Chapter Six
August Twenty-First
Tanya
Placing the last plate in the cabinet, I look around Mom’s new kitchen. Getting my mother, my brother, and all their stuff moved didn’t take nearly as long as I thought it would. Having Hadley, Tucker, and a few farmhands come up to help made the process a hell of a lot easier. What would have been weeks of packing was done in just a few days. In fact, it only took three days total.
Rusty didn’t seem to mind having strangers in the house rummaging through his stuff. He seems to be taking all the changes in stride. Even the road trip wasn’t bad. Only his inability to use public restrooms caused any problems at all. Of course, Major fixed that. He took Rusty out behind the rest stop and taught my brother how to water the trees.
Hadley shuts the drawer after filling it with silverware. “I think that’s the last of it. Am I missing anything?”
“I think we got it all.” I look around the kitchen, searching for any stray boxes. “It didn’t take nearly as long to unpack as it did to pack all this crap up.”
She leans against the counter and asks, “How long do you think it will take your dad to figure out where you are?”
Dad has called dozens of times, today alone. I keep letting it go to voice mail, praying that he will just give up. He’s even called Mom a few times, threatening her with losing her house if she doesn’t tell him where I am. She still hasn’t told him she and Rusty have moved and doesn’t plan to since he never bothers to come see my brother.
She didn’t even bother forwarding her mail, saying that it was nothing but bills she didn’t have the money to pay. I know the real reason is she wants to keep her location hidden from Dad as long as possible. Sooner or later, though, he is going to find out where we all are. There will be hell to pay when that happens.
I shrug, pasting on a fake smile. “I don’t know, but I hope he gives us a while to settle in before showing up.”
“I’m glad to have you guys in White Chapel. With Willow going away, I was going to be lonely. Plus, it’s gonna be nice to have family around when the baby is born,” Hadley says, changing the conversation.
The words no more than leave her mouth when Tucker walks into the room and says, “What the fuck? I’m your husband, so that makes me family.”
I turn in his direction, watching as he stomps over to Hadley and pulls her into his arms. He lays a kiss on her that can only be described as carnal. Then, he moves his mouth to her ear and whispers something that brings a blush to her face.
“We’re heading out,” he says, not bothering to look my way.
He pulls her out of the kitchen without giving her a chance to say goodbye. A laugh bubbles up from my throat as I turn back to the counter and plug in the toaster. Everything is done in here, so I’m about to go see what else needs to be done when I hear footsteps walking my way. I turn my head just in time to see Major walk into the kitchen, wearing a sweat drenched shirt.
Winking my way, he reaches up and runs a hand through his hair. “Hey, baby.”
“Tired?” I ask, taking in his six pack.
“Nah, I’m good,” he replies with a shake of his head. “I just brought the last box into your mom’s bedroom. I’m gonna help Rusty get his X-box hooked up, and then I’m heading over to the farm to get Moonbeam.”
I turn around just as he pulls me into his arms. “Why are you getting Moonbeam?”
“Rusty’s never rode a horse, figured no time like the present for him to learn,” he replies, bending down to brush a kiss over my forehead. “Maybe I can ever get you on her before the day is up.”
His hands are running up and down my back, making it hard for me to concentrate on his words. We’ve been so busy for the past few days since Mom agreed to move here that we haven’t had much time alone. Other than a few quickies in his truck, we haven’t been able to have sex. That is going to stop tonight. As soon as we get back to his house, I am pulling him into his bedroom and keeping him there until neither of us can walk.
My ex and I had a healthy sex life, but I never felt like I needed him to breathe. With Major, not being able to touch him makes me feel like I’m falling apart. The growing bulge in his jeans lets me know he feels the same way.
“I can’t wait to get to your house,” I say, lacing my hands around his neck. “I got plans for you and your bed.”
“It’s our house and our bed,” he replies, leaning down to plaster his lips on mine.
He nibbles on my bottom lip, forcing my mouth to open. His tongue sweeps in, pulling a moan from somewhere deep inside me. The kiss goes on and on as his hands slide down to cup my ass. It feels so good that I forget where we are until someone clears their throat.
“Rule number one, no making out in my kitchen,” Mom says, walking in with Rusty following close behind. “You and your brothers may own this house, Major Brady, but I live here, so I get to make the rules.”
I expect Major to let go and step away, but he doesn’t. “Not even a quick kiss? I think I deserve a kiss or two after all the heavy lifting I did today.”
Mom smiles but shakes her head. “Nope, not until I see a ring on her finger. Then, I’ll let you steal a smooch or two.”
“I can get the ring tonight.” Major’s eyes come to mine as he lifts a brow. “Just have to talk your girl into wearing it.”
My pulse speeds up when I see the sincerity in his eyes. As much as I’d like to think he’s playing, I know he is one-hundred percent serious. That’s crazy though; no one gets married after only knowing each other for a week. Then again, Hadley and Tucker did.
“I thought you were going to go get your horse?” Rusty says, walking past us to pull a soda out of the fridge. “I really want to learn to ride.”
Mom’s eyes jerk to my brother. “What are you talking about?”
“Major’s gonna teach me how to ride a horse,” Rusty explains as if he hasn’t been scared of animals his entire life.
He and Mom go back and forth, but I ignore them and continue staring at Major. His eyes are locked onto mine. Something in them lets me know we will be talking about a ring in the near future. As much as I’d like to be strong and say it’s too soon, I have a feeling he’ll be sliding it on my hand without a complaint from me.
He finally breaks eye contact to turn to look at my brother. “You want to ride with me to get Moonbeam?”
“Sure.” Rusty smiles nodding his head.
Major lifts his chin and turns back and brushes his lips over mine. “See ya soon, baby.”
“I thought I said no kissing,” Mom says with a laugh.
“I’ll follow your rules most of the time, Marie, but not when I’m leaving. My girl always gets a kiss goodbye.” With that, he and Rusty walk out the back door, leaving Mom and me to stare at the shutting door.
I take in a deep breath and push away from the counter. “Come on, Mom. I’ll help you get the beds made.”
She follows behind me, not saying a word, but I can feel her eyes burning into the back of my head. We haven’t had a lot of time to chat over the last few days. Major and Rusty have been around, so there wasn’t a chance for girl talk, but I can feel one coming any minute now. I’m not sure if she wants to fuss at me for making out with Major in her kitchen or talk about the ring comment.
“I know you went through hell with Christian,” she says as we step into her bedroom. “But you can’t judge all men by his actions.”
My mom knows all about my ex, Christian, cheating on me. What she doesn’t know is it didn’t bother me all that much. Of course, it hurt; pain always comes when trust is broken. Still, it didn’t hurt to lose him. It took a while, but I finally see we were never meant to be. We were just too different, wanted different things with our lives.
“Lord knows, I have no right to be giving relationship advice. Your father and my marriage was never good. Still, I’m your momma, so I have to put my two cents in,” she says, pulling a set of sheets out of a box. “I think you should give that boy a chance. He’s a good man, and he’ll treat you right.”
“I am giving him a chance,” I say, grabbing one side of the fitted sheet. “Heck, I’m nearly moved in with him.”
That’s not exactly true. I am moved in with him. When we packed up my room at Mom’s house, he labeled each box himself. He didn’t even bother carrying my boxes inside; he just sent them to his house with one of the farmhands. No fussing, no arguing, no questions. My stuff was going to his house, even if I didn’t want them to.
“I want you to give him a real chance, don’t keep waiting for the other shoe to fall,” she explains, tucking the sheet around the mattress. “You can’t go into this thinking something bad is going to happen. If you do, you’re gonna start making up crap in your head.”
She’s right, and I know it. Already, I watch him all the time. Even when we stopped at the Waffle House to get breakfast before heading back from Cincinnati, I studied his reaction to the pretty brunette waitress that took our order. I even questioned the friendly smile on his face when he paid the bill.
“Not every man is like your ex or your dad. There are a few good ones out there,” she says, spreading the top sheet over the bed. “Major actually reminds me of your grandpa.”
I know she’s talking about my Dad’s father because her dad was dead before I was even born. Judging by the stories she has told, I didn’t miss much. Grandpa, on the other hand, was wonderful. He loved Grandma in a way that kept a smile on her face every day.
“Yeah, he does.” I agree with a nod of my head. “I think Grandpa would have liked him; Grandma, too.”
“They would have. Your grandpa would have called him a good old boy,” she states with a smile. “And your grandma would have said he was a hot stuff.”
We both laugh, focusing back on the sheets. When we finish her bed, we move on to Rusty’s. Then we start putting away clothes. I’m hanging up Rusty’s shirts while she fills his dresser with socks and boxers. We stay silent, each occupied with our work, until Mom’s indrawn breath draws my attention.
“Holy shit,” she mumbles, bringing a hand to her heart as she stares out the window. “I can’t believe it.”
I rush to her side and look out the window, letting out a gasp of my own. My brother is on top of Moonbeam, riding him all by himself. Even to a complete novice like me, I can see that he is holding his seat like a pro. His back is straight, and his shoulders are pulled back. Most importantly, he has a smile spread across his face. Never, not once in his life, have I ever seen him look so happy.
“I am absolutely in love with Major Brady,” she breathes out, leaning her head against the glass of the window.
I look back at Major riding a large black horse, trailing a few feet behind Rusty. Tears fill my eyes when I notice the smile on his face. It’s directed right at my brother. It’s a smile filled with pride.
Wrapping my arm tightly around Mom’s shoulder, I lean my head on her shoulder. “I think I love him, too.”