Page 26 of Better Together

He held up his palm with the numbers scrawled on it. “This is the number of the caseworker that was assigned to them. I’m going to get the kids. I can’t leave them. They just lost their parents.”

Colt’s voice broke on the last word. This was all so much so fast. How could life change course in a matter of minutes?

“I’m coming with you.” The words were out before she’d thought about them, but she didn’t want to take them back. If Colt was going to get his niece and nephew, she was going too.

Colt stared at her like he’d never seen her before in his life. It was a gaping, confused look that would have been funny under different circumstances. “You are? Are you sure?”

“Of course, I’m sure. You can’t do much with a bum shoulder. How are you going to take care of kids and do whatever needs to be done with your brother’s…”

She couldn’t finish the thought. Mark’s things? Mark’s estate? Whatever was left of Mark’s home where those kids had been born and raised? It was all crashing down on Colt’s shoulders at once, and she would never leave him to handle all of that alone.

“You don’t have to come with me.”

Remi opened the door and slid out of the truck. “I said I would. Now get to it. We have to pack.”

Colt got out and headed toward the house, but the stern look on his face said he was running on autopilot. Making quick decisions wasn’t something Colt was good at. Unfortunately, quick–and sometimes life-changing–decisions had been a part of Remi’s world since day one. Lift your chin and face the music was her theme song.

She reached for Colt’s hand as they walked back inside. “Hey.”

Colt accepted her hand, gripping it with a little too much force. “Yeah.”

“Everything will be okay. We’ll get them.” After that, she had no idea what they were going to do, but they’d figure it out together.

“Thanks.” He released her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He pulled her into his side and pressed a kiss to her hair before releasing her.

Colt had never kissed her before. Ever. But the touch of his lips on her hair had the skin on the back of her neck tingling.

He was bounding up the stairs now, taking them two and three at a time, leaving her in the dust.

Whatever that was, Colt didn’t seem to think it was a big deal, so she wouldn’t either. He was probably just grateful she was sticking around to help.

By the time Remi caught up to him, he was already in his room throwing clothes in a brown duffel bag. “How long do you think we’ll have to stay?”

“Three days? I don’t know. How long do you think it’ll take to get everything settled with the kids?”

Colt pushed a hand through his dark hair. “And getting everything cleaned out in the house. I’ll have to sell it. And everything in it.”

“Easy, tiger. We don’t have to do everything in the first trip. We’ll do what we can with two grieving kids and your bum shoulder.”

“Right.” Colt tossed a pair of jeans and a few shirts into the bag. “We can probably stay at Mark’s place while we’re there.”

Remi was the one who rolled with the punches, but Colt was doing a very good impression of an impulsive person right now. “I don’t see why not. Then you won’t need toiletries and all that stuff.”

Colt zipped the bag and tossed it over his good shoulder. “Then let’s hit the road.”

Remi fell into step beside him as they descended the stairs. “I’ll grab us some snacks and drinks, so we won’t have to stop for food.”

“We’ll need to run by your place. Too bad I’m not in the habit of stealing your clothes. You could just pack from here.”

Remi whipped her head around to glare at him. “You think you’re so funny.”

In truth, that was just the kind of light-hearted joke they both needed.

“Let’s bring that tub of chicken salad in the fridge and a couple of plastic forks. Cheyenne brought it over last night, and it’s amazing.”

Remi grabbed the chicken salad and the bowl of raspberries beside it. Colt hated raspberries, but at least she’d have something to stress eat for the next five hours.

Colt stepped into the kitchen and set a small cooler on the counter. “Water, Sunkist, and Dr Pepper. Anything else we need?”

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