Sadie abandons her markers and scoots her chair back. “Auntie Jules!”
Julia laughs, delighted, and immediately crouches to Sadie’s level. “There you are. Still perfect. Still making better art than your uncles ever did.”
“That’s a horse,” Sadie informs her seriously.
Julia studies the page. “Naturally. With excellent legs.”
Sadie beams.
Julia straightens again, turning back to me.
“I hope he warned you,” she says conspiratorially. “You’re working with three men who were all, at various points, convinced they were the smartest person in every room.”
I snort before I can stop myself.
“Oh, good,” she says, pleased. “You’ve already noticed.”
She gestures vaguely toward the rest of the house. “Boone used to line up his toy trucks by size and refused to let anyone move them. Caleb once didn’t speak to me for an entire afternoon because I called his favorite horse ‘cute.’ And Silas…” She sighs fondly. “Silas tried to organize a talent show at eight years old and charged admission.”
Sadie gasps. “Did he win?”
Julia leans down. “He absolutely lost. But he hosted the after-party.”
I laugh then. A real one. It surprises me enough that I have to cover it with a cough.
Julia notices.
“Well,” she says gently, squeezing my hand once more, “it’s very nice to finally meet the woman who has all of them walking a little straighter.”
Silas appears in the doorway, watching the scene with relief written all over his face. At least he knew she was coming because this is a complete shock to me!
“You made it,” he says.
“Barely,” Julia replies. “The traffic in the way was terrible.”
He grins. Then his eyes flick to me.
“Hey,” he says softly.
“Hey.”
The word hangs between us, heavier than it should be. Tension presses at my ribs, tight and charged and unfinished.
Julia notices. Of course she does.
But instead of commenting, she claps her hands together, brisk and cheerful, breaking the moment clean in half.
“Alright,” she announces. “Before anyone gets too serious, I am starving. I haven’t been back on this ranch in years, and I distinctly remember there being very strong opinions about lunch.”
Sadie giggles.
“Actually,” Julia turns to her. “Tour first, then food. I want to see what’s changed… and what hasn’t.”
I glance at Silas, confused, my chest tightening with the sense that I’ve missed a step.
He rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah. About that…”
He looks at me fully now, humor draining from his face.
