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She pulls away but doesn’t release me, as if her hands have to be on some part of my body. It’s nurturing, and other than Gillian, no woman in my life has ever been like this with me.
“Did you eat?” She asks the question, but I’m pretty sure she knows the answer.
I should be able to tell a little white lie and say yes, but something about Darla makes the lie unable to come out. “No. But I have a protein bar in my bag.”
She scoffs and rolls her eyes. “You kids. A protein bar isn’t going to give you the energy you need.”
Her hand falls to mine, and she escorts me to the family table.
Bennett and Wren are already seated, her hair in a ponytail off to one side that doesn’t look as though it was done on purpose. Wren looks up from her pancakes, and her eyes widen. The fork drops to the table, then to the floor. Bennett bends down to get it, calling her name. But Wren is weaving through the tables, her eyes growing wider with every step.
“Oh, she sees someone she likes,” Darla says and releases me.
Wren rushes over, and her cute pink Converses skid to a stop in front of me. The infectious smile drops, and her chin dips down.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“You didn’t open your arms.” She crosses her small arms over her body.
I’m not great with kids. I’ve never really been around them, and I swear they can feel my anxiety.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” I frown.
Her attention drifts behind me, and she runs around me. “Emmett!”
I glance over my shoulder to see her in his arms and decide to eat quickly so I can move on. I’m not sure why he’s here. I thought farm work was an all-day thing.
“She didn’t put out her arms,” Wren complains to him.
“Maybe she didn’t know you like that,” Emmett says.
“Well, I do.” I hear Wren huff.
“Then tell her.”
I ignore that they’re talking about me because I’m not a confrontational person, especially with a six-year-old.
“Good morning, Briar,” Bennett says before shoveling the last of his food into his mouth.
“You’re going to be late,” Darla says.
Bennett gives her a look like no shit, dropping his fork, then wipes his mouth and swipes Wren’s jacket from the back of her chair.
“Miss Briar?”
I look to my right and see Wren standing next to the table with her hands clasped together in front of her. I turn in my seat. “Yes, Wren?”
She glances at Emmett and back at me. A huge breath falls out of her as if she’s summoning the courage to say what she needs to say. I so get her.
“I was really excited to see you, and I like it when… um…” Again, her eyes shift to Emmett, and this time, I let mine move in his direction as well. He nods at Wren. “I like to run into people’s arms.”
“Thatta girl,” Emmett says, and I hate the way the warmth in his voice melts my heart a little. He’s teaching her to speak up for herself, even for a little thing like this.
I slide my chair around so that I’m facing her. “I’m sorry. I’ve never really been around kids before, so I don’t know how to react.”
I hate that Emmett is hearing me expose my vulnerability.
“When I run, you hold your arms out.” She says it matter-of-factly.
