Page 45 of One of Six

"No. My dad and Uncle Jesus made it."

I forgot that he has an uncle named Jesus. I bet he is a character. He should be with that name.

"Put the phone in here, babe, and I'll show you how to open and close it so you can access it."

I put the bundle in the drawer and hesitate. "What if one of your brothers finds it? It can't be lost."

He shakes his head. "No one uses it."

"Show it to me?" My eyes light up with joy and Essex laughs.

He takes my hand and runs it through twice. "I won't remember this."

"I'll put it in the note app. Just remember that the first number is the row, and the second number is the drawer in that row.

Open: 3/1, 4/4, 7/3, 9/5, 10/3

Push in: 2/4, 5/3, 8/4

"That I can remember." I sit and watch him make the note for me and check it again. I could watch this man all day long. I place a hand gently on his neck and feel the shudder he releases. My fingers continue into his hair, which is soft.

He turns and takes my hand. "Mom wants me to bring you to say hello. I hope that's okay."

"I'm not sure she likes me very much."

"Baby, she knows how your father is. She's worried about me and the others. But she likes you. I promise.” Brushing his lips over mine, he leads us back to the studio room. "We better go save Violet from Ridge."

I snort. "When you get to know Violet, you'll realize she doesn't need to be saved from a Redd—she needs to be saved from herself."

He puts an arm around my shoulder, and we walk out of the building. I put an arm around his waist.

"Which one of my brothers is she looking at? Galen?"

"She says not, but maybe."

He chuckles. "I'll let him discover that for himself."

Moving outside, Atilio is waiting. I smile, hoping he's not mad at me.

"Firecracker," he says somberly, "I'm sorry for your loss. Are you all right?"

"Thank you, Atilio. I’m okay, but only because of Essex and you."

He nods. "Mama sent me to find you." He chuckles. “She's tired of being polite to Violet."

My eyes go wide. "Oh, no! What did she do?"

Atilio chuckles. "Nothing like that. She hasn’t stopped talking."

I jump. "Oh dear. I shouldn't have left her. She's nervous." I hurry out into the beautiful yard and into the kitchen. All the talking stops.

"Um, Maggie, hi."

She smiles. "Come and sit down, Bea. Would you like a piece of cake and some sweet tea?"

"Yes, please." I sit next to Violet with Essex next to me. He puts a hand on my thigh and leaves it there.

"Jailbait's finally shut up." Ridge joins us.

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