My head snapped around. “Um. What?”
She cocked her head, puzzled. “Didn’t he tell you about the day Billy came over—you know, when Brooklyn was here and we ate all those pancakes?”
I shook my head. But I was surprisedshehadn’t told me. Then again, Anna and Brooklyn had the attention span of whatever reel they were currently watching on TikTok.
Silas finally came out the side door, hatless, a frustrated look on his face. He walked around the carport, picking things up to check underneath.
“Spill it, sister,” I hissed. “Tell me everything.”
“Yeah. It wasinsane.” She said the word in a sports announcer voice. “Billy acted all crazy, screaming that he wanted to know where you were. I mean, Uncle Si made me and Brooklyn go inside, of course, because Billy was being apsycho. He probably thought we couldn’t hear, but we cracked the window open.”
Silas popped open the door of my truck, still in the carport, and leaned inside.
I motioned for her to go on. “And?”
“He even accused you and Uncle Si of having some sleazy affair. Uncle Si was really calm until Billy called you some bad names.” She shook her head, her eyes holding a touch of shame. “Like really bad.” No surprise there.
Silas stood up, plopped his hat on his head, and shut the truck door.
“As soon as that happened?—”
“Quicker, Anna.”
Her words gained the speed of an auctioneer. “He grabbed Billy around the throat, body slammed him to the ground, and screamed in his face to never talk about you like that again. Told him to sign the divorce papers, or he’d make sure you took him for all he’s worth. Then he told him never to trespass again, or you’d get a restraining order put on him. I thought he might kill him, honestly. I’ve never seen Uncle Si like that. You shoulda seen Billy high-tail it out of here. Big Yikes.” She slapped her thigh, laughing. “I’m telling you. Uncle Si is the GOAT.”
Silas pulled the door open and slid inside. “Sorry, I guess I left it in your truck.”
Anna pressed her hands together. “Guess what, Uncle Si.” She didn’t wait for his response. “Aunt Lemon’s having a baby.”
Silas’s head snapped back, clearly not expecting that. He nodded, his brows raised. “I guess a lot happened while I was looking for my hat.”
Anna snickered. “No, silly, she and Billy made a baby a while back. Before…you know.” She was referring to the barn incident.
He nodded, glancing at me like, wow. “You don’t say.”
“And guess what else?” She bounced on the seat like it was a trampoline. “Billy signed the divorce papers. So Aunt Lemon issiiin-gle.” She sang the words right next to his ear, and I wanted to die. Just turn to salt like Lot’s wife. “I guess you really shook him, didn’t you?”
Silas’s gaze skittered over to me, scared he’d done the wrong thing, but kinda proud of himself, too. For once, I proudly and confidently held his gaze, my eyes burning with the heat of everything he’d done and been for me since he got here. What I wanted to do was kiss him right on that sexy mouth, just like Brooklyn suggested. But I reminded myself that I was a proper woman and mouthed the wordsthank youinstead.
He tipped his hat and winked.
And I can’t believe I ever thought cowboys were anything but dead sexy.
eighteen
SILAS
As the weeks went by, Mom hounded me to bring Clem over to the house. I put Mom off until the last week in June, but by then she’d declared she would lose her ever-lovin’ mind if the three of us didn’t come over for dinner after church on Sunday. Especially because Holden had driven down for the weekend. And Ashton was home from school for a few days. So the three of us climbed into my truck and headed for Dupree Ranch.
Clem was going to chew her bottom lip straight off if she didn’t stop stressing. She’d banished us from the kitchen and refused all offers of help. She was so anxious about getting her layered cornbread salad and baked beans just right. Baked beans “utterly repulsed” her in her current state. But she knew my mom, and Holden, loved her momma’s recipe.
Clem’s arms encircled the salad in her lap, as if protecting a priceless artifact from attacking invaders. She’d given Anna a two-minute lecture on how to hold the beans just right so they didn’t slop over the sides while we drove.
I slid my arm behind Anna’s head and squeezed Clem’sshoulder. Our eyes locked, and I smiled. But I thought she might throw up. And not from the morning sickness.
“I can’t wait to see Holden and Ash.” Anna wiggled in her seat.
Clem’s left hand shot out to steady the beans. “Anna, please be careful.”
