“Yeah.” He nods, mid-chew on his apple. “I like havin’ you live with us.”
That’s so damn sweet, I can’t even get on him about talking while chewing. “Thank you, T. I like living with you too.”
Once he swallows, he grabs his water bottle and takes a big sip the way all kids do, out of breath by the time he twists the cap back on. His upper lip is wet and red from the suction from the bottle. I’ve always enjoyed being around kids; working around them was a no-brainer, but something about Tucker feels different. I love all the kids I’ve worked around, but with Tucker, it’s like he’s family to me, which is probably weird, considering I’m just a nanny to him.
But then he blurts out something that has me swallowing my own tongue.
“Maybe you can be my mommy.”
The sentence is spoken so nonchalantly, and he’s not even paying me any attention as he picks his apple back up and takes a big ol’ bite. Meanwhile, my heart is hammering as I wonder if I heard him right.
“What?”
“My mommy,” he says again, this time his eyes finding mine. “I don’t have one, and how cool would it be if you were?”
My throat tightens with emotion as the backs of my eyes sting. That’s the sweetest thing anybody has ever said to me. But my heart hurts for Tucker hearing him say he doesn’t have a mom.
“So cool,” I croak, a smile spreading.
“I think daddy would like that too.”
Err, what?“Why do you say that, bud?”
“He smiles a lot now that you live with us.”
Give this kid an award for the number of times he’s able to make my heart pound harder without even realizing it.
“I don’t know about that,” I murmur, waving a hand in front of me.
“It’s true,” Tucker persists.
Goddamnit, I don’t need to know that.
“Let’s finish our lunch, so you can get back to being an artist,” I say as steadily as I can, my stomach in knots.
God-fucking-damnit.
Now Finn and his beautiful freaking smile are front and center in my mind.
I’m doomed.
Chapter 25
Finn
What a fucking day.
Hollis and I are riding back to the barn now after spending the afternoon rounding up a herd of cattle that escaped through a broken fence in pasture three. I still don’t even know how they broke it, but herding them back onto the property and then into a pasture with a non-broken fence was a workout. This group of cows are ornery as hell, never wanting to do what they’re told, and as a result, a task that should’ve taken a half hour tops ended up taking hours, and I’m drenched in sweat.
August stayed back with one of the other ranch hands to repair the fence, and I don’t think I’ve ever been happier to have them than I am today. All I want to do is put this horse back in the stable, go home, and take a cold shower before changing into dry clothes.
“Do you smell that?” Hollis asks as we get closer to the barn.
Tugging on the reins, both horses halt as I drag in some air through my nose. “Yeah, I do,” I reply, noticing how the air smells like something is burning. “What the hell is that?”
Hollis glances over at me, his brows pinched. “Don’t know. Dad didn’t mention anything.”
Unease unfurls low in my gut as my brother and I stare at each other. I can’t explain how I know, but something’s wrong. “Let’s go,” I call out to Hollis as I gently nudge the horse and cluck my tongue at her. Hollis does the same thing, and before long, both horses are galloping toward the direction of the barn and the main house.
