She looked over to him, obviously surprised that he’d spoken back to her in such a way, and Cash sighed and reached up and pulled his cowboy hat off his head and ran his fingers through his hair.
“Sorry, Lark. I didn’t—I didn’t mean it like that.”
“I’ve spent the last ten years of my life being lonely,” she said. “So, I actually think it’s really nice that someone is here waiting at the house who wants to spend time with you.”
Cash had not considered that point of view, and foolishness ran through him rampantly. “I’m sorry, Lark,” he said again, and he meant for his own insensitivity, but also that she’d spent tenyears feeling so alone. He also knew what that felt like, and he did not wish it upon anyone.
“I guess I just…I know my family loves me,” he said. “But I almost feel like a novelty item for them. It’s calmed down a lot since I moved home, but I totally get how you feel like no one ever puts you first.”
He thought of the argument he’d had with his father at the steakhouse, months ago. “I feel like that a lot,” he said. “Especially after my dad got remarried.”
Lark’s chin shook and her eyes shone like glass, but she did not let a single tear fall. “Let’s go in.”
“Okay.”
“I promise I’ll make a perfectly acceptable excuse and retreat to my bedroom if I need to.”
“I can help if you need it. Maybe we should have a safe word.” He grinned at her.
“A safe word?” she repeated.
“Yeah,” he said. “Boston and I have one when we go to family parties. I either say it or text it to him, and we can rescue each other.”
“What are you going to do? Kick all your cousins out?”
“If that’s what it takes,” he said, a fiercely protective streak rising up within him, as he wanted Lark’s life to be nothing but rainbows and roses.
She laughed lightly and shook her head, sobering quickly and wiping at her eyes. “I’m sure it will be fine. Let’s go.”
She reached to open her door, so Cash did the same. Just as he’d tapped to close the garage door and step into the house when he heard Boston call, “We’re walking in the front.”
“Come on in,” Cash called, already working the tie loose from around his neck.
He moved over to the fridge to get out the doughnut dough, and he set it on the counter just before Boston and Coraappeared in the kitchen. He stepped over and gave Boston a hug. “Hey, you guys. Thanks for coming.”
“If it’s inconvenient—” Cora started.
“I’m just going to go change my clothes real quick,” Lark said over her, and she darted down the hall to do that.
“It’s not inconvenient,” Cash said. “I’ve been planning it for a week.”
Both Boston and Cora watched Lark disappear into her bedroom, and everybody waited until the door clicked closed before they looked back at him.
“Yeah, but Lark’s here,” Boston said under his breath.
“Yeah, I knew she was going to be here.” Cash leaned in closer and grinned at his cousin. “It doesn’t change anything.”
Cora scoffed. She was a little bit salty like Lark, though she worked heavily in customer service and had tempered that greatly. “Oh, please, Cash. We both saw you holding her hand during church. Don’t even try to deny it.”
Cash held up both hands and laughed as he moved down the counter to where he’d left the bowl of dough. “I’m not going to deny it.”
“So if it’s inconvenient….” Boston said again, letting the words hang there.
Cash sent him a glare. “It’snotinconvenient. I invited you two, Bryce and Codi, Kassie and Reggie, and Adam and Joey. It’s fine. I’ve warned Lark.”
Cora laughed. “Oh, honey, you can’t properly warn someone about you Youngs.” She lifted her bag. “Can I go change too?”
“Yeah, sure,” Cash said, hating the truth with which her words rang through him. “There’s a bathroom right across from Lark’s bedroom. She might need to use that, though. There’s a guest bedroom at the end of the hall as well.”
