We still don’t know who Naomi’s father is to this day, but he has never been interested in being a parent to her. Rebekah tried, and at first I didn’t want to do the adoption because it felt like too much. Not because I don’t want to be Naomi’s dad, but because it could take away the possibility of giving Rebekah the chance to be a mom to Naomi.
But the more I think about it, I am her father and I wouldn’t have it any other way, and my hope for Rebekah is nearly nonexistent. People can surprise you, but I don’t want Naomi to live life wondering. I want her to live with the full confidence of a little girl growing up to become a woman with a family who loves, supports, and cares for her without question. That’s how I was raised, that’s how my cousins were raised, that is how she will be raised.
Chapter 20
Cooper
“Comeon,Naomi!”
“I’m coming! I made Grandma Dixie something and I want to give it to her,” she yells from her room.
I have no idea what she’s talking about, but I give her a minute and glance at my phone again. I was hoping for a text or maybe even a call from Mae, but she’s been silent, and I don’t know how to take it. Everyone texts these days, but she might not be a texter.
But who isn’t? I should message her, see what she’s up to. A part of me wanted to invite her to family dinner, but I felt like that might be pushing the envelope a little too far, too fast. She’s not my wife … I mean, she could be.Whoa, pump the brakes there, Hayes.
The point is, she’s not my girlfriendyet, so I should go a little slower. Plus, I want to be absolutely sure about her before I allow her around Naomi for more than buying flowers.
When we get to the house, everyone is already here, including Gracie and Sterling.
“Uncle Ledgy!” Naomi yells and runs right into Ledger. He grins, picking her up.
“Shoes, Naomi!” I yell pulling my boots off and hanging my hat next to all the others on the hooks on the wall.
“Coop, want a beer?” Fletcher calls from the kitchen.
“Please,” I say loudly, sitting on the couch that’s right off the kitchen.
This is one of my favorite times of the week. Naomi can be around all our family, and we can all relax together. Sometimes we watch a movie, play a boardgame, or some days it’s a simple dinner. We sit and talk to each other until it’s time for everyone to get home because we have early starts the next day. In my younger years, it also consisted of Fletcher and me getting into trouble, June and Gracie involving themselves, and Ledger not sure what to do because he was too busy trying to keep us from breaking the law. He was always meant to be a Sheriff that’s for sure.
I hear the girls laugh and glance up, expecting to see June and Gracie, but to my absolute delight, I see Mae.
As her eyes meet mine, I swear they light up. I grin and stand, but then Naomi comes running into the living room, going for her corner where Aunt Dixie has her table and chairs with her coloring book and toys stacked in a bin.
I look between them and stuck isn’t the right word, but the desire to gather Mae into my arms and kiss her breathless is strong. Yet my hard and fast rule keeps me from doing exactly that.
I clear my throat. “Princess, shoes, please.” I remind Naomi.
She grumbles and takes them off, setting them next to my boots. When Naomi goes back to her corner, pulling out her coloring supplies, I focus on Mae.
“Hi,” I say a bit breathless, and annoyingly nervous.
“Hey,” she says, and glances at Naomi with a soft smile on her face.
“June invited me. I hope that’s okay,” she says, shifting on her feet.
June scoffs as she throws an arm around Mae’s shoulders. “Everyone is welcome at the Hayes house, right, Gracie?” June asks.
“Mhm,” Gracie sings while she’s eating chips and dip.
“It's good to see you,” I say under my breath to Mae.
“I need a snack,” June says, spinning on her heel back to the kitchen.
“It’s good to see you too,” Mae says.
“So, uh, you met Fletcher and his wife, Tatum?” I ask her, fumbling for words.
She nods and takes a sip of her water. “They’re really nice. I remember them from the Wooden Cowboy, but we didn’t get to talk.”
