"It was, but he was with Grandpa Billy today for a bit, and well …" I shrug. "They got into trouble, didn’t they?"
He looks at our son, trying to hide his smile. "Did you get in trouble?"
"I jumped in the mud," he says without an ounce of remorse. "Grandpa Billy, too."
He shakes his head and looks at me. "You look beautiful," he says, and I glare at him as he leans in and kisses my lips. "Doesn’t Mommy look beautiful?"
“Yes,” JB says, smiling at me.
He sits next to me, and he puts his arm around me while holding our son on his lap. "Did you have a good day?" I ask and look up when the sound of someone coming down the driveway makes me look up.
I don’t have to guess who it is when JB squeals out. My parents stop their truck right next to Asher’s. "There he is," my father says, getting out of the truck and coming over. He walks up the two steps, and then JB holds his hands up. "I heard that someone jumped in the mud today."
He nods his head as my father kisses his neck. "Okay, my turn," my mother says and holds out her hands. JB looks at my father and then my mother, not sure who to choose.
"I made cookies," my mother says, and that is all it takes for him to fly into her arms, making us all laugh.
"What are you doing here?" I ask, leaning back on one arm as my hand rubs my big swollen belly.
"You said you didn’t sleep last night." My mother looks at me. "So we thought we could take JB home with us."
"I don’t know," I say, trying not to smile. "I’m going to miss him a lot."
"It’s okay, Mommy," he says. "I’ll come back." This kid. I shake my head. "Tomorrow."
"Okay,” I huff out. "But you have to be good."
"I will." He holds up his right hand. "I swear."
"We’ll just meet you over at the barbecue tomorrow," my father says. "Reed’s back," he says, looking down and then looking back up again.
"How is he doing?" I ask.
"Too soon to tell," he says. "Ethan is going to see him later."
"If anyone can understand what he’s going through, it’s Ethan," Asher says, and it takes my parents five minutes to buckle JB into their truck and drive away.
"What do you say, baby?” Asher says from beside me. "Why don’t we go in, and I’ll rub your feet?”
"That’s how I got into this situation to begin with," I say. "Or was it I just want to fall sleep inside you?” He roars with laughter.
"Hey." He hugs me. "That’s our secret." He kisses me.
I shake my head. "You know damn well, Asher Normand, that secrets don’t stay secrets for long, especially around us."
Southern Sunshine
Reed
I never wanted to be a cowboy, living in the shadow of my father and my older brother was suffocating.
The military was my out.
I saw every place I ever wanted and everything that nightmares are made of.
Until I almost lost my life and then all I wanted was to go home.
Hazel
Finding out that I was pregnant the night before I left for college changed everything.
I ran out of town and vowed to never return.
Then my grandfather died and I had no choice but to go back home.
The plan was for two weeks only.
I thought we were safe, until he was standing at the back door asking questions.
Secrets never stay secrets for long in this town.
Southern Secrets Page 20
