He looked confused. Ryan got it. His dad was a formal handshake kind of guy. An accountant, he was pretty straightlaced. Until you took him out in the wilderness. Then he let go and relaxed. Found his joy and real passion there.
“Handshake or not, welcome.” He dropped back into his chair.
“Bandit!” Jessie rushed forward.
“Oh no you don’t.” Russ caught her. “You can’t escape the game because you’re losing. I’ll have to exact my punishment.”
He started to tickle her. She giggled and turned to throw herself into Russ’s arms. “I love you, Uncle Russ. You’re so much fun.”
“Backatcha, squirt.” He released her, and she ran to Bandit, dropping to the floor and letting the dog climb all over her as she giggled.
“Thanks for bringing Bandit over,” Reid said.
“Of course.”
“Go ahead and sit,” their mother said. “We have about ten minutes until dinner, which should give Jessie time to wear little Bandit out.”
Mia took a seat next to Reid on the big sectional couch, and Ryan sat on her other side, thankful to have her here with his family. Despite the past, she seemed relaxed and like she fit in. Much the way Reid’s wife, Diane had. It’d been a sad day in the Maddox family when cancer had taken her life. Still was sad, especially on holidays and family dinner nights.
Reid smiled at Mia. “Seeing Jessie’s happiness is such a good thing. It’s hard to come by some days. Thank you for helping with it.”
“I can relate to that,” Mia said.
Reid narrowed his eyes. “I know your experience with your mom could help her. Maybe once your current issue is resolved, you could share some of how you coped when you lost your mom.”
Mia smiled at Reid. “I’d be glad to. We can bond over Bandit.”
She so readily accepted Reid and was willing to help him, and yet, there was still a tension with Ryan. Would that ever go away? He wasn’t sure, but he knew he wanted it to.
“I wish I could commit to keeping Bandit at our place,” Reid said. “But as I mentioned, it’s just too much right now. The business has taken off far stronger than we thought, and even with the extra guys we hired, we’re still slammed.”
“A good thing, though, right?” she asked.
“Absolutely, and we’re very blessed by it.” He looked at Jessie. “But she needs a lot of my time too, and I don’t ever want to shortchange her.”
Mia frowned. Ryan knew her thoughts. Her dad not only didn’t mind shortchanging her, he chose not to spend time with her and had even avoided her whenever possible.
Jessie charged over to Mia, Bandit nipping at her feet. “Grammy says I need to take Bandit out to do his business before dinner. Want to come with me and see the special play structure Grammy and Grandpa got for me?”
“Sure,” Mia said readily.
Reid gave Mia a you-don’t-have-to-go look, but she waved him off and took Jessie’s hand.
Ryan knew how much she loved kids. Always had. They accepted her for who she was and didn’t try to change her as everyone else in her life had done. Everyone except Ryan and Wally.
But since they’d reconnected, he’d been pushing hard to change her decisions and actions. Maybe as unpalatable to her as trying to change her. He should probably back off, but how could he with her life at stake?
“I suppose Mia told you that she fronted the money for the Veritas team,” Russ said. “Was a big chunk of change.”
Ryan nodded, not that she’d shared the amount. “That should tell you she’s not hurting for money then and burned the barn for insurance money.”
“It does.”
“So you no longer think she might be behind the fire and threats?”
“Didn’t say that.” Russ placed the red checkers into the storage box. “I read the will this afternoon, and there’s a loophole.”
Ryan did his best not to look shocked. “She didn’t mention one. Maybe she doesn’t know about it.”
