“Which is exactly why she shouldn’t be left alone right now.West, when I dropped her off yesterday, she had no damn food in her fridge.The milk was sour, she hadn’t done her weekly shop before she went into labor, and she claimed she was too exhausted to eat.”
“And I’m sure you helped her out with that little problem.We all know how much you love to shop.”
She twists her lips in a pout, the way she used to when she was little.“That’s beside the point.You are the only man in her life.The only one who hasn’t left her high and dry, until now.”
“Well, maybe Daisy-Mae needs to find herself a husband.Tell me, Lemon, why am I getting read the riot act when I’m not the one who impregnated her?Why don’t you call fucking Eddie Buchannan and tell him all of this bullshit?”
“Because you’re ten times the man ‘Fast Eddie’ will ever be.Or at least I thought you were.”She shakes her head, her disappointment falling over me like a weighted blanket, and I won’t lie.It stings.“I don’t think I’ve ever said this, but I’ve never been ashamed of you my entire life ...until now.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Mama says, and I know I’ve done it now.
I turn and face the most important woman in my life—next to Daisy and my sister, of course.“Mama—”
Mama raises her hand.I close my mouth right quick.“No one is asking you to marry her, but you get your behind in that truck.Then, you’re going to pick up some flowers from the Piggly Wiggly, a box of those expensive chocolates from the fancy new shop on Main, and some groceries—because she’s been too busy having a baby to make sure there’s fresh milk in her refrigerator.You tuck your tail between your legs, and apologize to that woman.”
I open my mouth to protest, but Mama’s glare obliterates the words on the tip of my tongue.“So help me God, West William Winchester.I raised you right, now you gomakeit right, or you don’t set foot in this house again.”
“Mama!”
“I mean it.That woman has been good to this family, and she deserves better than to be left outside the damn hospital with her newborn waiting on an asshat like you.”
“Aww, hell,” I mutter, thoroughly chagrinned.
When I glance at Lemon, she’s smirking like we’re kids again and I just earned myself a hiding from Daddy’s belt for messing with her.
“West, those groceries are not gonna shop themselves,” Mama warns.
“I’m goin’, Mama.Jesus.”
“Don’t be surprised if she leaves your dumb ass out on the front porch,” my sister taunts.
“Quit it, Lemon,” I grumble as I stalk past my sister and out into the yard.I climb into my truck and speed down the unsealed driveway, wondering when these damn women in my life are going to give me a break.
Forty minutes later, I stand at the entrance to the Piggly Wiggly, my hands clenched tight around the handles of the shopping basket, and I grit my teeth.I have no idea what to buy, or where to start.
“Hey, West.How you doin’, darlin’?”
I glance up.Zadie’s standing in front of me, clutching a full basket of her own.
“I, er ...Mama sent me here to get groceries for Daisy-Mae and the baby, and I don’t have any idea what I’m doing.”
She chuckles and takes the basket from my hands, replacing it instead with a buggy.“You cowboys are so clueless.Come on.We’ll need more than a tiny basket to restock her pantry.”
***
Istare at her pinkdoor, too much of a damn coward to knock in case I wake her.My arms are loaded with groceries, flowers, candy, and coffee.I even bought diapers in two different sizes and a cute little teddy bear for Waylon.I contemplate leaving everything here on the porch, but that wouldn’t give me the opportunity to apologize.So I raise my hand, but Daisy opens the door before I can knock.Waylon is cradled in a baby sling, dark circles have taken up residence under her eyes, and her hair is limp and messy like she just crawled out of bed, though she don’t look like she’s had a wink of sleep since the hospital.
“Howdy, ma’am.Got time for a personal apology from the village idiot?”
She bursts into tears.“My baby hates me.”
I drop the groceries and pull her and Waylon to me in a one-sided hug, mindful of the cardboard tray of hot coffee in my hand.“Dais, it’s not possible for anyone to hate you.”I press a kiss to her hair and look down at the baby snuggled against her breast.
“He won’t stop crying.”As she says this, his little arms flail and he lets out a startled cry.“He never stops.”
“Come on inside.I can take him and you can drink your coffee.”
At the mention of coffee, Daisy’s lip quivers.“I can’t even drink coffee.I’m breast feeding.”
