Page 49 of Fire in My Heart

“You can’t go putting ideas into a pregnant woman’s head. Sutton’s already worried that things are going to change.”

I stilled. “Did you say Sutton’s pregnant?”

Wes’s eyes widened. “Did I say that?”

I tipped my head to the side, considering him, “Yeah, you did. Was it a slip of the tongue, or were you not supposed to say anything?”

Wes shook his head. “It’s a secret. Sutton’s going to kill me.”

I considered the situation for a few seconds. “I won’t tell anyone if you keep what I told you last night secret.”

“Fine.”

We each grabbed a folding table from the barn and carried them outside, opening up the legs where Charlotte had placed an X for the placement of each one. These would be the vendor tables where the crafts people would show off their wares.

“Does that mean you’re not going to tell me if anything happened with Charlotte?” Wes asked as we headed back inside for another folding table.

I gave him a look. “You got that right.” I lowered my voice and said, “But congratulations on becoming a father. I can’t believe I’m going to be an uncle again.”

“It’s old hat now. This is the third niece or nephew.” Wes hefted another table, and I followed him outside.

No one was inside, so we were by ourselves.

“That’s right.” My siblings were growing up, getting married, and having kids. I was still single, but that was fine, wasn’t it? I never wanted anything for myself. Not after Mom died. There wasn’t time. Everyone needed me. Didn’t they?

“It’s okay for you to have someone for yourself.” Wes set up the table, then looked at mine to make sure they were lined up.

“Mind your own business,” I said tightly, hanging onto my normal grumpy demeanor. I was usually successful at getting my siblings to back off.

Wes blew out a breath. “You deserve to be happy.”

“And I will be now that you’re giving me another kid to spoil,” I grumbled as we moved toward the barn.

Charlotte had placed a Santa Coming Soon sign at the door. My stomach tightened at the idea of playing a part and wearing the suit for children. What if I wasn’t a good Santa?

Wes turned, crossing his arms over his chest. “You can’t just watch us live our lives, you know?”

I frowned, wondering why he’d stopped working. We were on a tight timeline to finish the setup before the festival started. I reached around him to grab a table. “That’s not what I’m doing.”

Wes rushed to grab a second one and followed me outside into the light. “It’s what you’ve been doing since Mom died. You made sure we graduated from high school, then college, and got jobs. Now we’re getting married and starting to have kids. Your job is done.”

A job of a parent was never done. But then these were my siblings, not my kids. Suddenly, I felt older than my years. I set the table down, opening the legs, and flipping it to stand. My back was stiff, and my head ached.

“You put your life on hold and never really picked it back up again,” Wes observed as he set his table next to mine.

I looked around the grounds where holiday music played through the speakers and customers milled about, drinking hot chocolate. Charlotte must have gone through with her plan to sell refreshments.

I’d never felt anything when I saw families on the farm. But Wes telling me Sutton was pregnant was hitting me hard, and Icouldn’t understand why when I didn’t think I wanted kids. I’d practically raised my siblings.

The vendors were starting to set up on the tables we’d already assembled. Daphne walked over to the one nearest the sign for the festival with her cooler of pies.

“That’s not true. I graduated from college and got a job.”

“You moved home so you could be closer to us.”

My jaw tightened. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Yeah, but what do you want? You don’t have to stay here or even work on the farm. Not if there’s something else you want to do.”

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