Page 61 of Burned
“Well, I really like Poppy, too.”
“Yeah?” Jolene’s eyes light up. “Likelike?”
“Yes, baby girl. Ilikelike Poppy.”
“And she likes you?” Jolene sounds shocked, and I can’t help but snort. That girl has so much of her daddy’s attitude.
Rhett turns and looks at me, his eyebrow raised.
“I do,” I say, getting my laughter under control. “I like him a lot. And I was wondering if it would be okay if I started spending some more time over here?”
“Sleepovers!” Wade shouts as he throws his arms up to the sky, his blanket following and whacking him in the face.
“If that’s okay with you…” Rhett places a hand on each of their knees, getting a little more serious. “I want you to know that both of you will always come first.”
“Always,” I agree. “No matter what.”
“Daddy, why would we care?” Jolene asks. “You’re sad all the time. But when Poppy is here, you smile more.”
That cracks my heart in two. I feel it physically crack wide freaking open. My chest aches, and my hand goes to Rhett’s arm, giving it two little squeezes. I make him smile.
“And she plays games with us. Do you promise you’ll still play games?” Wade asks, turning to face me. “You won’t spend all your time with Daddy, right?”
“I will play all the games you want.”
“Poppy,” Jolene says, her voice a bit quiet. “Does this mean you like us, too?”
“Of course I do!” I tell her, fighting back the tears that are threatening to fall. “I like you far more than your grumpy daddy.” I wink at her, making her laugh before I pull them both in for a hug.
“Maybe,” Wade whispers when I hug them, “you could be like our mommy or something?”
Oh, god. Oh, god.
If my heart cracked in half earlier, it has been fucking obliterated now. I can’t hold back the tears. They come hot and fast and soak my face. I squeeze both of them tighter as Rhett’s hand comes up to rub comforting circles on my back.
I didn’t come here for this. I didn’t move to a random town in the middle of nowhere to start a life with someone and his two kids. But that’s what has happened, and I don’t find myself regretting a single moment. Rhett crashed into my life at a time when I wanted a home. And he brought his two kids with him. They’ve worked their way into my heart, and I can’t see myself letting them leave it.
“I would be honored to be whatever it is you need me to be,” I tell them, pulling away so that I can look them both in their eyes. “Anything you need, that’s what I am.”
Jolene wipes the tears from my face, and I laugh at how grown-up she’s acting with all of this. Both Rhett and I were worried that this might not go over well or that it would be too much for them to understand. But it seems they understand perfectly fine, and they’re ready and willing to let me come into their lives.
“I think we should do something fun,” Jolene announces, nodding her head once like she has decided it is time to move on from all this seriousness.
“Oh, yeah?” Rhett smiles at her and pulls Wade into his lap. The blanket follows. “What would you like to do, baby girl?”
A wicked little grin spreads across her lips, and she looks like she is up to no good. Ornery little thing.
“I say we go make s’mores!” she shouts triumphantly.
“Baby,” Rhett groans. “That means I’m gonna have to make a fire.”
I turn to look at him.
“Are you telling me that you, Rhett Black, a cowboy, don’t want to go make a fire for his baby girl? For s’mores?”
“Yeah, Daddy!” Wade says, joining our side of the team. “What gives?”
“What gives?” Rhett laughs, and his tone is shocked. “Good lord, son. You’re spending far too much time with your Uncle Hayes. You’re soundin’ just like him.”
