone.
