76. Ep Char
Ep Char
“Paisley! Come and put on your boots!” I yell in the generic direction of her bedroom while stuffing Violet’s foot into her sneaker.
“Coming!” She appears quickly, bouncing with a smile between her pigtails. “Are we going to the garden?”
“No, sweetie. Remember, we’re going to the new ranch?” I gesture towards Violet for her other leg but the four year old raises her nose in protest.
“Vi, we have to go and I still need to help your brother.” I swing my thumb over my shoulder where Wesley drools over his stuffed truck. My poor little guy is teething again.
Paisley slips her mini-Ariats on with no socks.
I guess I’m picking my battles today.
“I’ll help Wes.” She scoops up her baby brother amid his shrieking giggle and carries him towards the changing table even though he’s nearly as big as she is already.
“I’m ready, Mommy.” Rosie stands prim and proper near the door, her doll clutched in her arm.
It never ceases to surprise me how completely opposite the twins are in personality. Where Rosie is the first to listen, Violet fights me tooth and nail on the tiniest things.
I blame Libby.
That makes me laugh as I finally get Vi ready and pull her up. “Okay, here’s the deal. If everyone behaves, we stop at Aunty Libby’s on the way home for ice cream.”
Now that Devon’s new production line is up and going, there’s always someone there for free samples.
“Yea, Vi.” Paisley makes a pointed look at her younger sister.
“What?” Violet blinks innocently, like she isn’t on her third bath of the day.
Wesley runs across the room, his diaper half attached and one little butt cheek hanging out. “Mommy, ice cream!” he screams.
I smooth out his wild dark hair as he hugs my legs and fix the tiny strap of Velcro that keeps us all from disaster. “That counts for you too, mister mister.” I glance up at the clock with a flare of relief.
Dixon should be home any second.
“Let’s find your shorts, son. Daddy will be here soon.” I glance up to Paisley. “Do you want to go outside and wait? I bet Ben and Jack will be out there already.”
“Yes!” Vi jumps up and down behind me, then reaches for the handle.
“Stay out of the mud!” I yell as my older three rush through the door.
They dodge as they leave and the shadow they avoided quickly morphs into my husband coming inside.
“What if I like getting dirty?” Dixon’s gruff question is framed with a smirk as he scoops Wesley off my legs. He pats the fresh diaper while he bends to press me with a warm kiss. “I got the car seats switched to the Suburban.”
“Thank you,” I sigh. “I tried to make it out there but—”
He hefts our chunky son to the side and reaches out to pull me closer. “Char, I got it.” His broad chest rumbles when he holds me to it. “Cynthia starts next week. Elena said she put in her notice at Frozen Bones to take the job.”
The relief I feel is palpable.
“That was the best idea anyone’s had.” I wrap my arms around him and take a moment to enjoy holding him.
“With all the rugrats—” Dixon sneaks a kiss against our wiggling toddler’s temple. “—it just makes sense to have an extra set of hands on deck. Having Ford and April move into that bigger house up the canyon left their place as the perfect spot for a Black Gulch daycare.”
“Gosh.” I smile up at him. “Whatever will we do with free time?”
His eyes darken as his thumb works up my jaw. “I have a few plans,” he growls, then finds my lips again with his.