His incredulous green eyes flicked up to mine. “We’re not dumb.”
I swiped a hand over my mouth, hiding a smile. “I’m sorry. I guess I should’ve talked to you sooner.”
“It’s okay. I like her. Is she your girlfriend or something?”
“Not really. We want to keep in touch when they leave and see what happens.”
“Do you want to marry her?”
“We haven’t talked too much about the future yet because there are a lot of unknowns, but between you and me, yeah, I want to marry her eventually. What do you think about that?”
Cade nodded, silently thinking for a few seconds. “Would she be my mom?”
A chord of tension in my chest pulled tight. “She wouldn’t replace your real mom, no. But I think she’d be willing to be like a mom to you.”
Cade’s shoulders fell as he looked toward the ground. “Oh.”
In the blink of an eye, his entire demeanor had changed. Did I say something wrong? “Did you not like that answer or something?”
“I just kind of pictured her as my mom.” He shrugged. “I know it bothers you when I say I can’t remember Mama, but I really can’t. There’s never been anyone even kind oflikea mom that I can remember.”
I heard what he didn’t say.
Except Hollie.
The woman who’d worked side by side with him in the kitchen, played games with him, and cared for him while he was sick. In a few short weeks, she became the only maternal figure he’d ever known. Hot emotions tightened my throat—I’d been a mess recently. I blinked a few times, getting focused again.
“Hang on a sec.” I put my hand on his shoulder, stopping him. “I misspoke. You need to know that I wouldnevermarry anyone whodidn’t want you as a son. You and I are a package deal and we always will be. I said what I said because this is all extremely new, and talking about marriage is getting way too far ahead. Hollie already loves you and thinks the world of you. If we ever did get married one day, our families would merge in every way. I hope that makes sense.”
He twisted his lips to the side, thinking. “It does.”
Feeling a little awkward, I tried to cycle back to the topic at hand. “So, you like the idea of her and me?”
A smile came back to his face. “Yeah, I do.”
“I want to take her on a date tonight.”
He nodded, thinking that through. “And you’re gonna ask me to stay here.”
I grimaced. “Would you mind?”
“Will Izzy and Nora be here, too?”
“Yep.” I smiled at his enthusiasm to spend time with them. “Their grandma said they are having a game night.”
“Alright then. I don’t mind.” He smirked. “But I’m only fine with it because I want a mama.”
I swallowed at the way those words brought a blend of emotions to my chest. “Thanks, Cade. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
I drove the 3500 down to the cabins, jittering like I’d consumed an entire pot of Pilot’s extra caffeine brew. For hours now, my nervous system bounced and jolted like I was a conduit for electricity. The day had dragged by in painful slow motion, every hindrance extremely irritating. Cade moved too slow, Harlan talked too much, Tag asked for too many favors. By the time I left the barn at six o’clock, I all but ran.
Flying through the shower, I shaved my face and used cologne for the first time inyears. When Hollie asked what she should wear, I had said “whatever makes you feel beautiful.” Hoping my clothing choices would match her energy, I selected nice jeans, clean boots, a green polo shirt, and a belt. On instinct, I grabbed my hat then thoughtbetter. Kissing her thoroughly was my topmost priority of the night. Would a hat complicate things?
Any time we were in each other’s arms, she had a hand tangled in my hair.
I opted to leave it behind so we wouldn’t have to fumble around with it.
