Page 100 of Fixing to Be Mine

Stormy lets out a surprised laugh.

I rub the back of my neck. “It’s not like that.”

“Uh-huh.” Remi hands me the lemonade. “This place is coming together.”

“We’re trying,” I say.

Remi walks through every room on the bottom floor, and I follow her.

“Wow. I’m shocked you were able to turn this dump into a mansion.”

“Still a long way to go,” I breathe out.

My sister grins at Stormy. “You’ve inspired him.”

“Maybe a little,” Stormy says, brushing her hands on her shorts.

Remi grins. “Mama told me to bring you that lemonade, and I’d like to invite you to dinner on Friday. Cash and I are grilling. It’s nothing big. Burgers and beer, and I invited Fenix. I’m worried about her.”

I cross my arms over my chest. “Why?”

“I dunno. Ever since the rodeo has been in town, she’s been standoffish.”

My Spidey-Senses go off again, and I instantly think of Jace. I glance at Stormy, who lifts one brow like she already knows what’s on my mind.

“We’ll be there,” I say, wanting to know what’s going on with Fenix.

“Good. Don’t tell anyone else, please. I don’t want it to be a big deal,” Remi nearly begs.

When all our siblings are there, it’s a lot of work.

“Okay,” I say with a nod.

“Well, I’ll let y’all get back to whatever domestic moment I interrupted. Gotta go to the B & B for my shift,” Remi tells us, giving us hugs, then leaves.

Stormy glances at me. “Do you think Fenix is acting like this because Jace is here?”

My jaw locks tight, and I breathe out, “My gut says yes.”

She swallows hard. “What will you do?”

“Fuck him up.”

With a shake of her head, she moves close. “You can’t do that. Maybe you should talk to Fenix. Ask her?”

“I have,” I explain. “She deflects and denies. No way she’d ever admit it to me. Maybe you should talk to her?”

Stormy studies me. “I’ll try.”

After we finish cleaning up our mess, I step outside onto the back porch, watching the horses graze in the pasture.

The sky starts to shift, and it’s beginning to get darker sooner, the way it does in the late summer. I lower myself onto the bench, speckled with dry paint.

I rub the back of my neck, my muscles still tight from manual labor, but that’s not what has me wound up. It’s everything else.

Remi’s visit shouldn’t have affected me like it did, but I know Fenix is hurting.

The screen door creaks, then clicks shut behind me. I don’t turn around, but I hear her footsteps. She doesn’t say anything at first. Just walks across the porch and lowers herself beside me with two cups in her hand. It’s the lemonade Remi brought.

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