“Don’t hit your brother,” she says, and I glare at him as he smirks at me.
“I’m going to head to the barn,” Reed says, “and see you all later.” He turns and walks toward the barn, where I see some of my cousins on their horses.
“Hey, you two,” my mother says when she gets close enough. My father is right behind her as usual. “Willow, you look radiant,” she tells her and takes her in a hug.
“Thank you,” Willow says, hugging my mother. It has been a slow process with Willow accepting all the love my family has to give, and at times, I feel her holding back because of the fear that it will somehow be ripped away from her. “And thank you for the clothes.”
My mother looks at Willow and then at me with her eyes going big as she rolls her lips. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She feigns ignorance. “What clothes?”
“Mom,” I say.
At the same time, my father says, “Darlin’.”
She throws her hands up in the air. “What? Can’t I do something nice?”
Willow reaches for my mother’s hand, and it surprises even my mother. “It was way too nice of you. I don’t need any more clothes.”
“One can never have too many clothes,” my mother says, looking over at my father. “Right, cowboy?”
He puts his arm around my mother’s shoulders. “Right, darlin’.” He kisses her lips. “Always right.”
I shake my head and feel Willow slip her hand into mine. “Well, for now, how about we stop buying clothes, and one day we can go shopping together?”
My mother gets tears in her eyes and blinks them away. “I would love nothing more.” She looks down, and I see her lift her hand to the corner of her eye. “Now go say hello to your grandparents. They were asking for you.”
I nod at her and my father, who takes my mother into his arms as we walk away from them. “You really going to go shopping with my mother?” I ask, and she looks up at me.
“She’s been asking me, and Chelsea and Amelia said they would come also,” Willow says, and we look over toward the cheering and see that Amelia is on her horse with her hands up in the air while Asher just shakes his head.
“I want a rematch!” he yells at her, and she just claps her hands and laughs at him.
“When are you going to get it through your head that you can’t beat me at this?” she yells back at him, and he just stares at her. It’s a look I don’t think I’ve seen him have before. I stop walking and look over at them, and I’m about to say something to Willow when I hear my grandmother say my name.
“Quinn, honey.” I turn my head and see her walking to us, her hair tied in a braid at the side. “I made you two apple pies and some blueberry scones.” She looks at Willow. “I also made you blueberry cheesecake.”
“You didn’t have to do that,” Willow says, letting go of my hand to hug my grandmother.
“I have nothing else to do during the day,” she says to Willow. “I’m still waiting for you to come and bake with me.” Willow looks down shyly. There is no way around it. Willow has captured the love of everyone that met her.
“One day,” she says softly. “One day.”
“Good. Go get yourself something to eat.” She cups Willow’s face and smiles at her with all the love she has. It’s the way she looks at all of us.
We walk away from my grandmother, and I look over at Willow, who is wiping a tear from her eye. “What’s wrong?”
She laughs and blinks away more tears. “Absolutely nothing,” she says. “It’s just …” She looks down, and I know what she’s saying. “It’s a good day.” I kiss her lips as we walk up to the line at the tables right behind Amelia, Asher, Mayson, and Chelsea. “Hey, everyone.”
“One of these days.” I hear Ethan behind us. “We will get here before everyone and be the first in line,” he says, and we all laugh, especially Emily, who just shakes her head.
“One can hope,” Emily says, and just then, all of our phones go off. I look at Ethan, and he looks at me. I pull my phone out, and the commotion behind me makes me look up as I see my father and uncle running.
I look down and then look up at the black smoke filling the sky. “One of the barns is on fire.”
What barn is on fire? Who is inside? Will another mystery be upon us?
Get ready to unravel another secret in the south!
Southern Secrets
Epilogue One
Quinn
One Year Later
“I forgot something at the barn.” I look over at Willow as she wipes down the counter we just ate dinner on.