Chapter 13
Easton
The farmhouse smelled amazing. The scent of roast chicken and garlic mashed potatoes hit me before I even stepped through the screen door.
For years, this meal had always been the signal that everything was right with the world.
Maggie had made it on Sundays for years, and we’d gathered around the table and hashed out our differences and made peace with each other around the table.
Voices carried from the kitchen before I even made it down the hall.
Sage was laughing so loud she nearly drowned out Chloe, who was trying to scold Wade about something.
Kipp’s low rumble came from somewhere near the oven, though it sounded like he was disagreeing with someone.
And Maggie’s voice, lighter than it had been a week ago, was cutting through them all.
“East!” she called the second I walked in. She was seated at the head of the table, her bum leg up on a footstool. Her smile was pure Maggie Holt. “There’s my boy.”
“Hey, Maggie.” I bent, kissed her temple, then glanced at her plate already loaded with food. Chloe must have done it for her. Maggie gave me a pointed look, like she knew what I was thinking. “Don’t fuss. These yahoos wouldn’t even let me make my own plate.”
“We did,” Chloe said from her seat, still in her scrubs, her blonde hair pulled up in a bun. “But it’s nice to let people help sometimes.”
“Let me live a little, Lo Lo,” Maggie teased. Chloe rolled her eyes, but she was smiling as she poured gravy over mashed potatoes.
“Dinner’s hot,” Wade said from across the table. He was already halfway into his plate, still in his uniform with the badge clipped at his belt.
I slid into my usual spot, across from Sage. The old farmhouse table was scarred from years of elbows and spilled drinks, every dent and stain a memory of Levi’s steady hand guiding us, of Maggie’s voice corralling the chaos.
“Where’s Lila?” Maggie asked Sage as if it would be the most natural thing in the world for Lila to join our little circle. We’d never brought dates home. It had been an unspoken rule among us that home was a sacred space, not one we brought outsiders into.
“Where is Lila?” Putting Sage on the spot seemed to be the way to go here. She had been staying with Sage, and it was already late. I gave my sister my best frown.
She wasn’t offended, the brat. Instead, she stuck her tongue out at me, apparently learning bad habits from Lila. “I’ll have you know that I offered.”
“As you should have,” Maggie interjected.
“But she said she had things to get done for tomorrow at the store with Mia. Anyway, tell us about you, Kippers.”
My brother cringed. He hated that nickname. The kids at school used to call him that, but it didn’t stop Sage from using it every once in a while. “I got another cabin roof finished,” he said. He dropped chicken on his plate, followed by two heaping spoonfuls of potatoes.
Sage leaned forward, eyes sparking. “That makes four finished and one half framed. Are you planning actually to let people stay in them this century?”
“They’ll rent when they’re ready,” Kipp said calmly. “I’ve got work things to do anyway. Plus,” he shoved in some of his potatoes. “Six cabins now. I had Mr. Fix-It help me out.”
“Six. Uh-huh,” Wade cut in, smirking. “You’ve been saying you were going to rent them out for two years now. Pretty sure the only guests you’ve had out there are deer and an occasional raccoon.”
“They’re quality cabins,” Kipp said, stabbing his fork into the potatoes. “Someday …”
“Quality raccoon condos,” Sage said, giggling. “You could add a raccoon door. I’d love a trained raccoon.” She sighed dramatically, as if she were imagining it. “Like an assassin raccoon.”
“Better than living with twenty-seven potted plants in your bedroom,” Kipp shot back without looking at her, but he smiled a little into his potatoes.
“They have names, you monster,” Sage said, scandalized, which made Chloe choke on her sip of iced tea.
“Don’t encourage her,” Wade muttered, shaking his head. “Last week she tried to convince me her ficus was lonely.”
“It was,” Sage argued. “I brought it a fern friend, and now it’s thriving. Don’t roll your eyes at me. You’ll see it’ll perk right up.”
The table broke into laughter, Maggie included. She dabbed her mouth with a napkin. “You all give him grief, but Kipp’s cabins are beautiful. He’s been showing me pictures. Levi would’ve been proud.”
“They are impressive. The whole property is going to be a destination. He won’t have any problem renting them out when he’s ready.
” I knew that the others were just teasing in that way of theirs, but I didn’t like to see Kipp not shouting from the rooftops about what an awesome thing he had turned that empty land into.
“All of them have little kitchens, their own bathrooms. They’re fully plumbed.
He has a central lodge too, with a larger joint kitchen.
I think he’s got some bigger plans than he’s talking about. ”
“Well, I’ve been hashing out some ideas.
I’m planning on twelve total cabins. I just haven’t decided if I’ll rent them long-term or short-term.
Maybe as a retreat or something. If I run activities, then I’ll need a manager, so I’d need extra space for that.
” He ran a hand through his hair, looking uncomfortable.
“It’s just a side hustle. I like the quiet. ”
Silence settled over the table, because we all knew that about Kipp. He did like the quiet, which was why the idea of him owning a little compound of cabins that would be filled with strangers seemed … strange. I suppose it even seemed strange to him.
Then Sage, bless her, cleared her throat. “It’s going to be amazing, however you end up working it out. Still want that raccoon.” She winked at him.
“No way.” He reached over and ruffled her hair. “I’d have to arrest you.”
“Geez.” Sage dodged out of his reach, breaking away as her eyes sparkled. “Speaking of beautiful projects,” she said sweetly, “Lila and I are going to have a girls’ night. Chloe, you want in?”
I stiffened, fork pausing halfway to my mouth. She buttered a roll like she hadn’t just dropped that grenade in the middle of my plate. A girl’s night? Lila was going to go out?
“I’ve been missing her. She deserves a night out, especially after that terrible break-in.” Maggie said, her eyes twinkling. “Maybe tomorrow, one of you can get me over to the bookstore for book club. I’m behind on my stamps and reading my chapters. I can’t miss another meeting.”
“We’ll get you over to the bookstore for sure. I’m definitely in for a girls’ night,” Chloe added, grinning. “The Public House is always fun. I can’t wait to hear all about Lila’s next ideas if we can pry them out of her after a few cocktails. I want hints.”
I cleared my throat, finally setting down my fork. “She’s driving me crazy. That dinosaur suit,” I muttered under my breath. I shifted in my seat. It came out louder than I meant, and Sage’s smirk told me she’d heard exactly what I’d said.
I’d tried to replace the glass broken out of her back door, but she’d already ordered a piece, which, for some reason, pissed me off.
It bothered me that her home was unsecured, but it wasn’t my call.
Then I’d sat in her shop the last few mornings to make sure she was feeling okay, but the attraction was definitely mutual.
Her hot little eyes would drift to me constantly while she went about her morning chores, bopping to whatever music she was listening to.
“Speaking of businesses,” Chloe said, rescuing me. “East, how’s your contracting going?”
“Good,” I said, pushing on. “Picked up a few jobs already. Fencing, porch repairs, and a kitchen remodel over in Alder Valley. Once I get settled here, I’ll take on bigger projects.”
“That’s wonderful,” Maggie said warmly. “Glad to hear that you’re getting some business.”
Her words lodged deep in my chest. She always had a way of making me feel like I was more than just getting by.
I didn’t bother mentioning that my company was doing more than fine.
We had projects lined up for the next year, enough to require hiring more staff.
I’d told them I had a team up in Boise, teams. The company was making plenty of money, and I’d stuck all the profits with an investment broker.
I didn’t need any fancy shit. If something came up here at home, or one of my siblings needed something, that was what I’d use it for. Work was all I needed.
Dinner carried on in that old Holt way, voices overlapping, stories tumbling over each other. Shoving another forkful of green beans in my mouth, I sat back and watched the banter going on, all the forks pointing and the teasing. Maggie caught my eye and gave me a wry smile. Yeah, busted.
Our family wasn’t conventional. But we had filled every second with life and memories.
We were family in every sense of the word.
We found each other here. Maybe I was still a little torn up, maybe we all were in our own ways, but having them as the backbone of who we were felt like a great starting point.
“Tell them about what you did today, Mom,” Chloe said, reaching for the green beans.
“I walked to the mailbox and back,” Maggie announced, puffing up a little. “I’m getting good on these crutches.”
“You did not,” Sage exaggerated, beaming. “Lo, why didn’t you tell us?”
“Because I’m betting that she wanted to brag herself,” Wade said dryly. Instantly picking up on the fact that Maggie did indeed want to brag a little.
“She should,” I cut in, feeling protective.
“Mags is amazing. She’s capable and strong.
” Even though it killed me a little that she felt she had to stand (or hop) on her own.
I wouldn’t bother to tell her that I’d watched her the whole way there and the whole way back from the doorway of the barn just to make sure she didn’t fall.
“Move it or lose it,” Maggie said, lifting her fork. “You all act like I’m ancient. I was a machine, though, East. Should have seen it. You young people take note.” She pointed her fork at us. “If you don’t keep going when things begin to ache, you just freeze like that. Got to stay limber.”
“You’re only half ancient,” Kipp teased, and Maggie swatted his arm with her napkin. “But you’re awesome, Mags. If only everyone were as tough as you and as dedicated to their physical therapy. And don’t talk about being limber.” He fake gagged.
They’d been encouraging her to go out on a date or see someone here in town so she’d have some company now that Levi was gone.
He never would have wanted her to be alone.
Chloe, in particular, was an advocate of her mom finding someone, but I didn’t think Maggie was on board.
I didn’t say anything about the topic because the idea of seeing her with someone else had my stomach in knots, and I had no right to be upset about it.
Chloe launched into a story about one of her patients, careful not to share any names.
She was very serious about protecting client privilege, and in a town as small as ours, that was important.
Not that we would gossip, but there were a few times in our lives where we’d been on the receiving end, and it wasn’t a lot of fun.
Sage described a customer who asked whether roses could cure heartbreak, which made Wade roll his eyes again and made us all laugh.
If there was anyone less of a believer in superstitions, it was Wade.
Kipp muttered something about chainsaws, and Sage leaned over to tell him she’d gift one of her pressed flowers for his logbook if he wanted.
He just shook his head. Kipp, like my sister, kept his own journal.
Levi instilled in all of us, from an early age, the importance of having a private, personal outlet for our emotions.
All our counselors advocated for journals, and Levi and Maggie were on board.
The only change Levi suggested was that we could make our journals into anything we wanted, even recording lists of things that were important to us or collecting items that held meaning.
While Sages’ journals focused on her flower pressing, Kipp’s were daily logbooks.
I never kept one, but I had tried. I watched my siblings keep theirs, and it seemed to calm their minds. Instead, I found working with my hands to be the best outlet I could ask for.
By the time pie hit the table, the air was thick with laughter, the kind that only came from people who’d survived hard things together. Maggie’s fall. Levi’s death. The years before, when none of us had any family at all.
Later, when I helped Maggie to her recliner and tucked a blanket over her, she caught my hand. “You’re doing good, East,” she said softly. “Levi would be proud.”
I swallowed, nodding once. That was what I wanted. I’d always wanted to make them both proud.
But when I stepped outside into the cool night, the stars sharp above the farmhouse, I couldn’t stop thinking of hazel-green eyes, a smile that had unsettled me more than I cared to admit.
She hadn’t texted me, which irritated the heck out of me.
I’d been dumb so far not to ask for her number, and I knew without a doubt that later tonight I’d be doing a drive-by of Sage’s house to see if she was okay.