Page 144 of Reins

“Is that part of the surprise?” Char ducks to watch it go over us.

“Sawyer and Soph have been working on this for a while, I bet it is.” I pull into a wide spot where the old house stood before Cade had it torn down. Tossing open my door, I step out into the dry heat of late summer in Montana, then turn back to my family. “Let’s find out what the future holds.”

Ep Lori

“Are you sure we weren’t supposed to bring anything?” I worry about how many mouths will be there.

“Baby, it’s fine.” Mason wraps his hands around my growing belly. “Val brought in extra staff to cater it, remember? Cynthia will even be there to help keep an eye on the kids.”

I relax against him, letting the heat of his body quiet my mind. “I just want to make sure everyone has something to eat.”

His hot breath ripples down my throat with his soft laugh. “It’s okay to not be everyone’s momma. We have enough in our own brood to worry about.” His palm pats my hip as he scoops the bag of food I prepared off the counter. “But we’ll bring these since you made them.” He tickles my cheek with his whiskers as he plants a fast kiss, then strides across the living room.

“Ben! Jack! Help Hazel get loaded up!” His voice carries that tone of authority that makes me want to jump in line with them.

Our oldest appears first, his bright green eyes finding me immediately. “Ben is helping Hazel get her stuffed elephant. Want me to get Georgie?”

Always my helper, he’s so much like me. “That would be wonderful. She’s in the crib if you want to check her diaper?”

It’s almost sad how grown up he acts. My little man, seven going on seventeen some days.

Mason thinks it’s because there’s such an age gap between him and Sophia, it’s like he’s an oldest child all over.

Jack wants to be grown up so badly, he even avoids the other kids. His favorite thing is sneaking into the mechanic’s barn when Sawyer is in there, or sitting with the adults during dinner when the rest of the children are in the playroom.

I’m not ready for any of them to grow up. It’s going by too quickly.

“Baby? What’s the matter?” Mason reappears next to me, tugging me to him.

“I’m being silly,” I sniffle. “Jack’s getting Georgie. He’s just so mature, I-I—” My hands fly around my face as the tears threaten to take hold.

Mason fights a smile as he pulls me tighter, kneading my lower back where he knows I like it. “That’s the best and the worst part about having kids. They carry our damn hearts outside of our chests. He’s all the best pieces of you, Lori. He’s kind, thoughtful, and loves so much it breaks him in two when he can’t help.” His fingers work along my spine until I’m melting against him.

“You’re pretty darn loving too,” I sniffle, tangling his shirt into my fist. I could stay just like this forever.

“That’s our little secret.” He kisses the top of my head, then reaches down to pat my hip. “Speaking of secrets, we gotta get all the kids loaded so we can find out what Sawyer and Sophia have been up to at the other place.”

I pull away and nod, smoothing his collar where I crumpled it. “I can’t wait, it’s going to be such a new adventure.”

Ep Mason

When we pull in, I park next to Dixon’s rig and start unloading kids.

I don’t think any of us expected there to be twenty-something children running around in just a few years, but it’s the highlight of my life seeing all of them running and playing in the grass.

Cynthia waves, calling the older ones over.

Jack looks to me for permission while Ben takes off at a dead run.

Oh yes, he’s going to be that kid.

“Go on and play, she’s in charge when you can’t see us.” I drop my chin towards Jack, giving my okay for him to be young for a little while longer.

As Sawyer approaches with Sophia next to him, all I can picture is them when they weren’t much older than Jack.

How their eyes looked that day I told them their mom wasn’t coming home. They had to grow up that day, I didn’t give them a choice.

It hurt too fucking bad to try.