Page 46 of Wishes on Wildflowers
A guy looking in from the outside didn’t see it that way. Which wasn’t exactly true. Wasn’t the close-knit Santoro family part of the reason Nathan had removed himself from Spokane years ago? But Basil had grown up within the bounds of this clan. He must’ve felt loved and cared for every day of his life, unlike the deep fractures in Nathan’s family.
He tried to imagine Grace Santoro walking out on herfamily like his own mother had done. All Nathan had were a few photos of the woman who hadn’t cared enough about her toddler son to take him along when she’d left Pops. She’d gone to ‘find herself’ and never returned.
Sure, Pops had established quite the track record in the aftermath, the common denominator to three failed marriages. Why Makenna was still around — what she’d seen in Pops in the first place — was a mystery. Maybe she thought she’d get everything when Pops passed on, but she’d be in for a surprise. There wasn’t much to inherit.
Basil’s sour mood had crashed through Nathan’s barriers and plummeted him into the past. He jerked his head toward the other end of the market. “I’m going for a walk. I’ll be back in time to help you pack up.”
“I don’t need a babysitter,” growled Basil.
Nathan scowled back. “No, but you do need my pickup to haul crates.” With a shake of his head, he strode off, barely registering the contents of the other tents lining the walkway as he dodged shoppers.
How could two siblings be so different?
His phoned buzzed with a text from Jasmine.
What a beautiful adoption ceremony. My cousin’s kids adore him as much as he adores them.
A smile slid to Nathan’s face. Jasmine had shown him some photos of Rob Santoro’s February wedding the other day. Rob’s bride’s two children had definitely looked as happy as the adults.
That’s awesome, Nathan texted back. Man, he should have accompanied Jasmine today. Not because he and Rob had known each other well way back then, but because time without her dragged on and on. She, Peter, Alex, and Evan — along with an entire Santoro convoy — had driven toHelena after work last night and stayed over at Grizzly Gulch Resort.When will you be home? I miss you.
I miss you, too. Nonna thinks we should all stay until tomorrow, but the guys and I still plan to head home late this afternoon.
Nathan grinned at the thought of anyone thwarting Marietta. The old woman bullied her way along, pushing everyone to fall in line by sheer willpower. But then there’d been the day Jasmine had taken over planting Marietta’s garden. Maybe Marietta had found her match.Let me know when you’re leaving. Have fun. Drive safe.
Will do.The words were followed by a kissy face emoticon.
He stared at it until the light in his phone faded. How had he gotten so lucky as to have Jasmine back in his life? “Thank You, Lord,” he whispered as he turned toward the Bridgeview Backyards booth.
Dixie Wayling leaned across the table toward Basil, her scoop-neck top gaping. Basil’s gaze shifted from her face downward then back. His lips moved, but Nathan was too far away to hear the words. Dixie stretched a little further to kiss Basil’s cheek — or maybe whisper in his ear — then strolled away, leaving a bemused Basil staring after her.
No stinking way. Dixie wasn’t married to Dan Ranta, but they lived together and had a baby. Nathan was under no illusions about Basil’s dating life, but surely he was smart enough not to get involved with someone like her. Didn’t the woman’s history, reputation, and current living situation mean anything to him?
Nathan stalked to the booth and tossed his truck keys at Basil. “Sorry, I need to leave now. I’ll walk home. Drop off the keys later.” Without waiting for a response, he spun onhis heel and strode away.
“Oh,man. I hate seeing a kid so disappointed.” Jasmine snapped her seatbelt closed in the passenger seat of her brother’s car.
“Too bad the gotcha party was cut short by the accident.” Alex stuck his key in the ignition. “But I can’t say I mind that Peter’s driving home tonight after all. We have a lot of produce to pick in the next few days.”
“It’s all about you, as always,” muttered Evan from the backseat.
Jasmine glanced over her shoulder. “Oh, grow up.”
Their cousin Rob’s new son, Davy, had been so excited about the adoption he’d jumped up on a low concrete wall outside the courthouse and tripped over his shoelace. The tumble to the sidewalk had broken his ankle, effectively canceling the backpacking trip Rob and Peter had been planning for weeks.
“They’ll go later in the summer when it’s even busier in the gardens. This would’ve been a better time.” Jasmine glared at Evan. “It’s like you don’t want anyone to be happy, even Rob and Davy. Did you see the look on that kid’s face when he realized Rob was going to really be his dad forever?”
“Yeah, it got me in the feels.”
Alex tapped the horn twice in response to the waving family and friends as he backed out of his parking spot at the resort near Helena where the party had been held.
“Well, it got me there for sure, little brother.” Jasmine blew a kiss at Nonna who stood glowering beside the massivelog and stone building. Nonna didn’t think anyone should leave until Rob and Bren got back from Emergency with a cast on Davy’s leg, but what was the point? They had a five-hour drive ahead of them.
The car turned onto the highway, and Jasmine leaned back against her headrest. “Wow, so many people. Exhausting.”
Evan jabbed her shoulder. “I don’t know how you introverts survive daily life.”
She didn’t open her eyes. “Me, neither, some days.”
