17. Biscuits and Trauma
SEVENTEEN
biscuits and trauma
Dahlia
No problem at all, my ass. After changing clothes and settling in a bit, I feel like a live wire.
Every creak of the mattress or groan of the floorboard in Wes’ room has me wondering what he’s doing, wondering what his room looks like.
He kept the door shut, but I have to imagine it’s cozy, maybe a little moody.
Whatever it looks like isn’t my business and I really need to get a grip if I’m getting needy over him loafing around in his room.
I’m walking out of my room when Wes’ door opens as he’s pulling on a white tee.
The glimpse of his rippling muscles and firm stomach have my eyes bulging out of my damn head.
Blessedly, I stop my shameless perusal before he notices.
He takes in my outfit, an oversized red flannel and my favorite leggings, and smiles. “Ready for dinner?”
“Yep, but I realized my phone charger must have snagged on something, it’s shredded.” I’m holding up the remains of my too expensive phone charger. “You don’t happen to have another one, do you?”
“I probably do somewhere around here. I can go look,” he offers.
“You can look later. I don’t need it now, the two people I text are you and”—I point to him and to Daphne who’s also emerged from her room—“her.”
Daphne, Wes, and I make our way over to the main house where the rest of the family stays. On the walk over, Wes reminds us Amber is Jasper’s sister. She’s two years younger than him at twenty-six, and has two boys. He smiles describing their two polar opposite personalities.
We reach the door and two blond boys come barreling around the corner and slam into Wes. “We running from the law again?” He grabs a boy in each arm and carries them back through the doorway kicking and giggling.
“No! We were playing monsters with Uncle Jasper. He’s gonna get us!” The one missing a front tooth is frantically trying to explain their predicament when Jasper comes stomping around the corner howling. He locks eyes with Daphne and stands up right, irritation rolling off him in waves.
“He is quite the monster, huh? We need to slay him to protect the townsfolk, let’s go!
” Daphne grabs the boy’s hand hiding behind Wes and stops right in front of Jasper.
I can’t hear what they’re saying, but Daphne boops Jasper on the nose and asks the boy to show her their arsenal of monster slaying tools.
Jasper looks so stiff I almost wonder if he’s breathing, but then he turns and heads out the back door without a word.
“He may have told me not to invite her, but I think Daphne’s fun and she’s your best friend, so he can get over it.”
“Mom, where are the boys? They need to wash up. I’m sure they look like they’ve been rolling in shit.
” The shout is followed by a woman carrying a laundry basket, her golden hair piled high on her head with glasses perched on her nose.
“Why doesn’t anyone tell me when people are coming over?
I’m over here hollering and we have guests.
” She drops the laundry basket and reaches to shake my hand.
“I’m Amber. Sorry for the chaos, we’re kind of a loud bunch. ”
Wes introduces us. “Amber, this is Dahlia. She’s here with her friend Daphne, who’s around here somewhere. Dahlia’s working on a big paper for grad school and wanted to see if she could use the farm for research.”
Amber eyes me suspiciously. “Are you researching failing farms? Not really shit going on here.”
“Oh no. I study social work, like therapy. I wanted to see more about a farm space to write about outdoor therapy and Wes offered to show me around.” I already feel myself preparing to over-explain since everyone always has an opinion on mental health.
Thankfully, Amber is already grabbing the laundry basket and moving on.
She must realize her abrupt end to the conversation when she turns back to say, “Nice to meet you, Dahlia.” Wes mentioned Amber’s husband a while back, but he’s noticeably absent today.
Daphne reappears with her two new best friends, who I’ve since learned are Liam and Emmett, born back to back at four and five years old.
We’re sitting at the kitchen table when a small, sturdy woman appears with a tray of meat.
“I smoked this all day, so should be nice and tender. But if it’s not, keep it to yourself.
” Her eyes light as she spots Daphne and I.
“Girls, welcome to our home. I’m Lorraine.
We’re glad to have you here.” She deposits the tray of well-smoked meat on the counter and rounds to hug Daphne and I.
“Come, come. Grab the rolls and corn from the microwave and we’ll sit out back. ”
The back porch is lit with warm string lights, casting a glow on the worn wooden table at the center of the deck.
At the head of the table sits an older man, casting a massive smile at us.
“Finally, I meet the mysterious Dahlia. Wes is quite the fan. And a friend! You must be, Daphne? Jasper has mentioned a demonic woman a few times, he didn’t mention such a pretty demon! ”
“Stone,” Wes warns, but it lacks any real heat.
Stone’s chuckle is hearty, before reaching his hand out to shake Daphne’s. She must decide his teasing warrants a hug because she leans in and hugs him instead.
We sit around the table and I find myself across from Wes. He leans back to stretch and I’m no better than a man because the sight of his shirt revealing the trail of dark hair leading below his belt has me ready to risk it all.
We’re literally at dinner with his family and I might as well be in heat.
I know when we go to bed later I’ll need to take care of the arousal dampening my panties.
It seems my earlier concerns about bringing my vibrator were warranted, since I’m absolutely unhinged for Wes and indeed going to flick the bean later, acoustic style.
Conversation flows so easily through the meal, it’s a little eerie to me.
Family meals growing up were lonely at best and drenched in alcoholic anger at worst. Seeing this display of togetherness is throwing me for a loop.
I’m sure Daphne feels the same, considering dinners at her family home rivaled mine.
I’m taking it all in and trying to be present, but I can’t help the tendril of anxiety I feel curling around my heart.
It only intensifies when Lorraine asks why I study social work and I give my sanitized answer of I love to help people.
And it’s true, I do love to help people.
It’s definitely a lot deeper than simply loving to help, but that story isn’t all sunshine and rainbows.
I’m not necessarily ashamed of my experience motivating me to pursue this career, but I know not everyone wants to have biscuits and trauma for dinner.
She directs her questioning to Daphne next, who shrugs noncommittally about working at Cunting Season and Purple Rage. I know her work aspirations are a sore subject for her, so I offer to grab the pie Lorraine made from the kitchen in an effort to divert the conversation.
Thankfully, it works because Lorraine launches into the story of how this pie made Stone fall in love with her. He looks at her all moon-eyed and I can definitely see it.
In the kitchen, I look in the pantry for extra napkins when I feel Wes come up behind me. He reaches to the top shelf and brings down the napkins I couldn’t see at my height.
“Thank you, giant.” I smile. “It’s nice here.”
“It is. Peaceful. I’m glad you like it.” He looks like he wants to say more as his gaze sweeps my face. Emmett or maybe it’s Liam—I can’t tell them apart when I can’t see the missing tooth—runs through the kitchen and stops at the pie.
“Why are you two hogging the pie? Let’s gooooooo.” Wes knocks a fist on the counter, before picking up the pie and napkins, heading back outside.