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“You know, if you ever want to talk about her, I’d love to listen. She sounds like someone who would have great stories,” Bailey-Rose commented. “When Papa Addy died, it helped to share how amazing he was, to keep his memory alive. People always tell you to move on or get over it, and things will pass. How can you simply move on from the pain of losing someone you loved? It doesn’t make any sense.”

A bitter laugh escaped me as I rested my head on hers. “My fathers are those people. After Callie’s funeral, they demanded the housekeeper pack up all her things and remove any pictures that would have my little sister in them. I know people grieve differently, but they had no right to dictate that when they didn’t even live here five days out of the week. No one asked my mom what she wanted or hell, even me since I still lived in the house full time. My relationship with my fathers hasn’t ever been great, but that was the moment I knew we’d never be able to see eye to eye.”

Bailey-Rose turned to face me, resting her head on my chest as she wrapped her arms around me. “Grief makes you selfish and lash out at those around you. It’s no excuse for what they did, but sometimes it helps to understand their actions. When things don’t make sense, we stew on them, trying to unravel the reasoning behind it all.”

When she started to purr, offering me all the comfort she could, I closed my eyes and held onto this amazing woman who loved me for some reason. There were no words, just feelings drifting between us as we let our bond do the communicating. How could my fathers not have known how much pain my mother was in when they have a direct connection to her soul? Or could it be they didn’t care?

“Will you tell me about Callie?” Bailey-Rose asked in such a soft voice I almost missed it.

“You two would have been best friends, I know it. She was wild, but only because she loved to live life to the max. I don’t think there was a single thing she was afraid of… well, except for shots,” I remembered, grinning. “There was one time Mom forgot to tell Callie she had a doctor's appointment, and the three of us had been running errands. So there we are, Callie lost in her own world playing on her tablet when she looks up and finds out we’re in a clinic waiting room. To make matters worse, it was the appointment to get her school shots. I swear if I hadn’t been there to calm her down, she would have decked the nurse for coming near her with a needle.”

Bailey-Rose chuckled as she took a step back. “Was she really going to punch the nurse?”

“One thousand percent yes, she was,” I stated without question. “Callie was a country girl through and through. She knew how to hold her own against just about anyone or anything that tried to get in her way. Hell, for the fun of it, she trained one of the bulls to charge up to her and tap her outstretched hand before she’d give him his grain. I about pissed myself watching it happen, but Callie just laughed her ass off, telling me I looked as white as a ghost.”

Taking my girl’s hand, we headed back to the house. Mom would want us all to sit down together for dinner—it was her one rule. No matter what, if you were home on the ranch, dinner would be eaten together as a family. It also made me realize how lonely Mom must be out here all by herself during the week. I’d half expected her to move to the city when I left the house, but here she was living life as she always had.

“Oh good, I was just about to send one of the others out to get you,” Mom said as we walked in. “Come on, dinner’s ready. Oh, don’t forget to take off your boots. I hate when shavings get tracked through the house.”

The dining room was dressed to the max with candles, fine crystal goblets, and china my mother got as a wedding present from her mother. Such was the honor bestowed upon guests. Once the six of us were seated, Mom hurried back to the kitchen and helped the staff bring out the platters of food. My mouth watered at the sight of the country chicken and biscuits in the casserole dish Mom carried out. It was my favorite meal she made, and no one else could match the taste, so I gave up trying. Why mess with perfection when you can get it from the source?

“Now, I didn’t know what everyone liked so I did chicken biscuits and a beef stew,” Mom shared. “Don’t be shy about taking what you want either. I’ve never known how to cook for anything less than an army.”

Soon, the table was full of delicious-smelling food, but no one touched a thing until Yun-Sun walked around the table filling a plate for our Omega. At least, I thought that’s what he was doing, but I noticed two plates being prepared. When he set one down in front of Bailey-Rose and the other in front of Mom, I about smacked myself. Idiot. Of course, he would do the same for my mom. She’s an Omega too, with none of her pack here to provide for her needs. I lost some major favorite son points, that’s for sure.

“Thank you, Yun-Sun, but you didn’t have to do that. How precious are you,” Mom gushed.

Now that the ladies had been served, the rest of us dug in. The dining room was filled with the sounds of us men groaning over how good the food was. Bailey-Rose was doing a happy dance in her chair with each bite she took, making me just want to kiss the hell out of her. Most of us went back for seconds, and I prayed there was a whole ass other dish of chicken biscuits so I could have it for lunch tomorrow.

“So, dearest, how did you enjoy feeding the horses?” Mom asked Bailey-Rose since we were useless for conversation.

Our girl scrambled to guzzle down some water to clear her mouth before answering. “It was fun. I’ve never been around horses like that. Living in the city doesn’t give you many chances to interact with animals that aren’t pigeons.”

Mom covered her mouth with her napkin, trying not to laugh, but her crinkled eyes gave it away.

“Oh, there’s no need to hold back on my account. I laugh at myself roughly ten times a day,” Bailey-Rose assured her. “You can’t take life too seriously, or else you’ll miss all the fun of living it. Something I hear Callie and I might have had in common.”

Mom’s eyes grew wide at the mention of Callie’s name. It had been an unspoken rule that once my sister's things were boxed up, we didn’t talk about her anymore.

“Ah… Callie…” Mom paused to clear her throat and blink rapidly. “Yes, that girl certainly loved to take life by the horns, as we say. You know, I remember one time while Callie and I were out riding, we came across a hill covered in puffy white dandelions. She took off like a bat out of hell, sending Bandit up the hill, dismounted, and rolled all the way down. It almost looked like it should have been snowing the way those seeds filled the air. Then she popped up, hands on her hips…” Mom stood and replicated the stance for everyone. “Looked me dead in the eye, and said, ‘your turn, Mom.’ ”

Everyone chuckled at that as Mom took her seat and dabbed at her eyes. “I go back every year once the dandelions change and look at that hill, remembering that day. I can’t ever bring myself to roll down the hill without her, but God, it was one of the best days.”

“I would love to see that hill so I could draw that moment for you to remember that day.” Bailey-Rose offered.

Mom clutched her napkin to her heart, lip quivering as she tried to hold it together. “I could never ask that of you, and the hill is just a hill.”

That response smacked of my father, Hank, and the way he looked at life—always practical, never sentimental. How the hell they ended up with an Omega like my mom makes no sense. I knew they loved each other but were polar opposites on so many things.

“I have an idea… why don’t we all go for a ride tomorrow, and I can show you,” I volunteered.

Something in my gut told me having a painting from Bailey-Rose recreating that moment would mean the world to my mom. My fathers couldn’t tell her to get rid of it since it was a hand-crafted gift from their son’s Omega.

“One problem,” Warrick interjected. “None of us know how to ride horses.”

“Oh, that’s not a problem,” Mom assured. “We have more than enough ATVs for you all to use. There’s no training needed for that.”

Panic rolled in my gut at the thought of Bailey-Rose on an ATV. I hadn’t used one since Callie’s accident, choosing to drive a truck, walk, or take a horse. Rationally, I knew what happened to Callie was a one-in-a-million situation, but lightning can strike the same place twice if you wait long enough.