Page 68 of Stepping Into Tomorrow

Ricky’s face turned red as he grabbed Nash’s forearm.

“Nash, don’t strangle your brother. I thought we’d been over this before?” Mama E said, exasperated, like this was just another day in the Emerson family.

The siblings were always poking each other, especially Ricky and Nash. Isabella had been an only child, so she’d missed out on this. But as much as the Emersons feuded, she could see the love they had for each other. Roman was the calm, mature one, seeming to mediate between the others and keep the peace. Nova was teased and gave it back tenfold. It must have been challenging to be the only girl and the youngest of all four of them. Ricky liked to push Nash’s buttons the most. It was almost like he wasn’t happy until he got a reaction from him.

“Boys, don’t stress your mother out,” James warned.

Nash shoved Ricky onto the ground.

Ricky stood, brushing bits of apple from his clothes. “You want a fair match? Come meet me in the gym sometime and we’ll see who beats who in the ring.”

“You wish,” Nash grumbled, grabbing a bag and filling it with apples.

“Unless you’re too chicken.” Ricky squawked.

Nash ignored his brother, getting to work collecting apples for his mother.

Eli and Ariel wandered to the next row of trees. Isabella followed them, twisting apples off the branches as she went, filling her own bag.

Eli chatted about all the different apples and what his favorite things to eat with them were before he turned the conversation back to boats. Ariel plucked fruit, filling the bag her son held for her, smiling up at him from time to time. Maybe that was why they worked so well together as friends.

“I got it.” Nash’s deep voice beside her made her jump.

He pulled the handles of the apple bag from her hand.

“Oh, thanks. I can carry it though; it’s not too heavy.”

“I got it,” he repeated.

She nodded and turned towards a tree, picking a few more apples and adding them to the bag. She repeated the process a few times until the bag was full, following the kids farther down the row. Voices of the rest of the Emerson family danced through the wind, getting farther and farther away as they scoured the orchard for apples.

“You look really nice. Is that one of the outfits you got with Nova yesterday?” Nash asked, his voice stilted.

She peeked out of the corner of her eye at him, a flush growing in her cheeks. He was complimenting her? “Yeah. They’re cozy.” Nothing like an elastic waistline for a growing belly. And the fabrics were all super soft. She might never return to buying normal clothing after this.

“You and Ricky make up?” she asked.

He grimaced. “We were just fooling around. He likes to get on my nerves.”

“Oh, I can see that.” She smiled. “He likes to get a rise out of you. I think it’s the way he shows his love.”

Nash turned to her, eyes focused before he looked away and shook his head. He winced and massaged his neck. “No. He just likes to be a pain in my ass.”

They walked in silence for a few moments before Nash said, “Next weekend is my parents’ last movie night of the year. We’ll have a bonfire and food. Your parents are welcome if you want to ask them to come. My mom said they’d be happy to have them too.”

She stopped. Nash took another step before he seemed to realize she was no longer with him. He turned, studying her.

“You want my parents to come?”

He shrugged. “I think it’s important our families get to know each other. And . . .” He sighed. “That they get to know me and me them.”

Nash was trying. Even after the mean things her mother had said about him, he was making an effort for their unborn child. He was going to be a great dad.

She blinked away the emotion that rose. Relief poured over her shoulders, lightening them of a burden she hadn’t realized had weighed so heavily on her.

“I appreciate everything you’re doing for us.” She plucked a leaf off a nearby branch and smoothed it between her fingers.

His throat bobbed. “Same.”

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