The sound of rocks crunching in the driveway makes me look up with a little bit of fear. It’s been five days since Reed’s visit, and I need to get out of here before more questions arise, and Reed puts two and two together. Casey came to see me the day after and said they were interested in buying the farm. I thought it would be the end of it, but he needed to make sure the house had no other liens. I thought it was going to be a one-day thing. I forgot that the South has their own time. Luckily for me, I still have vacation time from work, so I took an additional two weeks, but I need to get out of here. I’m testing fate by staying here. The white truck stops right behind my truck, and Sofia comes skipping over. “It’s the horse man,” she says, pointing at Billy as he gets out of the truck.

"I’ve been called worse,” he says, laughing and waiting at the front of his truck while Charlotte gets out of the passenger side. I’m surprised to see them here since it’s Sunday, and they usually, or at least they did, have their Sunday barbecue. It was something the town looked forward to. Even I used to enjoy them when we went. "How are you doing?" He looks over at me and then Sofia.

"Momma is making the flower bed pretty,” she says, coming over to him. “She said bad words."

"Sofia." I call her name while Charlotte and Billy laugh. "It’s been a challenge." I look over at the flower bed and then back at them. “I may have sworn a couple of times," I tell them so they can know without knowing that I’m taking good care of her. "But …" I shrug.

"What are you doing?" Charlotte asks while Sofia comes over and stands with them. Her hip is cocked to the side as she watches me.

"I thought I would clean up the flower bed," I start to say, lifting the shears that I have in my hand.

"Those look new," Billy says, and I nod. “Did you buy those?"

"Yeah, I couldn’t find Pops’ tools,” I say sadly. “I looked everywhere."

"The door fell on Mom’s head," Sofia interjects, and I glare at her. "She said a big bad word over and over again."

"Well, that settles it, then," Charlotte says, looking at Sofia, and I take a step down, thinking she is going to take her away from me. That they found out the truth and will take her from me. “How would you like to come to a barbecue?" she asks Sofia, who jumps up and down.

"And go on a horse." She gasps out as if you just told her that Santa Claus was coming, she looks over at me now.

"Momma, horses,” she says, and my heart goes to my throat. "Can we go?"

"We aren’t taking no for an answer," Charlotte says. “So if you aren’t there, I’m sending Billy back to get you," she tells me, and I know she isn’t playing.

"I don’t know. It’s a family thing," I try to tell them. “We could maybe come tomorrow,” I say, without adding when no one else is there.

"Nonsense,” she says. “You are family." Little did she know just how close to the truth she was, at least for one of us.

"I can stay if you like," Billy says. “Take care of the flower bed while you get ready."

"No," I almost shout out. “Absolutely not. After what you did already for Sofia and me by buying this house," I say, blinking away tears. “Please just let me."

He nods his head at me and then looks at Charlotte. “We should go." Then he looks at Sofia. “See you soon, sunshine."

"Sofia." She thinks he forgot her name.

He laughs, squatting down in front of her. “But every time I see you, you are like a ray of sunshine." He taps her nose and then gets up. “Noon,” he says, turning and holding Charlotte's hand as he walks her to the truck.

"I’m a sunshine," Sofia says, and I look back at her. This is it, I think to myself. I have two choices. I can pack up and leave or go to the barbecue and pray that Reed doesn’t put two and two together. "Let’s go, Momma," Sofia says, walking up the steps to the door. “We’ve got to take a bath.” The decision is already made.

"We have to make something to bring to the barbecue,” I say while she is in the bath. “You never go to someone’s house without bringing food,” I say. "It’s a no-no."

She gets out, and I worry about what to dress her in. My stomach is a mess. My heart is beating so irrationally I hope I’m not having a heart attack. She picks out her pink shorts with a white T-shirt and gray sweater. I slip on my blue jeans and a white and blue button-down linen shirt. We both decide to leave our hair down.

Tags: Natasha Madison Southern Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net