“Mama.”
“What?It’s true.God knows you could use a good woman to keep you in line.”
“It ain’t even like that,” I snap, smoothing my sweaty palms along my thighs.I focus on stabbing the food on my plate.“Can everyone just drop it, please?”
Lemon looks up from the babe in her arms to smirk at me.“You know, it wasn’t that long ago I sat in this very chair and asked you all to do the same about teasing me and Colt.”
“Then you should know how it feels.”
“Oh, I know it well.And you’re welcome.”
“Come on, West.You had to know bringing a wife and baby to breakfast was gonna cause a stir,” Colt says with a smirk, and really, my sister is a terrible influence on him.Always has been.
“Wife?”Daisy screeches.
“Shut it.”I say through my teeth to the rest of them.
“We’re just teasing, baby.”Mama slides her hand across the table and pats mine.
“If you think about it,” Wyatt adds, “Daisy-Mae’s really the one making sacrifices here.I don’t know how you put up with his grumpy ass first thing in the morning.”
“Well, I figure if he’s gracious enough to take in a divorcee and her newborn baby, I can put up with his grumpy butt at six am.”
“Bet that’s not the only thingupat six am.”Wade chuckles and Cash and Colt both high five him.
“Alright, we’re done with the ribbing.”My chair scuffs the hardwood floor as I push to my feet.I stalk across the room and scrape my mostly uneaten food off into the trash, and then I rinse my plate and turn to Daisy.“You gonna be okay here today?”
“I’ll be fine.Thank you.”Daisy smiles sadly.Tears well in her eyes but she wipes them away before they can fall, and addresses the room, “Thank all of you.I ...I don’t know where I’d be without your beautiful family.I’m sorry for putting everyone out.”
“You’re family, Daisy.You’re not putting anyone out,” Lemon says, then she turns back to the baby in her arms and babbles, “And we couldn’t have this little guy unsafe and all alone at stinky West’s house, could we?”
If Mama’s wondering what the hell happened that would make Daisy move her newborn to the ranch overnight, she doesn’t ask.Then again, her family has been on this land for generations.While she might not know everything, she’s no fool.“Come on now, Daisy.It’s us who’re lucky to have you.Like Lemon said, you’re family.Now, what would you like to do today?We already have a portable crib set up in a guestroom.If you need to take a nap or just a little breather, you’re welcome to.”
“Actually, ma’am, would it be okay if I used your kitchen?I kind of need to bake to take my mind off things.”
Mama smiles, warm and genuine, and I don’t think my heart could get any fuller.“My kitchen is yours, darling girl.”
Lemon narrows her eyes with a bit of a pout.“Hey, how come you’ve never said that to the rest of us?”
Mama laughs, “Because none of you can cook worth a damn.From what I tasted at the Buttermilk Café, Daisy can.”
“I could really go some more of that caramel apple cobbler you made a few weeks back,” Wade says with a sly smile.His gaze grows misty-eyed when she nods, and I can see him falling a little bit in love with her because he’s as big of a fan of sweet treats as I am.I level a dark glare on him but the bastard just chuckles.
“She’s not here to serve you, asshole.”
“West William Winchester.You bite your tongue in front of a lady,” Mama scolds.
“Yeah, West, you kiss your mama with that mouth?”Wade says.
“Maybe he’s too busy kissing Daisy,” Wyatt adds.
Daisy turns beet red, and I feel like shit for dragging her into another crazy Winchester family meal.“Alright, you lot.We got shi—stuff to do.”For a beat, I contemplate staying because I’ve really thrown her straight into the lion’s den inviting her to breakfast, but I guess this is payback for all the shit I’ve given Lemon and Colt over the years.
“I’ll see you later then,” I say.
“Have a good day.”Daisy smiles self-consciously.I grab my canteen from the counter and head out.
“What, no kiss?”Wade hollers after me as I exit the house.Asshole.Everyone laughs, including Daisy-Mae, and I just shake my head.I think we’ll be eating dinner at my house tonight.
