Read Online Picket Fence Pursuit by Jennifer Johnson - Free Book Online
Authors: Jennifer Johnson
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inside.
Ryan looked at the front door knocker. I should just barrel in there and tell her to quit being silly. He stared at the rusty spot at the bottom of the brass knocker. I could tell her I am able to support her and she’d never have to worry about money again.
He shook his head and walked back to his car. “Then I’d never know if she wanted me for me.” Sliding into the driver’s seat, he hit the steering wheel. “Why is it always about money? First Vanessa. Now Kylie.”
Ryan looked at the passenger’s seat and thought of Kylie sitting there only moments before. He wanted Kylie. He needed her to want him, with or without his money.
Eight
“Well, hello there, big sis.” Kylie’s twenty-year-old brother pulled her into the house and smothered her in a bear hug.
“You’re not missing any meals are you, Dalton?” Kylie broke free and patted her brother’s rounded gut.
A monster of a smile bowed his lips. “Nope. When Mama’s not feeding me, Tanya is.”
Kylie’s mouth fell open. “Tanya? Little Tanya Burns?”
“The one and only.”
“You two are seeing each other?”
“I bought her a ring.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope.” He laced his fingers through his jeans belt loops. “I’d imagine we’ll all be married before you.”
Kylie squinted her eyes. “That doesn’t hurt my feelings. Are you still going to the technology school?”
“Nope. Got a job at the mine.”
“Why?” She smacked her hip. “Why would you do that, Dalton? Just—just look at Daddy.”
Dalton frowned. “Yeah. Look at Daddy. He’s raised eight children. Every one of them loves the Lord. Every one of them watched him work hard—”
“Dalton, you know what I mean.”
“Let me finish.” He pointed to his chest. “We’ve watched him love our mama, watched him come home from a hard day and sit on the porch and play his guitar and sing hymns to us.” He pointed toward her. “When are you going to figure out what’s important, big sister?”
“You know he had to have wanted a better life, an easier life. He’s sick now, little brother.” She clenched her teeth and stared at him for several moments. Finally she exhaled. “I didn’t come here to fight.”
“Dalton, did I hear the door?” Mama walked up behind him. She clapped her hands when Kylie peeked around her overgrown brother. “Kylie, come here, girl! How was your drive?” She opened her arms and wrapped Kylie in an embrace.
“Hi, Mama.” Kylie kissed her mother’s cheek. “It wasn’t bad. Just took a little over an hour.” As always, Mama’s hair was rolled in a large knot on top of her head. It was as close to being a beehive as she could get it without it actually being one. Her bright blue eyes sparkled, overshadowing the wrinkles that lined her face. Mama wore the same type of outfit she always wore: a pair of stretch-waist jeans and a blouse with a big floral pattern.
“Get yourself in this house. We don’t see enough of you. First you go off to college an hour away, then you get an apartment that’s an hour from the college and still over an hour from your family.” Mama grabbed her arm and pulled her farther into the living room. The same burnt orange couch and light brown, oversize chair sat upon the same dark brown, worn carpet. The same old cuckoo clock rested on the wall above the television. Everything was clean but as aged as her parents’ anniversary, thirty years.
“How’s Daddy feeling?”
“He has good days and bad days. The good news is his disability starts next month.”
“It’s about time. Where is he?”
“Taking a nap.” She looked at Kylie. “How long are you staying?”
“I have to work tomorrow afternoon.”
“I’ll tell you what. Let’s call your sisters and your brothers-in-law and get their families on over here for dinner. I’ll fix some fried chicken, and we’ll whip up some mashed potatoes and baked beans—”
“Mama, you know Kylie’s nothing but a nuisance in
Ryan looked at the front door knocker. I should just barrel in there and tell her to quit being silly. He stared at the rusty spot at the bottom of the brass knocker. I could tell her I am able to support her and she’d never have to worry about money again.
He shook his head and walked back to his car. “Then I’d never know if she wanted me for me.” Sliding into the driver’s seat, he hit the steering wheel. “Why is it always about money? First Vanessa. Now Kylie.”
Ryan looked at the passenger’s seat and thought of Kylie sitting there only moments before. He wanted Kylie. He needed her to want him, with or without his money.
Eight
“Well, hello there, big sis.” Kylie’s twenty-year-old brother pulled her into the house and smothered her in a bear hug.
“You’re not missing any meals are you, Dalton?” Kylie broke free and patted her brother’s rounded gut.
A monster of a smile bowed his lips. “Nope. When Mama’s not feeding me, Tanya is.”
Kylie’s mouth fell open. “Tanya? Little Tanya Burns?”
“The one and only.”
“You two are seeing each other?”
“I bought her a ring.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope.” He laced his fingers through his jeans belt loops. “I’d imagine we’ll all be married before you.”
Kylie squinted her eyes. “That doesn’t hurt my feelings. Are you still going to the technology school?”
“Nope. Got a job at the mine.”
“Why?” She smacked her hip. “Why would you do that, Dalton? Just—just look at Daddy.”
Dalton frowned. “Yeah. Look at Daddy. He’s raised eight children. Every one of them loves the Lord. Every one of them watched him work hard—”
“Dalton, you know what I mean.”
“Let me finish.” He pointed to his chest. “We’ve watched him love our mama, watched him come home from a hard day and sit on the porch and play his guitar and sing hymns to us.” He pointed toward her. “When are you going to figure out what’s important, big sister?”
“You know he had to have wanted a better life, an easier life. He’s sick now, little brother.” She clenched her teeth and stared at him for several moments. Finally she exhaled. “I didn’t come here to fight.”
“Dalton, did I hear the door?” Mama walked up behind him. She clapped her hands when Kylie peeked around her overgrown brother. “Kylie, come here, girl! How was your drive?” She opened her arms and wrapped Kylie in an embrace.
“Hi, Mama.” Kylie kissed her mother’s cheek. “It wasn’t bad. Just took a little over an hour.” As always, Mama’s hair was rolled in a large knot on top of her head. It was as close to being a beehive as she could get it without it actually being one. Her bright blue eyes sparkled, overshadowing the wrinkles that lined her face. Mama wore the same type of outfit she always wore: a pair of stretch-waist jeans and a blouse with a big floral pattern.
“Get yourself in this house. We don’t see enough of you. First you go off to college an hour away, then you get an apartment that’s an hour from the college and still over an hour from your family.” Mama grabbed her arm and pulled her farther into the living room. The same burnt orange couch and light brown, oversize chair sat upon the same dark brown, worn carpet. The same old cuckoo clock rested on the wall above the television. Everything was clean but as aged as her parents’ anniversary, thirty years.
“How’s Daddy feeling?”
“He has good days and bad days. The good news is his disability starts next month.”
“It’s about time. Where is he?”
“Taking a nap.” She looked at Kylie. “How long are you staying?”
“I have to work tomorrow afternoon.”
“I’ll tell you what. Let’s call your sisters and your brothers-in-law and get their families on over here for dinner. I’ll fix some fried chicken, and we’ll whip up some mashed potatoes and baked beans—”
“Mama, you know Kylie’s nothing but a nuisance in
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