Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 69794 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69794 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
The game went about as to be expected.
Thankfully, we were able to pull off a win by the skin of our teeth, our rookie pulling off an impossible shot that won us the game one to zero.
“That was rough,” Court murmured quietly, watching as the Cowgirls walked to their sideline, solemn despite the win.
The team knew that Nettie had nearly lost her sister-in-law—might still lose—and they were quiet out of respect.
Nettie was bawling by the time that she made it to the bench.
Boone handed me Margie and said, “Gonna head down.”
I took the sleeping girl into my arms, then dropped down to Iris who was surprisingly quiet, very aware of the temperature of the room and her life the past few days. She may not know exactly what was going on, but she was intelligent enough to know that something wasn’t right, and her family was sad.
“Ready, Freddy?”
She frowned. “Who’s Freddy?”
I grinned. “It’s just a saying. I think it’s from a movie.”
“Oh.” She nodded. “I’m ready.”
She hadn’t brought her tablet with her today, choosing to watch the entire game without distraction.
I lifted her into my arms and snuggled her close. “How’s my girl?”
She turned her face into my neck and wrapped one arm around me, and one around Margie. “Good.”
My heart melted as we walked out of the room, Court leading the way.
When we got down to Magnolia, my arms were on fire from carrying both girls.
Magnolia saw my dilemma and grinned. “Want me to take her?”
I shook my head. “I’m good.”
And I was.
Dropping my mouth to hers, she stood up on tiptoes and gave me the softest of kisses. “You look good with a baby.”
I winked, though it was half-hearted at best. “I look good regardless.”
She pinched me on the belly with a small smile on her face.
Nettie walked up and stared at me. “I want my baby.”
I jokingly moved so that my shoulder was toward her.
“You’ll have to fight me,” I teased.
She rolled her eyes and took her girl from me, who didn’t protest the transfer.
I repositioned Iris, hugging her small body to me.
She wasn’t asleep, but happy and content to remain exactly where she was.
I pressed a kiss to her hair, inhaling deep, and sighed.
When I looked up, it was to find Magnolia looking at me with a small smile on her face. “You complete me.”
My heart jerked in my chest at her words. “You love me, Noli?”
She batted her eyes. “Almost as much as you love me.”
TWENTY-SIX
Some people’s ‘third eye’ is their butthole.
—Magnolia to Beau
MAGNOLIA
The day of the funeral arrived, and as if the weather was in agreement with the big feelings that were written on all of our faces, the day was dark and sunless. There was a mixture of snow and rain falling from the sky, and it was so cold and windy that the black dress I was wearing offered zero protection from any of it.
The coat I was wearing went down to mid-thigh, but you would think I was out in the weather wearing nothing but shorts and a t-shirt with how cold I felt.
I wasn’t the only one.
Every single girlfriend/wife/significant other of a Dixie Warden was in attendance in almost the same attire.
Merrill had volunteered to be a babysitter for the kids. All of them were at Denver’s ranch while Merrill ran herd on them in the open-concept living room.
She was having the time of her life when we left and promised to help the caterers get going on the food that was set to arrive sometime after the funeral and the reception.
The only people that would be in attendance at the reception were those directly related to a Dixie Warden, a wife or girlfriend, or a Dixie Warden themselves.
Beau, feeling me shiver, threw his arm around my body and dropped his mouth to my ear before whispering, “We should’ve gotten you some leggings.”
I leaned into his shoulder. “It wasn’t this cold when we left.”
“Welcome to Montana, where the weather changes as fast as you can blink.”
Though his words were said in jest, there was no humor in them. He was still in as much shock nearly a week after Koen’s death as he was when he first found out.
The service was quiet and solemn.
Koen’s family had come up from Texas, and the sister and brother-in-law looked absolutely broken. The kids were just as confused, looking like they didn’t quite comprehend what had happened to their beloved uncle.
A car door slammed, and I turned toward the car park where everyone had pulled up to the curb.
I hissed in a breath and said, “Beau, go help her now.”
He looked, then jerked in his seat as he let me go and headed for the parking lot at a semi-run.
Boone, seeing him take off, followed his gaze and stood as well, smoothing down his shirt as he did.