Before I have time to reply, the baby is in my arms and McKinley is rushing out the door. I manage to set my purse and camera bag on the floor without waking him and follow his mom and sister.
“Whoa there, Lexi girl. Where are you headed in such a hurry?” I hear that deep southern drawl from earlier.
“Gram,” she says. I hit the last step just in time to watch her launch herself at him. He catches her easily, arms open wide.
“Me too.” He taps her nose and she giggles. “Do we get to hang out together today?”
Lexi nods.
“Mom is going to watch them while I show Whitney around.” I stop next to McKinley as she speaks. “Aaron, this is Whitney, my new partner in crime for the studio. Whitney, this is my brother, Aaron. He still lives here with my parents.”
“Thanks, Kinley, make me sound like a loser who refused to leave the nest.” He laughs. “Besides, I’ve already met Whitney. I’m the one who told her how to get to the studio.”
McKinley turns to face me. “You’ll see a lot of this guy, as he runs the farm now. Just ignore him. I do.” She winks.
Ignore him? Easier said than done.
A big black truck leaves a trail of dust behind it as it heads toward us down the long driveway. The truck stops and yet another guy climbs out. He’s wearing a flannel shirt with the sleeves cut off hanging open. His jeans are worn and fit him like a second skin. Holy shit, what do they feed these guys?
“Daddy!” Lexi cheers and scrambles out of Aaron’s arms.
New guy, who I now know as my boss’s husband, scoops her up and kisses her cheek. His eyes seek out his wife. He gives her a smile and stalks toward her for a kiss.
“Evan, this is Whitney. Whitney, my husband, Evan.”
“My daddy,” Lexi says proudly.
“Oh yeah, well, he was my best friend before all of those things,” Aaron says, tickling Lexi’s side.
“Unca Awon, stop, pwease,” she begs.
“Nice to meet you, Whitney,” Evan says over his daughter’s laughter.
“You too.”
“I was just taking the kids to Mom so that I can show Whitney around and we can go over the schedule.”
“I can do that. Aaron wants me to take a look at a horse.”
“Thank you.” She leans in and kisses him.
“I can take this little guy,” Aaron says.
He’s now standing in front of me, and I find it hard to breathe. Slowly, I transfer a still sleeping baby to his arms. He smells incredible, a mix of the outdoors and something that I’m guessing is uniquely Aaron. He winks at me and I can literally feel my knees wobble. Luckily, baby Walker is safely in his arms. I take a shaky step back to put some space between us. The guys say good-bye with a high five for me from Lexi and another kiss from her momma.
“Now, where were we?” McKinley asks.
I don’t know, because your hot-as-hell brother has my brain scrambled. What I do know is that I will definitely have some good eye candy while taking shots around the farm.
Evan puts Lexi down on the porch and she races inside. I hear Mom telling her that she needs some sugar. I can’t help but smile.
“You want me to take him?” Evan asks.
“Hell no, baby hog.”
He laughs. “Fair enough.”
We settle on the rocking chairs on the front porch. “Hard to believe it was three years ago we sat in these chairs and I told you about Lex,” he says, his eyes locked on Walker.
“Time flies.”
“So you think Midnight Rain is ready?”
“Yeah, I do. I wanted you to see the progress that Joe has made with her. We should be able to show her in a couple of months.”
“The plan still to kick ass, take some names, and then sell her?”
“That is the business we are in.” I laugh at him.
“Fucker.” He grins. “I just know how you are with my daughter, and she loves that horse.”
Damn. “She does. Shit, you’re going to be the one to tell her. I refuse to lose my cool uncle status.”
“Leave it to dear old dad.”
“Have McKinley do it.” He gives me the look, like yeah, right. My sister walks on water in Evan’s eyes. Never would he make her have the conversation with Lexi. Not that she wouldn’t. Kinley is a kick-ass mom, but Evan dotes on her, hell, on both of them. I’m sure this little guy all snuggled in my arms will be the same way.
“Like you don’t spoil them, both of them?” he fires back.
“Hey, they’re my little sister and my niece, what do you expect?”
“My wife and daughter, remember?” He points to his chest.
“Daddy, wook what I gots.” Lexi stumbles out the door holding a popsicle. My mom follows her, her eyes already locked on Walker.
“Don’t you two have work to do?” she asks as she bends down and steals Walker out of my arms.
“Hey, woman!” I scold her.
“Hush you.” She settles on another rocker and pats her knee. Lex wastes no time climbing on up and tries to offer Walker her tasty treat. Mom intervenes in time.
“Lex, you be good for Grandma,” Evan tells his daughter.
“My am.” She tilts her little head to the side like Evan is talking crazy.
Leaning over, I kiss her cheek and she giggles.
“Itchy, Unca Awon.” She laughs.
Evan does the same and we hop on the Mule and head to the stables.
“Joe,” I greet the trainer. “You mind showing Evan how far you’ve come with Midnight Rain?”
“She’s actually next on my list.” He tosses the brush in the bucket, unties Sally from the crossties, and leads her back to a stall.
Evan and I take a seat in the stands of the indoor arena and wait.
“I’m glad Kinley hired some help. I want her to feel like she can be home with the kids.”
“Yeah, she feels guilty too now, leaving Mom with two, but she shouldn’t. Mom has loved watching Lex, and now with Walker, she’s just as excited to keep both of them.”
“You know my wife.”
“My sister,” I counter. He chuckles. Even after two years of marriage, he continues to remind anyone who will listen that she’s his wife. My sister has him by the balls. The really scary part is that he wouldn’t have it any other way.