“Are you negotiating a new contract?”
I shrug, purposefully keeping my answer vague. “I have options.”
“Give her a break, brother,” Jaxon says. “She just got home. You trying to run her off already?”
“Fuck off, Jaxy,” Griffin says. “I’m lookin’ out for my baby sister, is all.”
Emmy Lou stands from the table and darts into the house. My brow furrows as I look around at my family.
“You’re in trouble now, Griff,” Olivia says as she bounces Gracie on her lap.
Before I can ask what’s going on, Emmy rushes back with an old peanut butter jar in her hand—the vintage kind that’s shaped like a bear. She holds out her hand. “One dollar, please.”
Griffin reaches into his pocket and pulls out a ten. “Consider this my down payment for the rest of the night, Emmy girl.”
“Pleasure doing business with you,” she replies, cute as can be.
“Swear jar,” Wilder says in answer to my silent question.
A pang of sadness hits me for the time I’ve missed with my nieces. They’re growing up without me, and all the presents and quality time in the world can’t make up for the milestones I’ve missed. My schedule is hectic. The sporadic visits, video calls, and text messages aren’t enough for me anymore.
“It’s good to have all of my babies back together.” Mama reaches out a hand to both Wilder and I, squeezing gently.
I give her a soft smile and stand. “I’ll get the dishes.”
Rylin glances at me hopefully. “Can I help, Auntie Ruby?”
“Sure, you can! Do you want to dry while I wash?”
“Yes!” She pumps her fist in the air and follows me into the house, where I set her on the kitchen counter with a dish towel. We have a dishwasher, but something about doing it by hand is soothing. It gives me time to think.
We settle into an easy routine, washing and drying in tandem—except for the sharper objects, which I set in a drying rack away from tiny hands. I hum a new melody as the hot water soaks into my skin.
“That’s pretty.” Mama takes a set of salad tongs from Rylin and helps her off the counter. “Isit new?”
“Just something I’ve been playing around with.” I drain the sink, drying my hands off on a dish towel.
She cups my cheek and kisses my forehead. “I’m glad you’re home, my girl.”
“Me too.” I stifle a yawn. “Think I’m gonna call it an early night.”
“Your old room is all made up for you. We’d give you the guest cabin, but there’s a plumbing problem and we haven’t gotten around to fixing it yet.”
“That’s fine. I don’t need much. See you in the morning?”
“You best believe Daddy’s going to want you up and at ‘em bright and early, so get your beauty sleep, Ruby girl. You’ve got farm chores.”
Fucking farm chores.
I thought I’d be collecting eggs, maybe feeding the pigs, but apparently it’s Torture Ruby Day and I’m in the barn with my brothers mucking out stalls.
“If only your fans could see you now, knee deep in a pile of shit with a smear of something questionable on your forehead,” Griffin says, grinning.
“Shut up. I donothave shit on my face.”
“‘Fraid so, baby sis.” Jaxon props his elbows on the half wall between the stalls, his tattooed forearms hanging over the side.
Wilder strides in from the tack room with a set of ropes in hand, his eyebrow raised. “She hasn’t even been home for a full day, and you’re already being assholes? Knock it off.”
