Leo approaches me and kisses my cheek. “There’s a familiar looking woman in the driveway who yelled that she’s still mad at me for almost running over one of her mini highland cows twenty years ago. Any idea who that may be?”
I gasp. “Ally is here? No way!”
He gives me a big smile. “She’ll never let me forget about that, will she?”
Squealing, I run outside to find my favorite cousin, Allyson Sterling, smiling widely at me. Wearing worn jeans, boots, a faded blue tank top, and a cowboy hat, Ally looks exactly as she always has. A little sliver of my childhood in Silver Mist Falls. At three years my junior, Ally was always my favorite cousin to pal around with on her family’s ranch, Sterling Falls Ranch. It was always me, Ally, and Ember. The three musketeers. We knew from early on she was destined to take over running the ranch. Not only is it inher blood, but the ranch, and the town of Silver Mist Falls, are in her soul.
“What are you doing here?” I gush, sweeping her into a big hug. Ally laughs as she returns the hug tightly.
“I can’t come to celebrate my favorite cousin’s birthday?” she answers.
Pulling back, I raise an eyebrow. “I thought I was your favorite cousin.”
Ally shrugs, then gives Brody a big grin. “Cute kids trump childhood friendships, El. You should know that. But seeing this little one means I should probably specify that it’s my favorite seven-year-old cousin’s birthday, because aren’t you just the cutest thing in the whole wide world?”
I laugh. “That’s fair. They are pretty cute. Especially this one.”
I hear Ally’s intake of breath as she looks over my shoulder. “God, she’s a little Ember.”
I feel a tug on my heart as I watch Violet confidently walk up to Ally. “I ‘member you.”
“Oh yeah?” Ally asks with a chuckle.
“Uh-huh. You have all the little cows.”
“I do. I have quite a few animals,” Ally says.
“What else?” Violet asks, as Oliver ambles up, swinging his arm around his sister.
“Well, I have quite a few horses, some normal size dairy cows, a herd of chickens —” Ally stops when Rose claps wildly.
“Chickens!” she bellows.
Ally looks to me, biting her lip to keep from laughing. “I have chickens. Do you like chickens?”
“Yes,” Rose answers. “Cute and yummy.”
“Well, that’s an interesting take,” Ally replies.
Leo laughs as he sidles up beside me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. “There may be a slightly violent tendency in this one. We’re working on it.”
“Unless you’re bringing me one of the animals,” Oliver blurts out, “I would like to have my birthday cake now.”
“Cake!” Rose screams, throwing a fist into the air.
“Any chance the cake is sugar-free?” Leo murmurs against my ear, making me shiver. “I don’t think this one needs more ammunition.”
As Rose follows Oliver back into the house, by jumping every step, I shake my head. “It’s going to be a long night.”
Seven hours later, after what could possibly have been the longest bedtime ever, all four kids are asleep in their rooms. Oliver still sleeps in the boys room, and he loves having Carson over for sleepovers. Thankfully, the sleepover is tomorrow night, as tonight is a school night. While we initially thought about allowing Violet and Rose to share the girls room, we decided against it. Violet still has difficulty falling asleep, and we wanted her to have her own space. Violet took over the girls room, and we renovated another bedroom for Rose. If the girls choose to share a room down the line, we’ll deal with it then.
Brody occupies the last bedroom, but Oliver has made it very clear he expects to share a room with his little brother at some point. I’d feared having a six year age gap between the oldest and youngest would be difficult, but Oliver has surprised me at every milestone. He’s all too engaged with his siblings, and loves every moment.
“Whew,” Leo says with a loud exhale as he hands me a longneck beer beside our fire pit. Sitting beside me in a rocking chair, he clinks his beer to mine before taking a long swig. “Took Violet forever to fall asleep tonight.”
“Too much excitement,” I murmur, closing my eyes as I rest my head back. “Rose had trouble too. Oli’s birthday, too much sugar, and Ally surprising us. Their little brains can’t process it all.”
“Shit, I’m sorry,” Ally says as she walks out to join us. “I should have let you know I was coming.”
