Page 54 of Claiming Ours
He just nodded, that damn smile not dimming. “Okay, okay. I won’t bring it up again, tough guy. You’re a big scary cowboy who could kill me.”
“Damn right, I am,” I muttered, feeling a little better at his words.
“Though I think her description of you as her….” He tapped a finger against his cheek, pretending to think. “Oh, that’s right. Her Tootsie Pop. That’s much more accurate.”
With a snarl, I lunged for him, making him curse and bolt through the cabin, his laughter cutting off when the bathroom door slammed shut.
But as hard as I tried, I couldn’t stop fucking smiling.
18
MEMPHIS
My feet slid around in the too-large muck boots I’d borrowed from Liam with every step through the deep puddles on the way to the barn. The rain finally let up, though the dark clouds hinted that it could start up again any minute. A small smirk pulled at my lips, recalling the earlier easy banter with the asshole despite feeling numb after the accident. Digging into my front pocket, I pulled my phone free to see if there was an update on West’s condition. Scrolling through the group text I was added to, I pursed my lips, disappointed that there was nothing new.
Flipping to the text string with my mom, my loud laugh rumbled through the air as I watched a dumb cat video she’d sent earlier. Shaking my head at her quirky antics, I hovered both thumbs over the screen to respond.
Me: Hilarious. Love seeing a kitten with a hat on.
Mom: Hope that made you smile! I miss you! How is your day?!
Me: Mom, what have we talked about with overusing exclamation marks?
Mom: Well, how else will you know I’m excited to hear from you?!
Mom: How is Alaska?! Have you seen Baylee yet?!
I groaned in good humor at her frivolous use of the excited punctuation but knew I had to let it go because it really was just Mom being Mom.
Me: Saw her yesterday.
Me: She’s just as great as she was back in high school.
Mom: Baylee was a doll! She should come over for family dinner one night!
Mom: I’m glad you went out there to see her! I know you’ve been missing Dean!
Me: If we weren’t a boat ride, three plane trips, and a long drive from the airport, we totally would, Mom. You know I miss your cooking on the daily.
Mom: Ha! You’re lying because I can barely cook soup, and now you’re this super chef!
Me: Not super. Not a chef.
Mom: To me you are!
Me: Thanks, Mom.
Mom: And I know it would be hard for you both to come home. I just want to see you two.
Look at that. It took her mentioning the tense relationship between me—and I suppose Baylee too—and Dean’s mom to not use an exclamation mark.
I stopped outside the barn, giving myself a second to respond before dipping inside to see Baylee.
Me: I know, Mom, and at some point I will come home. I’ll leave that decision for her to make for herself if she wants to come with me.
Me: Right now I’m just soaking up the time with her and her friends.
Mom: Friends?! You’re making friends?!
