Page 32 of Fall Back
Fucking hell. This woman. My woman.
“Come on, my little criminal,” I offer her my arm, “let’s go see what the special is at Trudy’s.”
She giggles softly before hooking her arm in mine and dragging me toward the back where she grabs her purse and lets everyone know she’s stepping out for lunch. The rest of the artists are all smiles as they greet me and tell Carson they’ll see her later.
It’s clear she’s found a spot here that suits her. I’ll be damned if I let anyone interfere with what she’s building; what we’re building.
On the way to the diner, I see Dave duck in between two shops. I swallow down the growl of annoyance that wants to slip out. The thing is, I’m not surprised.
I knew my talk with him wouldn’t be the end of it. I’ll just have to find a way to keep my woman safe and that’s all there is to it.
CHAPTER 13
CARSON
“I’m surprised you were able to come out here all on your own,” Noel teases me, his mouth pulled down into a scowl. “I was starting to think you and Jared were attached at the hip.”
I roll my eyes as Mom reaches over and smacks Noel’s arm since I’m sitting too far away from him at the dinner table to do it myself. When she flashes me a smile and a wink, I can’t help but giggle. Noel looks so affronted even though we both know he deserved it.
“Jared’s working tonight,” I remind him as if he doesn’t already know.
“But family dinner waits for no one,” Macklin shouts before he starts to giggle.
“Exactly,” Mom agrees with the little man while August holds a hand up for Mack to high five.
I chuckle and shake my head at their silliness. When I gothere today, I went straight for the boys, and we embarked on an adventure exploring Limitless.
Seeing the ranch through their eyes gave me a new appreciation for the place. For so long I convinced myself it was just the place where I never fit in. It’s so much more than that and I’ve known it for a while; it was just easier not to admit it to myself.
But with Macklin and August pointing out all their favorite things and places, there was no way I could do anything other than embrace this place and appreciate it. I told them stories, appropriate ones, about what my brothers got up to when we were growing up.
Did I make sure to slip an embarrassing one in there the boys can tease Noel and Fletcher about? You bet, but I didn’t tell them any of the stories that would get them in trouble if they followed my brother’s lead. And there are plenty of those to go around.
Really, my brothers should be thanking me.
“You know,” Huxley begins, “with you coming over once a week for dinner, at least, I think we should add you to the dinner cooking rotation. Maybe you take one of my days.”
He says it so innocently, but it’s ruined when Sunshine snorts out a laugh and slaps her hands over her mouth.
“Uncle Hux,” Mack’s tone is serious, “you haven’t even been cooking on your night. Aunt Sunny has been doing it.”
I throw a fake as hell shocked look at Huxley who has a sheepish smile on his face while he rubs the back of his neck.
“I’m happy to cook for family dinner night,” Mom offers. “I miss cooking for my family.”
“Deal,” my brothers shout together.
Everyone else bursts into laughter, but the guys don’t care. I swear they start to drool at the thought of having a meal made by mom once a week. I can’t blame them and am right there with them. When I left Wintervale, one of the things I missed the most was Mom’s cooking.
There’s something about a home cooked meal. It’s comforting and makes you feel like you’ve come home.
Eden shakes her head at the guys before turning her attention to Mom. “You don’t need to do that, Ester,” she tries.
“I’m doing it,” Mom insists, leaving no room for argument.
Eden just nods with a smile because she grew up with Mom the same way the rest of us, along with Jared, did. She’s stubborn and when she puts her mind to something then there’s no way you can deter her.
“I’m not going to turn down a meal made by Mom,” I throw out there.
