Page 54 of Better Together

Remi laughed at Jess’s lack of filter. “Well, I don’t know my dad, but mom was… She just wasn’t the nurturing kind.”

Jess propped a hand on her hip. “If you had to drive yourself to school at eleven years old, I think your mom should have seen that call from child protective services coming.”

“Or the other calls. I can’t let Ben and Abby go through that.”

“And they won’t,” Jess said quickly. “Surely, you and Colt can do a little better than your lame excuse for a mama.”

“It wouldn’t take much,” Remi mumbled. “I want to do this right, but I’m gonna mess up. More than once. Probably more than once an hour.”

“With that kind of thinking, I might have to agree with you,” Jess said.

“Gee, thanks.”

“I’m just saying you’re setting yourself up to fail.”

Remi rested her head back and sighed. “I’m terrified. I think I want things with Colt to be different, but I don’t know how a real loving family works. I didn’t grow up with that.”

“Neither did he.”

Jess was right. Colt’s mom had left them, his dad was a worthless drunk, and now his brother was gone. She and Colt were in the same boat. They only had each other.

“I don’t know if I can do this right.”

“You can, but you won’t. Now, let’s get to work.” Jess walked out of the kitchen, leaving Remi feeling more scared than before.

Jess shouted from the next room, “Oh, and there’s only one bed. Have fun with that!”

* * *

Ben chased Abby around the small living room as the darkness outside covered the open windows. When Ben changed direction and doubled back on Abby, she screamed.

Remi shushed them. “Guys, you’re loud enough to scare the wolves and bears.”

“Those aren’t around here,” Ben said.

Remi propped her hands on her hips. “Then where do you think they are?”

“In the wild.”

“Good answer. Guess where you are now?”

Ben’s eyes widened. “They’re not really out there.”

“They certainly are,” Colt said as he walked out of the bathroom rubbing a towel over his wet hair.

Remi swallowed hard. Colt wore a white T-shirt and gray sweatpants, but the heat creeping up her neck seemed to think he was scantily clad. It wasn’t the clothes. It was the proximity. The later the evening crept on, the more aware she was of the impending single bed situation.

Stop thinking about it. Stop thinking about it.

“But they won’t hurt us,” Ben said.

“Maybe. But it’s always a good idea to be smart out on the ranch.” He ticked off a list on his fingers. “First, always stick with one of us or another adult we trust. Number two, don’t go out at night unless you have to. And thirdly, we’ll be going over some wild animal confrontation tips starting tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? What about tonight?” Ben asked.

Remi stood from the living room floor where she’d been arranging the kids’ toys on a small shelf. “The only thing we’re doing tonight is catching Zs. It’s time for bed.”

“Not yet!” Abby whined. “We just got here.”

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