Page 41 of The Last Promise You Made

As I watched, my respect for Eva grew. She’d gotten more out of the little girl in an hour than I had in twenty-four. If the child was going to open up to anyone, it wasn’t going to be some snarky NSA analyst. After years of learning to bury my emotions and personality, I was going to have to do the opposite. I was going to have to open myself up for her to trust me.

That sent more waves of fear through me than the gunfire I’d lived through in a South American jungle.

Chapter Thirteen

Ryder

FALL

Performed by Clay Walker

It wasn’t just Addy who’d been relaxed and charmed by my parents. It was Gia…and me. The tension that had been in the air since I’d walked into my brother’s office that morning had all but disappeared by the time we were laughing over pie and scoops of homemade vanilla ice cream.

Addy still hadn’t said more than a word or two, but her shoulders were relaxed, and she’d listened and smiled and even laughed as my parents told her about our family, the ranch, and Mila. They took great pleasure in telling stories about me growing up. I recognized it for what it was—a way to allow the child to get to know me. I was grateful and yet also uncomfortable because it wasn’t just Addy hearing those tales. It was the spitfire I was attracted to in ways I hadn’t been to any woman since Ravyn…maybe even more than I’d been to Ravyn.

That wiped my smile away.

I collected the dishes and made my way to the kitchen to wash them as I’d done my whole life. The kids always cleaned up—end of story. Gia came in with the last stack, standing by my side, drying the items my mother would have kicked my ass if I’d put in a dishwasher.

The silence should have been awkward between us, and yet it wasn’t. It was as if the spell my mother had cast had brought that temporary truce Gia and I had called in my brother’s office into reality. What it didn’t do was dull the way my skin buzzed with awareness of her. In fact, it seemed amplified in the quiet as we worked, fingers grazing, shoulders brushing. It was as if we were slow dancing, the heat flickering and growing with each touch.

“Do you like kittens?” Mama asked.

My head jerked back to the table where Addy sat. Through the window behind her, stars sprinkled in the dark sky. Addy gave an excited nod, and I barely bit back a groan. I could not bring a cat home with us. It was fine if they lived in the barn. They kept the rodents and pests down, and the guests loved the idyllic image of them lazing about the farm, but that was where they were supposed to stay. I didn’t want my leather furniture torn apart by claws, and I definitely didn’t want to clean a litter box. I shoveled enough excrement at the farm without having to do it here too.

“Well, when Ryder brings you over to the ranch tomorrow, you can meet the little bundles the barn cat had. They’re only a few weeks old, but their eyes are open, and they’re starting to get into mischief. And if animals are your thing, we’ve got loads more. Horses and cows and even a pen of chickens I sometimes regret keeping, but I love their fresh eggs. I can teach you how to gather them. Mila is always too excited going into the henhouse, and she riles them all up, but I bet you’d be good at it because you’re nice and calm.”

Addy’s eyes went wide.

“We’re going shopping tomorrow,” I said, drying my hands and heading back to the table. “Addy needs clothes and…well…everything.”

“You can come by after you’re done shopping. We’ll have dinner, and Addy can meet the rest of the family.”

“Mama,” I lowered my voice, conveying a warning to butt out.

“Don’t Mama me. Addy will be fine, won’t you?” My mother looked over to see Addy had retreated again. Her smile was gone, her shoulders were tight once more, and the blank look was back on her face.

Mama’s brows furrowed before she squinted at me with a question in her gaze I couldn’t answer.

“You’re right. I just got overly enthusiastic about having this sweet girl in our lives and wanted everyone else to meet her too. Take your time. We’ll be there whenever she’s ready.” She rose, and my dad did as well. “We’ll let y’all tuck in for the night.”

I knew my mama well enough to know she was itching to hug Addy, but instead, she lightly touched the little girl’s shoulder. “I really am happy you’re here. Next time, maybe we’ll make chocolate chip cookies. Or snickerdoodles. Those are Mila’s favorite.”

Silence invaded for the first time since my mother had arrived. The tension came back into the room, and I hated it, wishing to bring back the relaxed air we’d all been wrapped in for a few moments.

“I’ll walk you out,” I said to my parents.

The three of us headed up the two steps to the entry hall and out the double doors. Dad’s faded-blue Dodge pickup was parked out front.

“When you going to give up on that Dodge and finally get a Chevy?” I teased as my father opened the door for my mother. Between my brother, my dad, and me, we represented all three of the main American car manufacturers and harassed each other about it on the regular.

“Dodge was good enough for my daddy, good enough for you to sit your ass on as a kid, and it’ll be good enough for me until I’m dead and buried.”

“Keep swearing, and Mila is going to be able to pay for college with her swear jar,” Mama said as she climbed in with a smile. Then, her face turned serious. “You going to be able to put her to bed okay? Bath and books and cuddles?”

Shit. I hadn’t even thought about a nighttime ritual. But I’d babysat for Mila a time or two. I was usually a last resort, but I’d done it. I could handle it with a little girl who was supposed to be mine, couldn’t I?

When I nodded, my mother raised a brow and sent a smirk my way, as if she read my hesitation. Dad went around, climbed in the cab, and they both waved as they headed down the gravel drive, tires kicking up dust into the night sky.

---