Page 39 of Fixing to Be Mine

She nods. “Actually, I don’t remember. I was in a weird place mentally. Is that all?”

I chuckle. “Nah. There’s Harrison, the jokester of the family, and his partner, Grace. They’ve been besties since theywere kids. Inseparable. Oh, Harrison and Beckett are business partners and work together.

“Now, those are all my older siblings. Remi and I are basically the middle kids.”

“Ahh,” she says. “I’m the oldest in my family. It’s not fun.”

“That explains it,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

“What?” she asks, standing. The shoes give her several more inches in height. She walks toward me.

“You have big-sister energy. It’s a good thing,” I tell her. “Oh, there are more.”

“More?” Her voice rises an octave. “I honestly don’t know how your mother handled so many kids.”

“Sometimes, I don’t either.” I laugh. “Now, the youngsters. We have Fenix. She’s one hell of a barrel racer, but she doesn’t ride anymore. No one knows why. Only lots of speculation. There’s Emmett, who I already told you about. He’s a playboy flirt who works on my parents’ cattle ranch. No matter what any woman tells you in public, she is not his girlfriend, trust me.”

“Damn,” she says, like she’s making mental notes.

“It’s a lot. Sorry. Up next is London. She’s the talented one, but somewhat of a wild card. Has balls of steel and dreams of being famous one day.”

“Wow, really? Tell me more about her,” she says.

“Well, she’s been playing guitar and singing since she was a little kid. Mom recognized it very early, but we all did. She was in lessons, won all the local and state talent shows, but has never had her moment. Instead of giving up, she decided she’d start booking her own gigs because nothing will stop her,” I explain. “One day, she’ll meet the right person, and her entire trajectory will change.”

“You’re right. When does she play next?”

“Funny you should ask, this weekend at the rodeo.”

She grins and chews on the corner of her lip, knowing what that does to me.

“Wrapping it up, there’s Sterling, my youngest brother, who’s training to be a farrier. Then Vera, who’s the baby. She recently graduated high school and works at the nursery. She’s got a heart bigger than Texas and could probably revive a cactus.

“And I think that’s everyone.”

Sunny blinks a few times as I lead her down the hallway. “I’m suddenly overwhelmed, and the night hasn’t started yet.”

Before I twist the knob for the front door, I glance over and see the bouquet of flowers I picked up from town earlier. “Shit,” I mutter, breaking the growing tension I was basking in. It’s been a long time since anyone’s presence has made me feel so damn alive.

For a while, I thought I might never feel this flame with anyone again. I return to her in the entryway. The late evening sunlight glistens through the crystal glass of the door and casts a kaleidoscope of reflections around. The moment almost feels magical.

“These are Mama’s favorites. I’d like you to give them to her.”

She takes them carefully, her fingers brushing mine. The spark is undeniable.

“We should be honest,” she says. The guilt in her voice is evident.

“We will.” I hold her gaze. “However, it won’t matter what status we give because after they see how we interact, they’ll assume we’re together even if we deny it until we’re blue in the face.”

She tries not to smile, but fails. “Seriously?”

“It’s the way you look at me, babe. Why do you think Tessa believed it?”

Her perfect, kissable lips part.

My phone buzzes with a timer. It’s my alarm to leave so we’re not late. We step outside, and I lock up, making sure the porch light is on for us when we return. As we move down the porch, I want to grab her hand, but I opt for opening the truck door for her instead. She slides inside, and then I move behind the steering wheel.

“Time to meet the people who are gonna interrogate you over a home-cooked meal. And if we’re late, there’ll be a small army of dishes waiting with our names on ’em,” I say as I crank the engine.

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