This Cradle Won't Fall (The American Soldier Collection 18)

Vye arrived back at the farm and saw the group of people gathered by the front porch. Something was going on. Scout, Sarge, Ray, and Ella were there, as well as Sparrow and Jace. And she thought she saw Ridge and Beck, which meant Tye, Lana, Grace, and Salena were there, too.

Ten-year-old Tye and eight-year-old Lana were by her car before she even opened the back seat to get Benny out.

“Your aunt is here! Aunt Gay is here,” they exclaimed, and she looked up to see Aunt Gay making her way down the steps with Scout, Sarge, and Ella.

“I’ll get Benny,” Sarge said with a smile as Aunt Gay pulled Evonna into her arms and hugged her tight. They both started crying. When Sarge came closer with the carrier, Aunt Gay pulled back and covered her mouth. “Oh my God, Vye, he’s beautiful,” she said and Vye wiped the tears from her eyes.

“Are you okay?” Vye asked. “It was safe to come? They haven’t gone back to the apartment to threaten you, or hurt you?” Vye carried on with concern, looking over her aunt and making sure there were no bruises or anything. Her aunt held her hand and shook her head. “I haven’t seen them or heard from them since that one night.”

“Come on up to the house. We’re going to have a nice celebration. A classic Brazzos family barbecue,” Sarge said and winked at Evonna. Evonna hugged her aunt’s side as they walked toward the house and up to the porch to see everyone. It was incredible. This was her family. They welcomed Evonna in, cared for her and Benny, and gave her the opportunity for a better life. That uneasy, pessimistic attitude was just brought down a notch. This was amazing.

A short time later as everyone helped prepare for dinner, she pulled Scout aside and they walked toward the hallway.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, and reached out and stroked her hair. She worried her bottom lip, looked around them seeing Ray keeping his eyes on her with concern. They were all so caring and fatherly.

“Do you have a way to contact the McCanns?” she asked. He squinted at her.

“Well, I need you to call Tex and cancel our plans.”

“What plans?” he ask

ed and crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking serious.

She looked back toward Ray, who had now left the kitchen and approached.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I just…well, today in town I spent some time talking with Tex.”

Ray and Scout smiled.

“That’s good.”

“Kind of. I need you to call them and cancel the plans I made for dinner.”

“You were going to have dinner with them?” Ray asked, seeming shocked but also amused.

“Well, Tex asked me to, and things kind of happened in town.”

“Things?” Ray pushed.

“Listen, I was talking to Phillip Chase. Tex got jealous came over, interrupting, and saying we had plans, basically ending the conversation for me. We walked through town and the park afterward.”

“Phillip is a nice guy, a bit older, and he has three brothers, too.”

“I know.”

She looked away.

“You like Tex and his brothers, don’t you?” Scout asked.

“What’s not to like? I’m just not mentally or emotionally ready to get involved in any type of romantic relationship just yet.”

“Says who?” Ray asked.

“Me.”

“Really? But you said yes to dinner with them, and you let Tex act possessive as if he was your guardian,” Scout said to her.