The raven-haired pixie, her eyes widening in surprise, looked over at Max. Her gathering of facts was clearly leading somewhere, and I could see the cogs turning in her mind as she formed conclusions based on what she had learned.
Instead of letting her create her own stories, ones that may or may not include my child being fathered by the hot cowboy standing beside me, I walked towards her and put my hands out to take Charlie.
“She’s mine.” I said as I lifted her from her arms and tucked her into my side while nuzzling her chubby neck. The sound of her giggles caused the biggest, most genuine smile to spread across my face.
Her radiant joy was a warm sunbeam that chased away the shadows, leaving me in a tranquil state of blissful contentment. In an attempt to ease my worries, I kept focusing on the fact that she was young and wouldn’t remember all the struggle we’d been dealing with.
“I got that much,” the girl said as she gave me a once-over. It wasn’t intended to be negative; rather, it was meant to be protective and cautious. Her gaze was sharp and calculating as she surveyed the scene, and I felt the weight of her appraisal like a brand on my skin.
I could instantly tell that she was fiercely protective of these men. Her eyes narrowed and her stance was unwavering. The familiarity in her eyes suggested she’d known them for years, perhaps even decades.
“Nice to meet you...” she prompted.
“Stella, and the baby you rescued from her great escape to find something to chew on is Charlie.” I held Charlie’s hand up and waved for her. She giggled and attempted to repeat the motion after I’d let her hand go.
“I’m Ray - short for Rayna Cortez.”
“Aka, Sunshine.” Wade interrupted as he gazed at her with a sly smile. He looked at her with a familiarity that reeked of long-time secrets.
I wondered what their story was. It wasn’t often girls and guys could be friends without one falling for the other. I reminded myself that it wasn’t my concern, and that respecting others’ privacy was the key to protecting my own.
Ray leaned over and smacked the back of her hand into Wade’s gut. He let out a pained grunt and clutched his stomach in exaggeration.
“Wade’s the only one who calls me that. Everyone else just calls me Ray.”
“Noted.” I said with a slight nod.
“So, welcome to small town USA, Stella. Who’s the pappy of cutie pie Charlie here?”
She reached over and tweaked Charlie’s cheek again, causing her to let out another string of giggles. I hesitated for a second too long and Max answered for me, sensing my unease.
“He’s not in the picture. Stella needs somewhere to stay short term, so I offered her one of the rooms here.”
A look of curious confusion washed over Ray’s face as her eyes flickered between Max and me. I could hear the gears turning as she tried once again to work out the dynamic between us. She was intuitive, I could sense that about her.
“Stop trying to see into their souls, Sunshine.” Wade piped up and took a step back to avoid being hit in the gut again.
“You don’t find this weird?” she asked him, gesturing between Max and I.
Wade shrugged and went to the fridge to grab a bottle ofwater. He handed one to Max, one to Ray, and offered one to me with a slight head nod. I took the bottle with an appreciative smile.
“I mean, sure. It’s weird - but it’s also not my fucking business why Stella needs somewhere to stay. If Max offered a place, he has good reason, and I trust him.”
A wave of relief washed over Ray; I could visibly see her relax, a subtle smile playing on her lips. It was as if her and Wade’s feelings were in tune. If he was okay with the situation, she could be too.
I again found myself wondering about their dynamic. They seemed to bicker like brother and sister, but the looks I had caught Wade shooting in her direction were definitely not of the platonic variety.
Hmm, interesting.
“My plan isn’t to stay here long term. I need a job to earn enough money for a deposit on a downtown apartment, then once I have that saved up, I’ll be out of your hair,” I said shyly.
Receiving handouts, particularly from strangers, was something I detested. For so long, the only person I could rely on was myself. I wasn’t used to having a ‘village’, so to speak.
“You can stay as long as you need to.” Max reiterated.
The front door clicked open, and another set of boots stomped into the kitchen. The weathered cowboy standing in the entry looked around with a confused expression.
“Didn’t know y’all were having a party over here.” He said as he walked over to Max and slapped him playfully on the shoulder.
