“I don’t get it,” fifteen-year-old Gabby said, looking around the table. Her eyes were wide, and bewilderment swept over her face.
“You don’t need to get it,” John answered. He raised his eyebrows and tossed his wife a look.
Marah only shook her head in response.
Irene leaned to whisper in Gabrielle’s ear. Both girls suddenly burst out laughing.
Collin was suddenly reminded of his high school graduation, when the girls had been eight and twelve and had thought it amusing to announce at family breakfast that they’d seen him playing with his penis after bursting into his room unannounced. He’d been mortified with embarrassment. Despite his insistence that he’d only been adjusting himself in his boxer briefs as he dressed, the moment had become fodder for too many jokes among the family. He stole a glance at Luke, who was grinning at him.
He shook his head. “Don’t go there, Uncle Luke.”
“You must have read my mind.”
Matthew laughed, “I’m sure we all thought the same thing, but I agree with Collin. Time to let that go.”
“Time to change the subject,” Marah intoned. “Everyone needs to eat up. We need to get ready to leave for church and from the looks of things some of you need a little more God than others!” She narrowed her gaze on the girls, her head waving from side to side.
Gabrielle rolled her eyes, then zeroed in on Collin. Everyone had been extolling praises on him, admonishing the younger crowd to be more like their big cousin. She wasn’t quite as impressed and had no qualms about saying so. Picking on Collin had been her and Irene’s favorite thing to do for as long as she could remember.
“Collin, can we ride to church with you? We want to ride in your new car.”
He gave her a look back, not easily swayed by her sweet smile and the doe-eyed gaze she was giving him. He had no doubt that Trouble One and Trouble Two had other plans up their sleeves that probably involved him driving them to the mall after Sunday service. Before he could respond, his uncle Mason bellowed from the other end of the table, saving him from what surely would have turned into a moment of discord, with him being the villain.
“Sorry, girls, but Collin is chauffeuring us boys to church this morning. He promised me, Jake, Fletcher and Cole a ride. You two will have to catch him next time.”
Collin shot his uncle a grateful look. He winked at his cousins, and the girls pouted profusely at having their plans usurped. “Sorry, girls,” he said as he reached for the platter of bacon and took a second helping.
“What about after church?” Irene asked, shifting forward as she batted her lashes at him.
“I’m going horseback riding. I haven’t been down to the stables since I got home. I need to check on my horse and I’m sure the stalls probably need mucking and the horses need to be brushed. Maybe you two could come and help me out?”
“Yuck!” both said in unison, their faces twisted with aversion.
“Let’s not,” Irene said with a shake of her head.
“And just say we did!” Gabrielle concluded as she finished her favorite cousin’s new favorite saying.
Breakfast was the best of everything Collin loved about his family. Laughter was abundant, advice was as generous as the food, and standing there in the shadows of the men he loved most, Collin knew that whatever worries he might have had, he had more than his fair share of support to help him get through. Home had never felt better.
Copyright © 2018 by Deborah Fletcher Mello
ISBN-13: 9781488081941
Winning Her Forever
Copyright © 2018 by Jennifer Jackson
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