I put a woman before family and friends once .?.?. and I’m still proving my loyalty to those I hurt.
After she’s gone, I’m telling Wesley about us. Then there’s no doubt I’ll need to build that friendship and trust back up yet again.
“I suppose not.”
She rolls her eyes. “No, Wilder. There’s no man I’m trying to get over.” Her eyes drop to my chest. “Not yet anyway.”
I frown at that confession until I hear a car pull up outside. “Shit. That’s Dad.”
27
Rose
“You tellin’ me they took one look at that girl and still wanted a paternity test?” Wes mutters, leaning beside me at the dinner table.
The long wooden table stretches between the seven of us. Serving dishes are piled with roast beef, green beans, cornbread, and sweet potatoes. Oh, and plain French fries per someone’s request—thank goodness for Ellie. I hate sweet potatoes.
Ellie sits across from me, next to Dallas. Wilder at one end of the table and Mr. Thorne on the other. Silas—who I tried not to be all weird around when he introduced himself, because I love hockey—sits on the other side of Wesley. And I’ve conveniently taken the seat to the right of Wilder.
I nudge my brother for his less than appropriate comment, even though I doubt anyone heard him. But I have to agree. Ellie’s features are all Dallas. Dark hair, blue eyes, high cheekbones. She’sbeautiful.
“Can I have jelly on my cornbread?” Her voice, though the smallest at the table, carries the most weight.
“Now there’s an idea,” Silas calls out. “Wild, you got anyhere?”
“He does,” Dallas answers, then looks at Ellie, his voice soft and a touch playful. “You like grape or strawberry?”
“Strawberry, please.”
I watch him disappear into the kitchen. Three days ago, he was coming up with ways to avoid being alone with his daughter. But I’m willing to bet he’s got nothing to fear. He’s a natural. It could just be his charm—like that first day he met me. But there was an unmistakable twinkle in his eye when he looked down at her to find out which she preferred rather than getting up and just getting whichever they had.
“You’ve got that look,” Wesley mutters.
“Hmm?” I turn to him, but not before noticing he’s caught Wilder’s attention too, who’s to my left.
“That look when you’re watching behavioral patterns or whatnot to get insight into their ‘mental state.’” He puts air quotes around those last two words because I use them on him often.
“It’s called clinical observation.” I glance at Wilder and then at Ellie. “And I guess I didn’t realize I was.”
“And?” Wilder asks.
“My assessment is one day at a time, but I think they’ll be all right.”
Wesley blows raspberries through his lips. “Three and a half years of tuition and that’s all you got?”
I know he’s joking, but it still stings because .?.?. sometimes, I wish Ihadfinished. And I really was so close. “You’re right. Good thing I quit, huh?”
Shaking his head, he turns to Silas, and they talk about the upcoming hockey season. With my brother’s eyes turned away, Wilder reaches for my hand in a comforting way.
And it does comfort me. Instantly. Because I love how in tune he is with me. Even with everyone here.
“I like your name,” Ellie says to me, and I smile immediately.
“Thank you. I never liked it. It makes me sound a hundred years old.”
She giggles. “I don’t think so. Flowers don’t live that long.”
Dallas chuckles as he hands her the jar of jelly. I frown, wishing he’d thought to spread it for her.
