Page 112 of Beat around the Bush
I nodded, glancing at Sage. It was clear the disappointment in her gaze wasn’t aimed at her daughter, but at herself for not being able to give Avery everything she wanted. “You can come by my parents’ ranch and ride one.”
“Thank you, Lennon, but I can’t afford that right now,” Sage said.
I shook my head. “Nonsense. You’re not paying for it. Consider it a thank you for how good your food is here.”
“Mom! Can I please?” Avery begged.
Oakley smiled, and I knew she was hyperfocused on me interacting with Avery.
Sage chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, then sighed. “Sure, Aves. But only once.”
Avery shrieked, jumping up and down. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She ran around the counter and wrapped her arms around her mom’s waist, holding her tight.
Sage ran her hand over her daughter's hair. “You’re welcome, sweetie. Now why don’t you go back to your drawing so I can get Oakley and Lennon their coffees?”
“Okay.” Avery sent me a big grin before skipping back over to the table she was sitting at when we walked in.
“Sorry about her,” Sage said as she wiped her hands on the apron tied around her waist.
“It’s no problem at all,” Oakley assured her.
“Still no luck finding a babysitter?” I guessed.
“Unfortunately. It’s going okay with bringing her here, but it makes it harder to do everything while I’m having to keep an eye on her,” she admitted.
“I could see if my mom could help watch her some days. She’s home with the rescue stuff, and I’m sure Avery would love to be around the horses,” I offered.
“I’ll take you up on that if I can’t find anyone else. Thanks, Lennon.”
“Of course.”
“So what can I get you two?” Sage asked.
“I’ll have an iced vanilla latte and one of those white chocolate cranberry scones, please,” Oakley said.
“Make that two scones. And I’ll have a black coffee,” I said.
“Always so bland,” Oakley teased.
I nudged her in the arm as Sage turned to start working on our order.
“That was really nice of you,” Oakley said, staring up at me.
I turned to her, setting my hands on her hips to pull her closer. “Gotta stick together in this small town.”
She scoffed. “Please. Just admit it’s because you have a big heart.”
My hands moved up and down her sides. “You brought it out in me, Oak.”
Oakley smiled up at me, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink. “I’m glad I did, cowboy.”
Epilogue
Lennon
Three weeks later…
“Thank God I wasn’t the one who had to load all of this up in Denver,” Beckham complained with a grunt as he lifted the other end of a dresser that was full of clothes. We probably should have taken the drawers out, but Beck insisted it was fine up until the point he had to lift the piece of furniture.
