Page 108 of Cautious Love

His finger rubs my ring finger once before he opens the door. It’s loud. It looks like everyone is already here. Whatever Mrs. Hayes is cooking fills my nose, and my stomach growls.

“My favorite brother,” Fletcher calls out. And as I come in behind Ledger, his eyes widen. “And he brought a friend.”

Tatum stands next to him and elbows him in the side. “Ouch, baby,” he grumbles.

Tatum focuses on me and holds out her hand. “Hi Shiloh, nice to see you again.”

I smile nervously, taking it.

“I’m pretty sure we had some classes together in high school. Right?” she asks.

I shrug. “Honestly, I don’t remember.”

She smiles, rubbing her stomach. “It feels like a lifetime ago.”

I glance at Ledger and he’s watching me carefully. “Yeah, it really does.”

“Mama! I don’t want to,” I’m pretty sure her name is Naomi, yells.

“I swear to you, Naomi, you will go on timeout for half an hour if you don’t sit down and get your homework done before dinner. This is what you get for putting it off since Friday.”

“I don’t like school,” Naomi grumbles, coming around the corner outfitted in a tutu and fishing jacket.

“My niece, well technically my second cousin, but she’s my niece, Naomi,” Ledger says in my ear.

“Oh, hi,” Mae says.

I wave and she smiles. “It’s nice to see you again, Shiloh.”

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry for being so rude. I had to get the last batch of biscuits in the oven,” Mrs. Hayes says and comes around the island.

“Let me get a look at the newest Mrs. Hayes,” she says.

Not sure what that means. I nearly hide behind Ledger, but he chuckles, releasing my hand as his mother pulls me into her arms.

I’m shocked and … overwhelmed. It’s been a long time since a mother of any kind has given me a hug.

I wrap my arms around her, and she holds me for a second as if she knows I need a mom. My chest tugs, and a little part of me wants to run in the other direction, but little Shiloh sighs in relief because her mother left her a long time ago.

Mrs. Hayes pulls back and looks at me. “You’re beautiful,” she says.

I swallow thickly. “Thank you,” I rasp.

“Mama, maybe want to give my girl some space?” Ledger says.

“Your girl? Don’t you mean your wife?” Cooper shouts as he comes in through the kitchen.

“Yes,” Ledger grumbles.

Cooper claps him on the back, and Mrs. Hayes releases me to kiss him on the cheek.

Then Cooper sets his sights on me. “Hey Shiloh, how are ya?”

“Fine, good,” I tell him.

He nods and glances at Ledger.

“Alright y’all, where is your sister?” Mrs. Hayes says, looking at all of us. “And Ledger, is Sterling coming?”