“Come on, Emmie,” Matt says. “Sit over here by me, and let your uncle eat in peace.”
“I wanna sit with him,” she pouts.
“It’s okay, Matt. She can sit here.” Adam turns her around on his leg and scoots his plate to the side, making room for another one. “We’ll be fine just like this. Won’t we, munchkin?”
“Yep.” Emmie nods with a grin.
I’m already falling for this man, but now my heart latches onto him in a way I’m not sure it will ever want to let go. Seeing Adam like this with his niece reminds me of how Mark waswith Lizzy. That memory should make me happy, but it doesn’t. I’m suddenly more terrified than I’ve been in a really long time. Losing a loved one was the most painful experience of my life.
I’ve grown so attached to Adam these past few months. What if this doesn’t work out? I'm not sure I can survive another loss like that.
CHAPTER 17
ADAM
After dinner, Camille and Lizzy join my siblings on the back porch for drinks while I stay behind to help Momma clean up.
This has become our weekly ritual. Occasionally one of the others help, but it’s usually just me doing the dishes while Momma puts away the leftovers. I don’t see Momma as much as the others. Joe and Leann still live on the ranch, and Matt lives next door.
After Matt’s wife died in childbirth, he rented out the old Evans’ house across the creek. The extra space and barn allowed him to turn his vet practice into something with a little more permanence. Prior to that, he’d mostly been practicing as a traveling vet since our ranch doesn’t have the extra space for a clinic. Between the convenience of the location and a more stable job for him, it made being a single father with a newborn easier.
I thought I had it bad when Irene left me, but I can’t imagine what it’s like to survive what Matt went through. Sometimes I feel foolish for how I fell apart when Irene left. My marriage ended, but nobody died. Seeing Matt be strong and not oncefall apart was a real eye-opener for me. No matter how hard life becomes, there’s always a reason to live.
Matt's an amazing father and a good man. I’m proud to call him brother.
The same goes for Joe.
We’ve had some rough patches as a family, but there isn’t anything we wouldn’t do for each other.
The worst was when Dad died. It was unexpected and left us all feeling hopeless and lost. Especially Joe. He worked the closest with Dad on the ranch and understood the business better than any of the rest of us. When Momma first suggested he take over Dad’s place as CEO, Joe refused. He didn’t think he was the right person to take the job since he wasn’t biologically a Langdon. He felt it should have gone to me or Leann.
We eventually got him to see the light and accept he’s one of us and always will be.
As hard as Dad’s death had been on us, it hit Leann the hardest. She was Daddy’s little girl. Leann spent most of her childhood following Dad around the ranch and learning the business. She was born horse obsessed. She was riding a full-grown horse—against Momma’s explicit instructions not to—by the time she was four, which is where Emmie gets it from. She took to it like a duck to water, and she was show jumping in no time.
It took her a few years to find her way after losing Dad, but she eventually came around. We all did. After Dad’s death is when we got the infinity tattoos on our arms. The four of us together forever. Our family bond is so much stronger than blood.
My life is by no means perfect, but it’s a good life. I’m luckier than most. Things may not have turned out the way I planned, and that’s okay. Sometimes the unexpected is better than the planned.
“Whatcha thinking about over there?” Momma’s voice drags me out of my thoughts.
I look up from the sink where I’m on autopilot rinsing dishes. Momma’s expression is equal parts worry and curiosity. “Just thinking about how proud I am of all my siblings. You and Dad did good, Momma. You’ve got a great bunch of kids.”
She chuckles and pats me on the back. “Yeah, well. It was touch-and-go there for a few years. It wasn’t always easy, and I still worry about each of you.”
“Oh, I think it's safe to stop worrying so much. We’ve all found our place in this world.”
“Maybe so, but none of you are married. Matt has Emmie, but he needs a woman to love. So does Joe. They’re both restless. A good woman would do them good.”
“I can’t say I see that happening anytime soon.”
“Don’t I know it. And don’t even get me started on Leann. That girl has never once had a steady boyfriend. It’s like she’s sworn them off before she even gave them a chance.”
“What are you talking about? She dates. Wasn’t she dating that Korben boy?”
“That’s already old news.” Momma sighs. “I just want to see all my children settled. And I want grandbabies. Your Dad and I struggled to have you kids. It would be nice if one of you would start popping out little ones as thanks for that great job you claim we did.”
“Well, don’t look at me. I’m afraid that ship sailed a long time ago.”
