Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 83586 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83586 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
“We should go say hi.” When I cocked a brow at him, Jasper said, “She’s my aunt. I don’t ever go see her when she’s visitin’ so I don’t upset the balance. I ain’t doin’ that no more.”
I nodded, trusting him to make the best decision.
We didn’t hold hands or nothing as we made our way to the other house. Carrie saw us, gave us a big grin, and waited as we made our way over to her. She looked good since she’d gotten home from rehab all those months ago. Her eyes were brighter. She was a little fuller, like she was eating better. Her skin had a healthy glow to it.
“Well, if it isn’t my favorite nephews!” she said, making my heart jump. I liked hearing that, liked that she would consider me that way. It wasn’t something Carrie had said before, but she’d been a part of my life too for as long as I could remember. And yet it was also a little strange because I was hoping to end the night with my dick in Jasper’s ass, which wasn’t very brotherly.
“Hey, you.” Jasper hugged her. “You look better every time I see ya.”
“Thank you. I feel better than I have my whole life. And you’ve been lookin’ good too—happy.”
“I am,” Jasp replied.
She gave me her attention next. “Good to see you too, Sutton.”
“Thank you, Ms. Carrie.” We hugged as well. The screen door squeaked behind us just as we parted. When I turned, there were Jasper’s parents, and my spine immediately stiffened.
“I’m so glad you’re all here! I got the best news!” Carrie clapped her hands together. “Let’s go inside so I can tell you!”
She went for the stairs, Jasper lingering behind, so I did the same. His gaze shot to his dad, who stood there watching him.
Carrie got up the porch stairs before she noticed Jasper and I weren’t following. She looked at us and frowned before turning toward her sister. I wasn’t surprised Sherry hadn’t told her anything. Carrie stuck by Sammy. It likely made Sherry see how wrong she was for not doing the same.
“Jasper, Sutton, the two of you comin’?” Sherry asked, trying to save face like always. God forbid anyone knew they were a real family with fucked-up issues just like everyone else.
It took Jasper a second to respond, but then he said, “Yep, we’re comin’,” probably because his dad didn’t argue.
Bob went into the house, followed by the sisters, then me and Jasp. We weren’t in there but a second when Carrie said, “Sammy Joe and Emerson are here! They didn’t say a word to me, just surprised me yesterday by showin’ up at my place. They moved back, gonna get a farm goin’ at Emerson’s house, and they got married! My baby boy is a husband, and he’s home, and I couldn’t be more thrilled!”
The four of us just stood there for a moment, stunned, albeit for different reasons, Sherry and Bob staring at me and Jasper. All I could focus on was Carrie’s happiness—it didn’t matter that Sammy had a husband now; all that mattered was that her child was home and that he was happy. That was the most important thing, and I wanted that for Jasper so damn bad, I ached with it.
“What’s goin’ on here?” Carrie asked, gaze darting between us and Jasper’s folks.
“Nothin’. It’s just a bit of a surprise, is all,” Sherry said. “And you know we have complicated feelings about Sammy and—”
“If you finish that sentence, I’m walkin’ outta this house. That’s my son, and you’re my sister. I don’t wanna choose, but if I have to, it’ll be him,” Carrie said, more strength and conviction in her voice than I’d ever heard from her. “This is important to me, and I wanted to share it with my family. I wasn’t always there for Sammy the way I should’ve been, and I’ll be damned if I won’t be now, but if you can’t say the same, then we don’t have anything else to talk about.”
“Of course we want Sammy to be happy,” Sherry said, but that wasn’t really a response to what Carrie had said.
It must not have clicked with Carrie, though, because she seemed relieved. “Thank you.”
“I’m real happy for Sammy,” Jasper said. “And I can’t wait to get to know Emerson better. Sutton and I will go see them. We got some good news of our own.”
I froze, blood rushing through my ears. I knew exactly where this was going.
“Jasper,” Sherry warned, but he ignored her.
“Sutton and I, we’re together too. We’re lookin’ for our own place, thinkin’ about buyin’ a piece of property for ourselves and buildin’ there.”
I swear I held my damn breath, waiting for Bob to yell or call us names, tell us to get out and that we weren’t welcome in his house at all now. But he just turned and walked out of the room, something we’d become familiar with.