Page 22 of Ridin' Solo
“I’m heeeere!” Vee called from the front door, busting in like the party was for her. My littlest sister was not known for her promptness. She got away with murder as the baby in the family.
“You’re late,” Esme called out from the kitchen.
Mom came down the stairs and oohed and aahed over the decorations before coming over to give me a quick hug. “Jim, help me with the gift in the garage. You look too pretty, Oakley, to help.” She beamed like that was a compliment. I guess getting me into a dress was a good thing in her mind.
Vee came over and threw her arms around my waist, lifting me up with a squeal. I rolled my eyes, but let her be an excited weirdo. My sister was taller than me, but at twenty-one, she was more limbs than muscles. Didn’t stop her from trying to pick up her big sister every chance she got.
“I can’t believe one of us is pregnant! And it’s a good thing!” She set me down, giggling. “I always thought one of you would be pregnant in high school.”
“Vee!” I admonished her. That was a horrible thing to think about your sisters.
“What?” Her eyes danced with humor and youth. Being twelve years her senior made me feel ancient. “You know that had to have been Mom and Dad’s worst fear with five girls. Why do you think Dad always answered the door in full uniform when we had dates? Nothing like a shiny badge and holstered gun staring at you to keep things zipped up, you know?”
The door to the garage opened, and Dad came through, bent over and grunting. Vee and I looked at each other and then darted over to help lift whatever was underneath all that ridiculous stork wrapping paper. Mom huffed from the other side, her face an unhealthy shade of red.
“What is this thing?” I asked as we inched our way into the living room.
“Must be made of lead,” Vee grumbled.
We finally got it down to the ground, all of us breathing hard. A car door slamming out front had us all jumping up again. It was time. Guests were arriving. Vee squealed and ran to get the door. Esme clapped her hands and finally put down the damn clipboard.
“Places, everyone!” Esme barked while Izzy ran out of the kitchen with one more dish.
“She knows this isn’t a play, right?” Dad whispered loudly next to me.
I snorted and Mom shushed him.
Lucy and Bain Sutter came in first, followed by Lenora and Jayden Sutter. Charlie and Finnie were the next car to arrive, though Finnie was on call, so she said she might have to leave early. Those two had never married, but a piece of paper wouldn’t have made them any closer. Next up was Rip and Hazel Bennett.
Us girls ran around putting purses and sweaters away, grabbing drinks and getting everyone settled. The doorbell rang, and I rushed over to grab it, thinking it would be Amelia and Titus. Everyone turned their attention to the door, thinking the same thing.
I swung the door open, an enormous smile on my face, to find Wyatt standing there in dark jeans, a button-down white shirt rolled up over his forearms, and a bouquet of pink and blue flowers in his hands. My heart stopped and all the blood rushed to my head.
“Wyatt?” I asked, stunned.
He grinned and winced at the same time. “Hi. I heard there’s a baby shower today?”
“Hey, glad you could make it, Wyatt.” Bain came up behind me and did that same weird handshake thing he’d done that day with the bull fiasco.
I looked between the two men, my brain slow to pick up that Bain must have invited Wyatt.
“Wyatt?” Esme’s voice joined us at the door. She legit pushed me out of the way to get in front of the man. “Come on in. I’m Esme, by the way. So glad you could make it.”
When Wyatt passed me into the house, he gave me a quick wink that had my cheeks heating. That little bitch of a sister acted like she’d invited him, when it had actually been Bain. And all of them should have let me do the inviting, considering he was my partner. Sometimes I hated having four nosy sisters and all their friends.
I swung the door shut and tried to control my breathing before anyone noticed how flustered I’d become. Izzy came over and leaned into my side.
“Are you two a couple?” she whispered behind her hand.
My eyes felt like they were going to bug right out of my head. “No. Why would you think that?”
She shrugged. “Well, it is a couples baby shower. Thought maybe he was the other half of your couple.”
I shook my head so hard I felt a headache coming on. “Absolutely not. We work together.”
Izzy shot me a look. “Then you better stop staring at his ass.”
“Hey, why does Esme get first dibs?” Vee whined as she breezed past us into the living room where Esme had Wyatt by the arm, introducing him around.
