His brows pinch. “That sucks.”
I chuckle. “Why does it suck?”
“Parents should take an interest in what their kid likes to do,” he says so simply. “My dad always made an effort to do stuff I enjoyed.”
“Yeah. I guess you’re right. It didn’t bother me or anythin’. Just how it always was.” I pause, finishing up the little bit of wall left. “You said you’re into music… What kind?”
He shrugs. “All kinds. But country, mostly.”
“Can’t go wrong with a little country.” I set the rolling brush down and grab my phone out of my pocket. “Let me play you some stuff I’ve been listenin’ to lately. Let me know what you think.”
We run through a handful of songs. Most he likes, but some, he doesn’t. As the afternoon goes on, it hits me that, unlike when I first picked up Lukas, things between us actually feel a little easier now and a whole lot less awkward. And for the first time since making this decision, I know things are going to be okay.We get along, are into some of the same things, and he seems like genuinely such a good kid.
I got this.
Wegot this.
Between the two of us, we’re able to make good time getting it done. It’s nearly five o’clock by the time we call it quits, and after we stop somewhere for dinner, I drop him off at his grandma’s house. It’s less than a week away from this kid living with me full time, and honestly…I’m excited.
I kind of want to drive over to the ranch and tell Gentry all about today and the plan, but I don’t. That would probably be weird, and knowing him, he’d get all huffy about me stopping by unannounced. But he’s a big part of why I felt comfortable enough to take this chance… I want to share it with him.
But instead, I go straight home and shove that desire out of my mind.
For now.
Six
Gentry
Goddamn, it’s been a day.
I haven’t been this happy to be home in a while. The sun set hours ago; I’ve barely had a minute to myself all day to eat, or breathe, or think, and I can’t wait to spend a few hours doing all of that before finally taking my exhausted ass to bed.
I’m barely inside the house—my shoes aren’t even kicked off yet—when there’s a knock at the front door. Letting my head fall back on my shoulders, I close my eyes and exhale a groan. Whoever that is, I don’t want to see them. For a moment, I consider ignoring it all together. But I can’t do that. What if it’s something important?
Spinning around on my heels, I heave another sigh before twisting the knob and pulling open the door. My gaze settles on the man standing on my front porch, and before he even opens his mouth, I already know this isn’t important and I should’ve ignored it.
“What are you doin’ here?” I ask, not bothering to step aside to let him in.
Remington snorts. “Well, hello to you too, ya big grump.”
“I just walked through the door. I’ve had a hell of a day, and I’m not in the mood for company. So, I’ll ask again. What are you doin’ at my house unannounced, Remington?”
The corner of his mouth ticks up, and he waggles his thick, dark brows. “You know how much I love it when you say my full first name like that, Daddy Moore.”
“Goodnight, Remington,” I say, attempting to close the door, but he shoots a hand out, flattening his palm against the sturdy wood to stop me before I can.
“Okay, okay. I’m sorry, I’ll behave,” he murmurs.
I lift my brows questioningly when he doesn’t say anything else. “Get on with it, Remington, or get the hell off my property.”
He chews on the inside of his cheek for a moment. Shrugging, he says, “You never came back to class.”
Staring at him blankly, I wait for more. It doesn’t come. “And?”
“And I wanna know what’s up with that.”
What?
