Swing (Landry Family 2)

“I was thinking we could start someplace new. Together,” I tell her. “It doesn’t matter where to me. I’ll coach at a college or do some personal baseball training. And hopefully, start practicing for those ten kids you want.”

Her eyes go wide. “One step at a time, Landry.”

I hold up my hands and laugh. “Okay, okay.”

She sets her fork on the plate and looks at me soberly. “What would you think about going to Savannah?”

I force a swallow and sit my fork down too. “Really? You’d want to go there?”

She nods. “I love it there. It’s beautiful and your family is there and I . . . I think it would be nice.”

“I would love that. Absolutely love that,” I tell her.

Smiling, she goes back to her coffee. “I would really like to go soon,” she says, her lips still a little swollen from our kisses this morning.

“I can call and let everyone know we’ll be at the Farm in the morning.”

“Sounds perfect to me.”

Six weeks later

Danielle

“SHIT!” GRAHAM DASHES AROUND THE corner and only throws me more off balance. I grab the top of the ladder as it sways to the side and brace for impact. I’m saved as he levels it back out right before it hits the point of no return. “Get down,” he orders in a way only Graham can.

“I’m just seeing if this picture will look good here.”

“Where the hell is Linc?”

“Right here,” he bellows, coming down the hallway. I look over my shoulder as I climb down and he takes my breath away. Bare-chested and in a pair of low hanging jeans with rips in both knees. He’s spattered with white paint and is holding a screwdriver in one hand and a bottle of squirt cheese in the other. “What are you doing?” he asks, taking in the situation. “You didn’t climb that ladder, did you?”

“Will you two stop it?” I laugh. “I’m just seeing if this is the right place for this.”

“Didn’t I tell you to wait on me?”

“I’m excited, all right?”

“I am too. I’ve never hung my own fucking pictures in my house before, but that doesn’t mean you can be stupid.” He gives me a warning glance. The same one I see Graham giving me from the side.

I throw my hands in the air, sitting the picture on the floor, and head to my drink in my pink mug sitting by the stairs. Sitting on the bottom step, I watch the two brothers talk.

We’ve been in Savannah for two weeks. Our little house is bright and airy and overlooks a big field that quiets my soul. It’s so different from anywhere I’ve ever lived. It’s perfect. It feels like home. It’s loud and messy and the Landry’s are in and out. It’s amazing.

“Mallory starts tomorrow?” Lincoln asks Graham.

“Yeah.” He sticks one hand in a pocket of his jeans and looks at me. “I don’t know why you just won’t work for me. You’re unemployed and all.”

“She’s not working for you,” Lincoln barks, making Graham and I laugh.

“Who’s Mallory?” I ask.

“A girl Sienna went to school with. The fact I’m trusting Sienna’s judgement is not lost on me, but I really am at my wit’s end. I’ve gone through three temps. One couldn’t handle the workload, so they sent another to help, and she was worse than the first. The second came in, gave me a lecture that I need to switch to decaf at noon, and I sent her home.” He rubs his hands down his face. “The applications are horrible. Awful. Is there anyone out there that has a brain?”

I shrug. “Maybe this will work.”

He shrugs too. “I need it to. I’m getting behind, working twenty-hour days. I need help.”

“Want me to come in?” Lincoln asks with a wink.