Ma’s face lights up, and she stops what she’s doing to look over at me.
“You kissed her?” Her hand splays to her chest, and she looks up at me adoringly.
“No. He wishes. I got there just as they started to lean in,” Wren says with a wicked smile.
“Who leaned in where?” Hayes asks, coming into the kitchen with Pa.
“None of your business,” I clip, annoyed with everyone and their inability to mind their own business.
“West almost kissed Jade,” Wren says anyways, making me groan.
Hayes chuckles, swinging open the fridge and cracking open a beer. “Lover boy didn’t get any lovin’?”
“Cut it out, you two.” Pa cuts in, flicking the back of Hayes’ head.
Wren laughs, shoveling in another handful of cheese. “Lover boy. I like it.” She high-fives him with a giggle.
“Oh, you two, leave your brother alone,” Mom scolds.
An hour later, we’re all sitting down when Colter walks in.
“Get that fire out, son?” Dad asks as Colter takes a seat.
“I swear to God it was fucking Jep Shepard,” he says, looking my way. “Guy just so happens to be casually out for a stroll on the outskirts of town the same time an arson fire happens.”
“We’ll get him one day.”
“What’s an arson fire?” Maysie asks.
“It’s when someone lights something on fire on purpose,” Colter tells her.
“But you guys light fires all the time so we can make hot dogs and marshmallows,” she says, with the innocence of a child.
“It’s much different than that, princess. It’s when the fire is started to cause trouble,” Cade tells her.
“Oh. Why would someone do that?” she asks curiously, her little nose scrunched.
“Wish we knew, sweetie,” Colter replies, dishing up his plate.
We eat our meal and talk about the farm when Cade opens his fat mouth about Sarah.
“So, who is this guy I saw Sarah making out with last night? Never seen him around town before.”
Hayes’s arm freezes, and his jaw clenches. “Who cares,” he says.
“Was it an older guy?” I ask.
“Yup.”
“Not sure who he is, but she went home with him the other night at the rodeo.”
Cade nods, chewing his food. “He did have a cowboy hat.”
Hayes’s head snaps to Cade, and his eyes narrow. “What did he look like?”
“Who cares?” Cade taunts him.
“Why must you boneheads always rile each other up?” Dad grunts, shaking his head.
