Page 84 of Sunny Skies Ahead
“By let go, I can also assume you mean everything that happened with your marriage?”
I blew out a breath. Kevin and I’s relationship was complicated, as bonds between siblings often are. He didn’t know the full details of what happened with Jacob, and I had every intention of keeping it that way. He knew enough; that Jacob hadn’t treated me well, and that I would bear the mental and physical scars of that time in my life forever.
“I’m still working on that, but yes,” I said. “It’s time to move forward. I’ve spent a lot of time mulling over the past. I’m tired of it stealing my future.”
“What’s your next step?”
I pressed my lips together. That was the question of the hour.
“I think. . . I think I’m going to Winding Road.”
The corner of Kev’s mouth twitched, and I knew he was fighting a smile.
“You think, or you know?”
I rolled my eyes.
“I haven’t exactly asked to keep my job, and depending on how things go in Seattle, I might not have one in a few weeks. But I’ll do everything in my power to make sure we get this grant.”
“We?” Kevin asked. I opened my mouth to respond, but when I glanced his way, he was laughing.
“Shut up,” I said. Kevin stuck his tongue out at me, and Pam immediately squawked with indignation. She was always there to defend my honor, bless her heart.
“You’re a pain in my ass, you know that?” Kev said, jerking a thumb at Pam. I smacked his arm playfully.
“Don’t talk to her like that,” I said, smiling.
“She’s a menace,” Kevin said. “You know Kyrie wants to keep the chickens, right? She’s been begging me to let her have them.”
“That sounds good to me,” I said, reaching into one of the nests and putting three eggs in my basket. “I’m hoping the livestock can stay local. We’re pretty much at capacity at Winding Road, but I’m hoping I can find some other folks in town to take the herd.”
We settled into a comfortable silence as we finished collecting the eggs and cleaning out the henhouse. By the time we returned to the barn and finished washing the equipment, the early morning sun cast a beautiful orange glow over the fields beyond.
“I’m your brother, so I don’t want details, but I will say. . . I can tell Kam makes you happy,” Kevin said. “Happiness looks good on you.”
“Aw,” I said, grinning. “I think that might be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me, Kev.”
“Yeah, yeah, don’t get used to it,” Kevin said, waving a hand. “You can head back to the farmhouse. I’ve got the rest of the chores handled.”
“You sure?”
Kevin nodded and headed deeper into the barn. He paused before he reached the last stall, looking over his shoulder and calling out to me.
“Go get him, sis. Stop overthinking it.”
I smiled the entire way back to the farmhouse.
Because of the chaos of the last few weeks, my pantry was looking pretty barren. I didn’t have anything for spaghetti or chili, which were at the top of my go to’s. The only thing I had enough ingredients to make a full spread out of was breakfast food. “Brinner” was a perfectly acceptable “I love you, I’m sorry” meal, right?
Kam
Hey. Lucas just talked to me. I’m on the way.
I glanced at the stove clock, cursing under my breath when I realized I didn’t have enough time to dwell on it.
Me
Okay. See you soon
