33. PAIGE
33
PAIGE
“Aren’t you the sweetest thing ever?” I snuggle the border collie puppy to my chest as I pat the mama dog Pearl on her head. She had four babies this week, and they’re adorable.
One of the barn cats rubs against my back, and I smile. Reaching behind me, I scratch his head.
“I see that you’re in your element,” Rhett says, hanging his arms over the stall.
“I don’t think I could ever be in a bad mood if I got to play with puppies every day.”
“My boys feel the same way. Gabriel and Austin would sleep in the barn if I let them.”
“I don’t blame them.” I kiss the puppy and put him back with the others. Standing, I brush off the hay. “Guess I should get going. People will be here soon for the game.”
He opens the stall door for me, then leans down to kiss me. “I think your casserole is ready. Whatever you made smells amazing.”
I glance at my phone. “I have five more minutes before I need to take it out of the oven. It’s nothing fancy, just a hot chili cheese dip. I thought we could have nachos. I made a bunch of different toppings. Austin said nachos are his favorite.”
He tosses his arm around my shoulder. “Sure do appreciate that.”
“How, um, how did your conversation go with Amber?”
Rhett sighs. “About how you’d expect. There was a lot of yelling.”
“I’m so sorry. I hate that I made her freak out.”
“Not your fault, sweetheart. I had no idea she was being so mean to the boys. My attorney’s filing an emergency custody order on Monday.”
“That’s a relief. I can’t imagine being that age and having my parent freak out at me like that.” I wrap my arms around his waist. “I want to love up on Gabriel and Austin, let them know I’m here for them. I know I’m not their mom, but if they let me, I promise I’ll be a great bonus parent.”
“My boys are lucky to have you.”
I shrug. “I know what it’s like to have a terrible stepmother. My one goal with them is to be the opposite of Irma.”
Rhett stares down at me. “Have I told you lately how much I love you?”
My heart races at his closeness. “I’m pretty crazy about you too.”
Leaning down, he grazes his lips against mine. Within seconds, he has me pinned to a stall.
Suddenly, the alarm on my phone goes off, and I groan. “Unless you want burned chili dip, I have to go.”
He lets me slide down his body. Then he adjusts himself. “Guess I’ll have to wait for tonight.”
“It’s a date,” I yell as I run out of the barn, smiling.
I make it back to the kitchen and pull out the dip and set it on a potholder. After I taste it, I add it to the other nacho toppings.
The back door opens, and Beau, Jace, and Rhett stroll in with the boys.
Jace yells, “It’s game time!”
A few minutes later, the doorbell rings, and I let Baylee in. “Where’s Sean?”
“He had a family thing. He invited me, but I’m not going to miss a Bronco game.”
I tug her into the kitchen and whisper, “Have you told Mav you’re talking to someone?”
“Why would I do that? He has an endless array of women he bangs. It’s not like he runs that by me.”
“Good point.” I hand her a beer. “Get some food before the guys decimate the table.”
“I like this plan.” She takes a plate and loads up the nachos.
My husband’s buddy Brady, who did Rhett’s beautiful tattoos, and his wife Kat, join us. As they greet everyone, I smile at the way Brady looks at his wife, like she’s his whole world.
Rhett leans close to me and lowers his voice. “You’ll like their story. When his brother passed, Brady inherited his baby niece and a lavender farm. He was planning to sell the property and move back to Boston, but then he fell in love with Kat.”
“And he couldn’t bring himself to leave.”
“Pretty much.”
I know the feeling. If the cheer camp in Boston offered me a position tomorrow, I’d turn them down in a heartbeat. There’s no way anything could entice me to leave Rhett or my life at the ranch.
Bunching my hand in his t-shirt, I pull him down to me and kiss him. “I love you, cowboy.”
His eyes twinkle, and he pats my ass. “Love you too, baby.”
Feeling like a contented cat in the sun, I call out to our crew. “Food’s on. Come and get it. Guests and little men first.” I wave over Brady and Kat. “Help yourselves.”
Kat grins. “I’m starving, and this looks amazing.”
Then I crook my finger to Austin and Gabe. “Come here, you two.” I help the boys wash up before I grab paper plates and help them make their nachos.
When my brothers-in-law wander up, I point to the sink. “Kindly wash your hands. I know y’all are filthy.”
“In the brain,” Jace says with a silly grin as he hugs Baylee. “Hey, troublemaker. Great to have you over.”
“Thanks.”
“Did I hear you were gonna bring a date?” He lifts an eyebrow. “Not sure how I feel about this. You’re like our little sister. He’d better pass muster.”
She rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling. “He couldn’t make it, but you’ll like him. He’s a good guy.”
I hand out napkins. “There’s brownie sundaes for dessert and beer in the ice chest next to the TV.”
Beau reaches over to give me a noogie. “Have I mentioned how much we love having you? Marrying you is the best thing Rhett ever did.”
I grin. “You’re just saying that ’cause I feed you.”
“Nah, we genuinely love you.”
“Aww, thanks, bro.”
We all settle around the TV with our food. The screen flashes Florida’s logo meshed up against the Lone Star State Bronco, and a familiar pride for my alma mater fills me, reminding me of all the games I cheered at during college.
Those were great times, but this afternoon is special too.
I’m sitting between Rhett and Baylee. Kat and Brady settle on the other side of my husband while Beau and Jace take the short end of the L-shaped couch. The boys sprawl out on the floor in front of us so they can use the coffee table to hold their plates.
I glance at the faces of people I love, and my heart overflows with affection. This week might’ve been hard because of Amber, but I’m realizing I’ll take all the tough times if it means I can have these moments.
During the outro to commercial, the camera pans to the cheerleaders.
Rhett leans close. “Is it hard to give that up?”
“It’s bittersweet. There’s really not a career path for cheerleaders after graduation, aside from coaching. I miss the squad and being on the field. I mean, look at my team. How could I not be obsessed with the Broncos? I love those guys, and their coach is amazing. He’s a hardass, but in a good way.”
He nods. “I like Coach Santos. He keeps Mav in line. My brother needs that.”
“I’m friends with his daughter Roxy. She’s the one who interviewed me for that news segment.”
“I still can’t believe I only saw that recently,” he grouses.
The disgruntled look on his handsome face makes me laugh, and I lean up to kiss him. “Well, I promise if I do any more interviews, you’ll be the first to know.”
“Damn straight.”
Just then, Mav leaps up in the air, pulls down the pass, and bolts for the end zone. Baylee yells at the TV, “You got this, Maverick!”
We all freak out as he races down the field.
When he nabs that touchdown, we high-five each other.
The Broncos win by fourteen points.
That night, when I collapse on my husband with a sated smile, I realize I’ve never been this happy.