Page 53 of Love Takes Home

“Good to know. When I’m a teacher, I’ll definitely be the awesome one. They’ll worry about me ruining the kids and I’ll eventually lose my job because I can’t be controlled, so I’ll just have to run for office.”

“Where we’ll all vote for you,” Trish assures her.

“Of course you will. Duh.”

She grabs an apple off the counter and leaves the kitchen.

“She’s going to want to date soon,” Davis groans beside me. “What are we going to do, then?”

Trish just smiles and says, “You’re gonna do what every father or father figure throughout time has always done. You’re gonna sit back and you’re gonna pretend like it’s not happening.”

“God, beautiful and wise. How’d I get so lucky?”

“You both got your heads out of your asses.” Ginny sticks her tongue out at both of them.

“And I think that’s our cue to go.” I laugh and look at Ginny, who nods her head.

We say our goodbyes and head out the front door.

“Are you ready to go home?” I ask her when we get to the bike.

“Not at all.”

“Do you want to stay at my place tonight?”

Ginny’s sigh sounds almost as dramatic as Harper’s. “I’m afraid my mother would have a fucking coronary if I did that. My dad, however, would probably pull the boxes out of the basement and have them ready to pack.”

“Then I have an idea. I’ll get you home before your curfew, but we need to get out of this driveway.”

“They’re watching us out the window, aren’t they?” She narrows her eyes, looking over her shoulder toward the house.

“Oh, yeah. I’ve been watching the curtain twitch since we came outside.”

“Hey, Joker. You should kiss me. Right here, right now.”

“That, I can do.”

Chapter 17

Ginny

We ride out tothe edge of town. I have no idea where we’re going, but it’s not my home, so I’m going to do what he’s tried to get me to do all day—lean into it and just enjoy.

When he stops, we’re in a giant grassy area under a weeping willow next to a pond. We get off the bike and Joker lifts my seat and pulls out a blanket, spreading it on the ground.

“Where are we?”

“The Carmichael Ranch. I found this place a while back riding four-wheelers with Preacher and Sam.”

“I thought you and Sammy were enemies.”

“Nah,” he laughs. “Only when he has to pretend that he’s upset with me for official reasons. He’s a good guy.”

“I hear he’s leaving us soon. How’s Preacher feel about that?”

“Like a papa bear losing a cub. He treats all the Carmichael boys like his own and when they fly the ranch, he takes itpersonally. But you know Sam, he was never going to saddle up and be a cowboy.”

“No, not him. Preacher has a way of taking care of strays, doesn’t he? It’s what he did with Trish and her momma.”

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