Read Online Sorrows and Lace by Bonnie R. Paulson, Brilee Editing - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Bonnie R. Paulson, Brilee Editing
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face.
She brought the cup up and sipped her drink before responding. “I don’t… No, that’s oka… actually, do you think I could?”
He smiled, the brilliance of his happiness almost blinding, transforming his scarred and rough appearance into that of a proud father. “You bet. He’s awesome. I can’t stop staring at him.” He raised his voice to be heard in the kitchen. “Ames, bring Mac in here. I want Kelsey to meet her potential nephew.”
Kelsey placed both feet on the floor, tapping her toes and then heels. She clasped her hands in her lap, waiting, waiting.
And suddenly there was a small child walking toward Robbie – like a mirror-image from twenty-plus years ago. Kelsey stopped moving, transfixed by the large blue eyes and perfect small teeth in his cherubic smile that most definitely hid more than a little mischief. “Wow, he’s just like you.” She breathed to Robbie.
Awe and regret washed over her.
“Isn’t he?” Amelia followed behind her son, a kitchen towel in her hands. “He’s spoiled as all get out though. With both Uncle Slate and Dad here, he has a wrestling buddy any time he wants. Or a riding partner. Or a hunting partner.”
“You need a girl next.” Kelsey watched the small boy as he turned to face her.
Amelia giggled while glancing at Robbie. “We’ll take it a step at a time. But yes, I would love a girl.”
“I think we should start practicing immediately.” Robbie grinned, ducking out of the way as Amelia tossed a fake punch at his shoulder.
Mac slid his foot back and forth on the ground, watching Kelsey. She motioned to him. “Come here. Can I see your super cool shirt?” And like a little man, he moved toward her, puffing his chest out and craning his neck to see the front logo of his shirt.
Close enough to touch, but far enough away to be safe from a stranger – which Kelsey understood even more at her age – Mac pointed at the white bucking bronco silhouette on his bright blue t-shirt. “That’s my dad. Or Uncle Slate?” He raised his eyes to her. “I don’t know.”
“Well, what if it’s whoever isn’t with you? Then you can always have them around.” She didn’t reach out to touch him even though she wanted to grab him and hug him.
“But they’re both with me, now.” He studied the front of his shirt, chewing his bottom lip. After a moment of serious contemplation, he looked up, excited. “I know . It can be Uncle Ronan. He’s strong and rides horses. He’s not with me right now.”
Kelsey’s heart melted. Ronan had a champion in his nephew. Even though adults bristled at his mannerisms and abrupt business dealings, his little nephew loved him.
Robbie growled and came up behind Mac. He reached forward, notably with only one hand, and tickled his boy at the waist. Over the giggling, Robbie spoke. “That’s a great idea, buddy. Next time you see Uncle Ronan, we’ll make sure and tell him to get his butt on a bucking bronco. I would love to see that.”
Amelia shushed him. “Robbie.” And her expression was soaked in amused tolerance.
“What? I didn’t do anything.” Robbie glanced at Kelsey and wiggled his eyebrows as he continued tickling Mac. Amelia laughed.
The ease in the room would be hard for Kelsey to leave. Every moment with Ronan had a charged expectation, one that Kelsey anticipated and dreaded at the same time. She’d need to get out and check on the horse, as well, before too long.
Speaking of the horse, s he snapped her fingers. “Did you guys know R.J. named his horse after my last name?”
“ The sorrel mare? The one you rode over? I didn’t know that. She’s beautiful. I’ve been eyeing her for a while as a mate for Pig. They would make beautiful foals.” Slate reentered the conversation after observing from his seat, eating a scone.
“You’re not the only one thinking about breeding, seems to be in the air.” She clamped her mouth shut. The correlation hit her. Ronan was acting like she was a
She brought the cup up and sipped her drink before responding. “I don’t… No, that’s oka… actually, do you think I could?”
He smiled, the brilliance of his happiness almost blinding, transforming his scarred and rough appearance into that of a proud father. “You bet. He’s awesome. I can’t stop staring at him.” He raised his voice to be heard in the kitchen. “Ames, bring Mac in here. I want Kelsey to meet her potential nephew.”
Kelsey placed both feet on the floor, tapping her toes and then heels. She clasped her hands in her lap, waiting, waiting.
And suddenly there was a small child walking toward Robbie – like a mirror-image from twenty-plus years ago. Kelsey stopped moving, transfixed by the large blue eyes and perfect small teeth in his cherubic smile that most definitely hid more than a little mischief. “Wow, he’s just like you.” She breathed to Robbie.
Awe and regret washed over her.
“Isn’t he?” Amelia followed behind her son, a kitchen towel in her hands. “He’s spoiled as all get out though. With both Uncle Slate and Dad here, he has a wrestling buddy any time he wants. Or a riding partner. Or a hunting partner.”
“You need a girl next.” Kelsey watched the small boy as he turned to face her.
Amelia giggled while glancing at Robbie. “We’ll take it a step at a time. But yes, I would love a girl.”
“I think we should start practicing immediately.” Robbie grinned, ducking out of the way as Amelia tossed a fake punch at his shoulder.
Mac slid his foot back and forth on the ground, watching Kelsey. She motioned to him. “Come here. Can I see your super cool shirt?” And like a little man, he moved toward her, puffing his chest out and craning his neck to see the front logo of his shirt.
Close enough to touch, but far enough away to be safe from a stranger – which Kelsey understood even more at her age – Mac pointed at the white bucking bronco silhouette on his bright blue t-shirt. “That’s my dad. Or Uncle Slate?” He raised his eyes to her. “I don’t know.”
“Well, what if it’s whoever isn’t with you? Then you can always have them around.” She didn’t reach out to touch him even though she wanted to grab him and hug him.
“But they’re both with me, now.” He studied the front of his shirt, chewing his bottom lip. After a moment of serious contemplation, he looked up, excited. “I know . It can be Uncle Ronan. He’s strong and rides horses. He’s not with me right now.”
Kelsey’s heart melted. Ronan had a champion in his nephew. Even though adults bristled at his mannerisms and abrupt business dealings, his little nephew loved him.
Robbie growled and came up behind Mac. He reached forward, notably with only one hand, and tickled his boy at the waist. Over the giggling, Robbie spoke. “That’s a great idea, buddy. Next time you see Uncle Ronan, we’ll make sure and tell him to get his butt on a bucking bronco. I would love to see that.”
Amelia shushed him. “Robbie.” And her expression was soaked in amused tolerance.
“What? I didn’t do anything.” Robbie glanced at Kelsey and wiggled his eyebrows as he continued tickling Mac. Amelia laughed.
The ease in the room would be hard for Kelsey to leave. Every moment with Ronan had a charged expectation, one that Kelsey anticipated and dreaded at the same time. She’d need to get out and check on the horse, as well, before too long.
Speaking of the horse, s he snapped her fingers. “Did you guys know R.J. named his horse after my last name?”
“ The sorrel mare? The one you rode over? I didn’t know that. She’s beautiful. I’ve been eyeing her for a while as a mate for Pig. They would make beautiful foals.” Slate reentered the conversation after observing from his seat, eating a scone.
“You’re not the only one thinking about breeding, seems to be in the air.” She clamped her mouth shut. The correlation hit her. Ronan was acting like she was a
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