Stable Hill
Page 25
He raised an eyebrow, and Russ sighed. “Not really on purpose.”
“Something spooked her.”
He laughed. “It happens. Go on in and get your water, Soph.”
“Thanks for the ride, Russ!” Sophie disappeared into the house.
He hadn’t been back riding yet himself, but he was going to try it out again after the garden was planted and he had more weekend time.
He hooked an arm around Russ, who smelled like horses, and he was sweaty from working in the garden. Man, his family got filthy out here. It was great.
“Jeffrey is making burgers.”
“You want me to start the grill?” Russ gave him a hopeful look.
“I was about to, but if you—”
“I’m on it. It’s my thing.”
That was true. Russ loved to grill more than anyone he’d ever met, and the man was good at it. “Thanks, babe.” Oscar stole a quick kiss before he let go, and that won him a smile that made him look forward to later.
He spotted Brian and Emily making their way up from the tractor barn, hand in hand, and breathed a sigh of relief. She had her own room now… with a door on it. That was worrisome enough. But escaping to the tractor barn was a whole other level of parental concern.
He waited for them. About three months after the accident now, Emily’s hair was growing in well, and she’d gotten a cute cut that was longer on the noninjured side and just long enough to cover the scar from her stitches on the other. It was cute and worked well on her.
“Hey, Oz.” Emily gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Brian is hungry.”
“Hang on!” Brian laughed. “Whose stomach was growling so loud, again?”
“Shut up.”
“Uh-huh.” They both laughed.
“Come on, we’ll get Brian a snack before dinner.” By the time they headed up the steps, Russ already had the fire started. “See? Burgers coming soon. Would you two mind making a big salad?”
Emily nodded. “Sure, Oz. No problem.”
“We got this, Mr. Kennedy.”
Emily was doing very well, but he watched as Brian rested a hand on her lower back and followed her up the stairs anyway. Subtle but concerned, looking out for her. She’d really found herself a good one.
“This needs a little time to burn before we can throw the food on.”
“I think Jeffrey is still—”
“Oz!”
Oscar looked up at the sound of his name. Riley?
“Oz! We made cupcakes with Gram!”
Ah yes. And Zoe. “You did, huh? Are they dessert? Where are they?”
“Gram is bringing them. She said to run ahead and tell you.”
Oscar grinned. He figured that was code for Rose needed to breathe for a minute. “Why don’t you two run in and see if you can find the tablecloths for the picnic tables?”
“Okay!” The girls tripped over each other like puppies heading into the house, and he just shook his head.
“Those two.”
Russ laughed, hooking an arm through his. “They’re going to be a whole lotta teenager, Oscar. You better get ready.”
He shook his head. “Please. Let me get Sophie squared away before we go there.”
“Would one of you gentlemen help me with—”
“Coming, Miss Rose.” Russ leaped down the back steps and took the tray of cupcakes from her.
“Thank you. You’re such a dear.”
“Someone’s getting first dibs on dessert,” Oscar teased, holding out a hand for Rose to steady her on the steps.
“Thank you, sweetheart. Oh, I walked past your garden. It’s looking lovely. Your mother would be pleased.”
That made him smile. “You think so?”
“I certainly do. I would be if it had been my garden.” Rose gave him a pat on the arm.
“We’re having burgers, but not to worry, Russ said, looking adorable holding that tray of cupcakes. “Oscar made sure we had a piece of chicken to put on for you, Miss Rose.”
“You all are too good to me.”
She deserved it. This new arrangement had been even better for her than he thought it would be. She had much more time to herself, time to relax. He often found her reading on the porch or taking a walk on the grounds to see the horses. They still needed her sometimes, but with all these adults around, she wasn’t his only backup anymore, and he thought she was enjoying that. “Come on, Rose, let’s get you some tea.”
Russ held the door with one arm, balancing the cupcakes on the other, and Oscar led Rose into the house, stepping right into the busy kitchen. Emily and Jeffrey were laughing and chopping veggies for the salad, and Brian was making burgers. He squinted.
“What happened in here?”
Jeffrey and Emily just looked at each other and cracked up.
“All right. Okay.” Brian shook his head. “They don’t trust me with a knife.”
“Oh dear. Maybe we don’t want to know?” Russ suggested.
Rose agreed. “Bright boy.”
“Iced tea. Got it.” Oscar filled a glass with ice and then opened the fridge and pulled out a pitcher to fill it.
“Sophie, look!” The twins dragged Sophie into the kitchen, and suddenly they had a full house. Russ set the cupcakes down on the counter so the girls could show them off.
Rose appeared at his elbow. “These farm kitchens were made to serve a crowd, but maybe not to hold one,” she said knowingly, taking her tea glass.
Oscar put the pitcher back in the fridge, grinning.
“But you just have to make room for family.”
He put his arm around Rose and kissed her cheek. “Thank you for doing that.”
The kitchen was full of movement and smiles, laughter and love. Russ headed toward the back door with the burgers and with Sophie on his heels. Jeffrey and the twins had dug right in and were sharing cupcakes before dinner. And Emily and Brian were—
Jesus.
“Not in the kitchen, lovebirds.”
“You do it,” Emily countered.
He had to grin. She had a point.
Rose took his hand. “Emmett would be as proud of this family as I am.”
Rose’s generosity and love always left him breathless. “You think so, huh?” He looked around at his family and smiled. “I think you’re right.”
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JODI PAYNE spent too many years in New York and San Francisco stage-managing classical plays, edgy fringe work, and the occasional musical. She therefore is overdramatic, takes herself way too seriously, and has been known to randomly break out in song. Her men are imperfect but genuine, stubborn but likeable, often kinky, and frequently their own worst enemies. They are characters you can’t help but fall in love with while they stumble along the path to their happily ever after.
For those looking to get on her good side, Jodi’s addictions include nonfat lattes, Malbec, and tequila however you pour it. She’s also obsessed with Shakespeare and Broadway musicals. She can be found wearing sock monkey gloves while typing when it’s cold, and on the beach enjoying the sun and the ocean when it’s hot. When she’s not writing and/or vacuuming sand out of her laptop, Jodi mentors queer youth and will drop everything for live music. Jodi lives near New York City with her beautiful wife, and together they are mothers of dragons (cleverly disguised as children) and slaves to an enormous polydactyl cat.
Website: www.jodipayne.net
Email: jodipaynewrites@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/payne.jodi
FB Author Group: www.facebook.com/groups/jodisgents
Twitter: @JodiPayne
Instagram: @jodipayne1800
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/267617.Jodi_Payne
By Jodi Payne
Creative Process
Stable Hill
With BA Tortuga
Heart of a Redneck
COLLABORATIONS
Refraction
Syncopation
Published by DREAMSPINNER PRESS
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Published by
DREAMSPINNER PRESS
5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886 USA
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Stable Hill
© 2019 Jodi Payne
Cover Art
© 2019 Alexandria Corza
http://www.seeingstatic.com/
Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.
All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press, 5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA, or www.dreamspinnerpress.com.
Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-1-64405-114-6
Digital ISBN: 978-1-64405-113-9
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018966292
Digital published May 2019
v. 1.0
Printed in the United States of America