Southern Sunshine by Natasha Madison
Chapter 30
Hazel
"Don’t touch that," I snap when I see Sofia walking to the little coffee table and picking up what can only be described as a vase or maybe a bowl. Whatever it is, I’m sure it costs more money than I care to think of.
"She can touch anything she wants," Reed says, coming out from the bedroom. “Everything can be replaced." His hair is wet from the shower. It’s been two days since the cat has been out of the bag with everyone. "Hi," he says, coming to me now as I pour myself some coffee. His hands go to my hips, and he bends his head to kiss my neck. “My shower isn’t the same without you."
"Well, did you want to explain to Sofia why we were both in the shower, and you have that"—I point at his dick—"and not a vagina like her?”
"She asked me yesterday when she climbed into bed with us." He shakes his head as I hand him his cup. “She thought it was a sword."
I step closer to him. “It kind of is." I wink at him and tilt my head back so he can kiss me. I didn’t know it could be like this. Before, when we were together, it always happened at night, so no one really knew. Now he holds my hand whenever we walk out of the house, and he hugs me just as much, and don’t get me started with the affection. He wraps one hand around my waist and pulls me to him.
"I think Sofia needs another sleepover at Grandma’s,” he says, and I laugh.
"Three times a week is enough." I bring the cup to my mouth, smirking.
The front door opens, and I’m about to step back from him. He must sense it, but he keeps me close to him. "Good morning." I hear Quinn and then see him walking into the big open area that is the family room and kitchen. “Oh, good, at least you're dressed,” he says and looks at Sofia.
"How’s my favorite niece?” he says, and she smiles at him. He picks her up and throws her in the air, and she giggles. “Who’s your favorite uncle?" he asks, blowing kisses into her neck.
When we told his grandparents, the next stop was Quinn's place. Reed wanted to be the one to tell him. He was the most supportive out of all. He put an arm around him and said he was happy to have his brother back. He didn’t care how he got here, but that he was here.
"She’s your only niece," Reed says to him. “By the way, how did you get in?"
"The door was open,” he says, putting Sofia down and coming into the kitchen now.
"What if Hazel was naked?" he asks, and I gasp out and push away from him.
"I don’t sleep naked, nor do I walk around the house naked,” I say. Walking over to the cabinet, I take out another coffee mug and fill it for Quinn.
"She’s lying," Reed says, and I glare at him. "But seriously,” he says, “what are you doing here?"
"I’m here to see if my girl wants to come to the barn with me,” he says loud enough for Sofia to hear. “I was going to go on a ride and thought who do I know who likes to ride horses."
"Me," Sofia says, jumping now. “It’s me."
"How about we eat something, and then we can go," Reed says. “You want to come with us?" He looks at me, and I shake my head.
"I have an appointment at nine,” I say, walking to the fridge and opening it. “Is it pancakes or eggs?" I look over at Sofia, who yells for pancakes. "Are you staying?" I ask Quinn, who smirks.
"Will you put blueberry and lemon in them?" He mentions the pancakes I made yesterday, and I smile.
"If you come back tomorrow, I’ll make the brown sugar spice ones,” I say.
"Go home," Reed says. “And don’t come back." I laugh as I start making the pancakes. I feel him behind me now.
"What are you doing?" I ask over my shoulder and feel him hug me.
"I’m getting my sugar,” he says, and I laugh and kiss his lips.
"Go dress Sofia, and I’ll cook breakfast,” I say and then roll my lips. “But wait until your sword goes down."
He throws his head back and laughs. It takes him a good five minutes before he walks away, and I already have the first batch on the griddle. They polish off the twelve pancakes I make, leaving one for me and one for Sofia.
"Okay, give your momma a kiss," Quinn says, pushing away from the table and taking his plate over to the sink. “Thank you for breakfast," he says.
Sofia jumps from her chair, coming over to me. “Bye, Momma." She puckers her lips for mine.
I push her hair away from her face, and her eyes are filled with happiness. “I love you, baby girl,” I say. “To the moon."
"And back." She finishes the sentence for me. "Favorite Uncle Quinn,” she says, running, as I laugh and Reed groans.
"He taught her that,” he says, getting up now and bringing his own plate to the sink. “Ass," he says, coming to me and leaning down. I smile and bring my hand up to his face. “See you later, baby," he says softly and kisses me with just as much softness. “Love you,” he says, and we both just stop moving. My mouth runs dry, and I look at Reed, who looks like he wants the floor to open up and swallow him. “See you later,” he says, turning and practically running out of the house.
My eyes blink slowly as I hear his voice again in my head, love you. I get up, picking up my phone, and see I have thirty minutes to get to my meeting. I walk out of the house wearing the yellow sundress I had from high school. It’s a bit tighter across the top, but other than that, it fits. I lock the truck door and walk across the street toward the shop.
When I walk in, I stop in my tracks. “Oh my," I say, looking around. She did not mess around. The last time I was here, it was an empty space. Now there is a long wooden counter and a big
glass display case at the back of the store.
The walls look like the inside of a barn, and toward the back are two brown barn doors that open to the kitchen. "Hey," Savannah says, coming out from the back with a smile on her face as big as I’ve ever seen. “Just in time. They just installed the ovens. Come and take a look." She motions with her head, and I walk into the back. A big stainless steel island sits in the middle of the room, and then two ovens are on one wall, and two more are on the other. Muffin pans and cake pans are all stacked on a shelf.
"This …" I turn, taking it all in. “This is incredible."
"I did get a little help from Olivia with my vision." She folds her arms. “But this really did turn out amazing."
My heart beats in my chest as I think of the words to say. “I was wondering," I start to say, and then I put my hand to my stomach when I feel it lurch. “I was wondering if the offer was still on the table." I finally say the words I’ve been holding back for the past two days. I knew the day we told his grandparents that I wasn’t leaving to go back home. The minute he told me about Pops, I knew that the best thing for Sofia would be to stay here, surrounded by family and people who love her.
“Are you joking?" she asks, and I blink away the big tears.
"No,” I say. “But if we are going to be partners, it’s going to be fifty-fifty." My hand comes up to wipe away the tear. “I’m going back home next week to pack up our stuff and put my condo up for sale. The prices have doubled since I bought it, so I should have enough." I take a deep breath. “I also have some savings and a nice-size retirement cushion."
"If you think,” she says, “that I’m going to let you touch your retirement, you have lost your damn mind. Why don’t we talk numbers tomorrow?” she says. “For today, let's talk about plans."
"I can’t believe I’m going to do this,” I say, looking around. “I’ve never imagined being a business owner before." I smile shyly. “Half business owner."
"Well, I can tell you it’s a pretty big accomplishment,” she says. “Now, look at these."
She grabs the stack of papers, and by the time I look up, it’s already after three in the afternoon. “Wow," Savannah says. “We pretty much did all the paperwork, and I didn’t hate it." She laughs.
"Thank you,” I say. “For the opportunity." She comes over to me and gives me a huge hug.
"Thank you," she says softly, “for having faith in me."
I walk out of the shop with a swing in my step. I arrive back at Pops' house to find it empty. Picking up the phone, I call Reed, who answers me right away. “Where have you been?" he says. “You haven’t called me all day."
"I …" I start to say. “Where are you guys?"
"At the barn," he says, and I hear water in the back. “We are giving Caramel a bath."
"I’ll be right there,” I say, rushing out of the house, and when I pull up to the barn, I see them at the side of the barn in the little closed area on the concrete. Reed is behind Sofia as she sprays the water on Caramel. His shirt is off, and he's wearing big rain boots.
"You always start at the feet," he says. “Like that, you don’t scare her, and then you go up slowly." I don’t move because all I can do is watch her with him. From the minute he found out Sofia was his, he was all in. He didn’t blink an eye, didn’t tell me it couldn’t be. He wasn’t in my face about a DNA test. I mean, even if he did, I have been with one man my whole life, and that’s him. "Nice and slow,” he says, guiding her hand with the water as he moves up. She listens to every single word he says, and when he hands her the glove and picks her up, he tells her how to wash the horse. "Look at how amazing you are." He kisses her neck. “You can do anything. You know that, baby girl?"
"I know," Sofia says.
"He’s good with her." I jump when I hear a man’s voice and turn to see Casey coming to stand with me. “I didn’t mean to scare you,” he says, stopping beside me. “I never thought I would see the day," he says. “To be honest, I never thought he would come back home." I smile at him. “You saved him,” he says, his voice choking. “He was dead inside and didn’t even know it, but you," he says, wiping the tears from his eyes, “and that little girl made him live again."
"I don’t think it was all us," I say, not wanting him to feel bad.
He laughs and shakes his head. “Watching him every single day with her is like him seeing life from her eyes. It’s like he’s reliving his childhood, and for the first time, he isn’t angry about it." He puts his arm around my shoulders. “That's all you." Reed must feel our eyes on him because he looks over and smiles, waving his hand in the air at us. “As a parent, it doesn’t get better than this." He drops his hand now and walks toward them, watching Sofia giggle when he calls her Caramel Sunshine. I know that the decision I’ve made to stay here is the right one. I just hope Reed also thinks so.
