“Well, we’re so happy you’re here!” Isa jumped up from the couch, prompting the rest of us to welcome the pair into the house. “Whitley, what do you like to eat?” She took the little girl’s hand in hers, leading her over to the living room as Caitlin offered her a grateful smile.
“I like patotoes!” Whitley squealed, her blonde pigtails bobbing as she jumped up and down excitedly. “And turkey!”
“Wow!” Isa giggled at her mispronunciation of potatoes. “Good thing we have both of those things! Are you going to eat so much and grow up to be a big girl?”
“Yeah! I’m gonna be big like him!” She pointed at Jake.
Jake grinned as he scrubbed his chin.
“Well, now that everyone’s here, should we eat?” Ellison asked, gesturing to the kitchen. “Go ahead, guys. Help yourself.”
“We turning on the football game?” Jake called from the kitchen.
Isa and Ellison both rolled their eyes at him.
“If you insist.” Ellison let out an exaggerated sigh. “Men and their football.”
“Don’t lie, Ellie girl, you love it, too,” Jake fired back. “Colter’s told me all about how competitive you get during playoff season.”
She shrugged. “Guilty.” Immediately shifting back into boss mode, she gestured for the guys to get moving. “All right, come on. Let’s get this line moving, boys. We’ve got a little girl who needs to eat!”
“I want turkey and mashed patotoes!” Whitley cheered, sending us all into a fit of laughter.
I cleared my throat once everyone was seated with food. “Before you all ask me the same questions over and over again, yes, I’m feeling better. No, I’m not in too much pain. I’m ready for everything to be back to normal, so please don’t treat me like I’m breakable. That’s all, thank you.”
A few mouths gaped, but then several people shrugged and went back to eating.
“If that’s what you want, Haydie, we’ve got you.” Mikey nodded.
“Guess that means you’re going to be opening the chute the next time we practice roping,” Reid teased.
Sierra shot me a stern look, but I grinned.
“You’ve got yourself a deal.”
It was late when we stumbled through the front door of my house. Sierra changed into pajamas then let Pancho out as I put away the leftovers Ellison sent home with us.
Pancho ran back toward Sierra’s bedroom when she let him back inside, and she started to follow him, but I stopped her before she disappeared down the hallway.
“Sierra, wait.”
She turned her head to look over her shoulder. “Hm?”
“Do you want to…” I cleared my throat, swallowing the nervous lump. “Do you want to sleep in my room tonight?”
Her head swung to her open bedroom door, but then she turned around to face me. “Yeah. I do, Hayes.”
“Come on, then, love.” I took her hand in mine as I joined her in the hallway and led her back to my room.
Sierra whistled for Pancho as I changed into sweatpants and a loose T-shirt, but the naughty little devil ignored her.
She snorted, rolling her eyes. “Whatever, I guess. He can have a room all to himself.” She closed the door then flopped down on the bed, rolling onto her side.
I rolled so we were lying face-to-face and reached out to brush a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Has that room always been vacant?” she asked, propping herself up on her elbow.
I nodded, wondering if I should tell her the real reason why.
