“Oh, right. Because we’re ‘crazy pregnant ladies’,” Cass says in the deep voice she uses to mock me, handing her phone to Kate. “This asshole had the audacity to say you were crazy when you were pregnant, and that now I am, too.”
Just before I’m about to have my ass handed to me on a silver platter, Odessa—who will be getting some very nice Christmas presents this year—throws herself into Cassidy with a thud. Odessa’s small arms wrapping around her hips and her huge eyes staring straight up at Cass, it’s the perfect distraction.
“Oh. H-hi.” Cass stares down at the little girl clung to her.
“You’re Uncle Red’s girlfriend. Mommy said you have my baby cousin in your tummy.” Her small hand draws slow, thoughtful circles over Cass’s stomach like she’s rubbing a magic lamp.
“Um…” Cass starts—her eyes the size of toonies when she looks at me.
“Odessa! Personal bubble, remember?” Kate shakes her head, smiling despite her scolding tone. “Sorry about her. She’s pretty excited—we’reall excited. Hopefully you don’t mind we’ve been referring to the baby as their cousin. It’s really looking like that might be the closest thing to a cousin my kids get.” She shoots a sideways glance at Austin and Cecily, who are paying zero attention to our conversation. Luckily.
“Oh, it’s fine. I don’t have any siblings, so it’s nice she’ll have some cousins around.” Cass slowly peels Odessa off like a piece of old chewing gum. It’s clear she’s uncomfortable, so I grab the kid and toss her over my shoulder. Her legs kick wildly, tiny cowboy boots whooshing through the stale air.
“C’mon, chicky. Let’s go check out the animals and let thecrazyladies talk.”
Kate reaches out to smack me, but I dodge her at the last second, tripping over my own feet and nearly dropping Odessa in the process.
“Holy shit, your mom’s trying to get us killed,” I say to Odessa, who finds the entire thing hilarious. Draped over my shoulder and giggling away like a maniac. “Told you—absolutely crazy.”
“Let’s get away!” she shrieks. “Giddy up!”
With an exaggerated jog, I make my way toward Jackson, Austin, and Cecily. Odessa bounces on my shoulder, wheezy laughter filling the air.
“Better not pee your pants from all this laughing.” I pinch her sides before plopping her down on the ground. Her laughter’s fully silent now, and my cheeks burn with an unrelenting smile. She reaches up, trying to tickle me, and I place my palm on her forehead to hold her at arm’s length. “You’re a dork.”
“No,you are.” She huffs before giving up with a sigh. “Can I have some ice cream now?”
When Cass gets home from the fair, I’m already waiting with dinner and one of her stupid reality TV shows lined up. The guys are drinkingand having a bonfire tonight—beer pong on the back of Colt’s truck, laughing, and goofing off, unwinding from the work week. Typically, I wouldn’t miss that fun for anything. Until now. Until her. I’ll choose her every time.
“Ugh, you are thebest.” She places her coat and boots in the closet before sinking into the couch next to me with a groan. “Baked potato, root beer,anda bunch of hot singles on a tropical island? What more could a girl ask for?”
“Anybody ever told you you’re a bit too easy to please?” I hand her a full plate of food and watch her settle into her spot. Her hair was down when I saw her earlier, but now it’s hanging in a slightly messy, loose braid—my favourite.
She swallows a bite, pointing her fork at me. “Consider yourself lucky that I am. It’s the only reason you’re here.”
A joke, but not really.
“How was the rest of the fair?” I change the subject to spare my own feelings.
“Mmm… It was good. I helped Shelby with her 4H kids, mostly.” She sets down her plate and turns sideways on the couch to face me, hands clasped in her lap. “How are you so good with kids?”
I laugh. “That’s a fucking stretch.”
“No, it’s not. I saw you with Odessa today. You’re so… natural.”
“Well, probably helps that I see her every day. She’s a handful at the best of times.”
She purses her lips in thought. Opens her mouth. Closes it.
“I’ve also known her since she was a baby. Stick me with a strange kid, and I wouldn’t know what the hell to do,” I add.
“I just…shit, this is stupid, and I don’t want to cry about it. Never mind, let’s watch the show.”
“No, no, no.” I snatch the remote before she can and power off the television altogether. “What’s wrong?”
“You were so good with her. I swear I didn’t hear a word Kate said to me because I was distracted watching you being a good uncle. And whenshe came up to me, I froze. It was like I’d never interacted with a tiny human before.” She takes a deep, ragged breath. “What if I don’t know how to be a mom? Maybe the maternal instinct that should be there is missing entirely? It’s not like I grew up with a mother to show me what to do.”
“Cass, you’re going to be the perfect mom. You don’t have any reason to worry.”
