Page 81 of More Than a Helping Hand

After he leaves, I stare at my phone as I eat a second dinner, trying to decide what I should say to Primrose.

The next several hours are spent typing out my feelings, then deleting them and starting over. But when I’m satisfied with the wording, I set my phone aside. I’ll read over it again tomorrow, more than once, before hitting send.

I definitely need to sleep on it.

CHAPTER29

PRIMROSE

Mom is in absolute heaven to have all her children home for Thanksgiving. And it’s fun seeing Bailey play with her cousins.

I cover a yawn, then pull glasses and kiddie cups out of the cabinet.

“Rough night?” Mom glances up, putting down the masher. “The potatoes look blended enough, don’t you think?”

“They look amazing. And I didn’t sleep well last night. After I get the table set, I’ll have another cup of coffee.”

“I’m not sure coffee is going to fix anything.” She transfers the potato mixer to a piping bag and starts dropping swirly little dollops onto a cookie sheet. “Aren’t these adorable? They’re called Duchess potatoes.”

“They look fancy.”

My mom has been good about not mentioning Anderson, and I know it hasn’t been easy for her. But I’m thankful she’s stayed mostly silent on the topic. He’s pretty much all I think about when I crawl in bed at night, and I’m constantly trying not to think about him when I’m working.

Seeing his tight shoulders and set jaw as he worked his way down the tree and knowing what lengths he’d go to protect Bailey has me questioning everything. When Kyle resurfaced from wherever he’d been bottom feeding, I was so sure that a relationship with Anderson wouldn’t work. Because of me. I make bad choices. In the past, I ignored logic and chased my feelings. And now that my feelings are pulling me toward Anderson, I’m terrified that I’m ignoring logic.

Plus, it’s unsettling to know that his sister hates me. Bailey would probably be irritated with me if she knew I made Anderson sad, so I get it.

Dad pulls the turkey out of the smoker and sets it in the middle of the table. “Wash your hands and find your seats.”

Minutes later, the entire family, all fifteen of us, are seated around Mom’s farmhouse table.

Dad nudges Parker. “You start.”

And so begins our yearly tradition of going around the table and saying what we are thankful for.

I hold my breath when it’s Bailey’s turn because I’m never sure what she’s going to say. And I’m hoping it doesn’t have anything to do with Anderson.

She slips her hand into mine and smiles at me as she says, “I’m thankful I have an awesome mom.”

“And I’m thankful you’re mine.” There is so much more meaning to those words than she understands, given what recently happened. But the words also snap on a lightbulb in my brain.

I consider Kyle one of my biggest mistakes, but the result of that relationship is my greatest blessing. I’ve spent so much time beating myself up over my bad choices that I don’t trust myself. But I’m about to make the biggest mistake of all. I can’t let the men who hurt me continue to do so by stopping me from embracing happiness. This is what’s tumbling around in my head when my mom starts talking.

“Having everyone together makes me so happy, and what I’m most thankful for today is this man.” She kisses Dad’s cheek. “Finding the someone who loves you for who you are is something special, and I love that all of y’all have found that too.”

There is a collective sigh around the table, and I can feel my siblings looking at me. Priscilla is probably wondering if Mom’s lost her mind because, just like last year, I’m single.

Bailey leans over and whispers not all that quietly. “I think Grandma means DeeDee.”

To my family’s credit, they stifle most of their laughter.

“I think you’re right. And I think she’s right.” So much for trying to hide things from Bailey. I push my chair back and stand. “I’ll be back.”

Parker tips his head back and blows out a breath. “Finally.”

My family gives up holding back, and laughter rings out at the table as I run for the door. Outside, I stop. Parker’s truck is behind my car.

As I turn to go back inside, he shoves keys at me. “Take mine.”

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