Page 18 of Found By You

She is. “That too many?”

“I mean, for me, yeah.”

“How many do you want?” I ask without thinking.

“Well, I’d love three. That’s kind of the dream, anyway,” she says. “What about you? Do you want kids?”

I simply nod, not having the words on that one.

I did. I do. It’s complicated.

“How many?” she presses.

“I’ve never put a number on it,” I admit. “However many my woman would want, really.”

“Well, I hope you at least have a max.” She laughs. “I’m sure one of your parents put a cap on it at some point.”

I chuckle deeply. “Yeah, I think they were aiming lower, but Ma wanted a daughter. Of course, sixth time was the charm.”

Shaking her head, she says, “Five older brothers, I can’t imagine.”

I grin. You’d think, from the outside looking in, that Lily got the short end of the stick. Not the case. She’s the baby and the only daughter—she’s had our parents wrapped tight around her finger since day one without even trying.

“What about you, any siblings?”

Maci rolls her eyes. “I have an older sister, Tami. She’s a real bitch.”

“That bad, huh?”

“Oh, you have no idea,” she adds dramatically. “She might as well be Satan’s bride with the felon of a husband she chose for herself. He stole my car once. Had everyone convinced I said he could borrow it—obviously, I didn’t. Yet, my entire family adores him. It’s mind-blowing, if you ask me.”

“What, uh, about you?” I force myself to ask, desperate to know. “You divorced? Doing the whole single mom thing.”

“No, I’ve…never been married,” she confesses, and my brow furrows. How the hell is a woman like her not hitched by now? “And yes, I’m doing the whole single mom thing. My ex didn’t want anything to do with me or the baby. So, yeah, it’s just us.”

“I’m sorry,” I say, internally stewing over her ex wanting nothing to do with his child. What kind of man does that?

“Don’t be.” She waves me off. “I don’t have to worry about him anymore. Me and my baby can have a fresh start.”

“That’s a good way to think of it.”

I slow as we reach the worn driveway leading to my property. I drop the plow and turn to start clearing the way. We hit a few bigger bumps, jerking the truck around. Maci yelps in shock, followed by a burst of laughter. I grin from ear to ear seeing her holding onto the door and console to stay in place.

“Hold on,” I chuckle, continuing up the long, bumpy drive to the finished pole barn that’ll act as my home garage alongside the half-built house. Rhett and Levi were able to get the foundation set, the frame of the house built, sheathing done, and the roof put on, all before the first snowfall of the season. Getting that far in the job when they did, left them able to work in the meantime on the inside.

“Whose house is this?” Maci asks, leaning forward to look up at the bare bones of a two-story house that’ll hopefully end up being a three-bedroom, two-bath with a wraparound porch.

“Mine,” I say, throwing the truck in park. “Rhett and Levi handle renovation projects, add-ons, and basic home builds.” Pointing down the road. “Butch lives up the road with his fiancée. Roughly five miles past that is my folks’ place. And down the road from them is where Beau’s property starts. I’m renting one of his cabins while I wait on the build here.”

Maci is quiet for a long moment. “So, you’re pretty close with your family, huh?”

“When they’re not up my ass half the time, yeah,” I scoff. “My parents hold Sunday dinner every week, but we see each other often. Hang out a good bit. You close with your family?”

Her face scrunches in a slight cringe before she quickly masks it. “No, um, like I said, it’s just me.”

I nod. Getting the feeling I might be upsetting her, I change the subject. “Did you want to see the place?” I ask. “I usually do a quick walk-through, make sure no critters are taking up residence.”

Her eyes light up, a beautiful smile on her full lips. “I’d love to.”

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