Isabella (The Mitchell/Healy Family #2)(47)
Author: Jennifer Foor

For the most part he knew everyone in the room. My grandmother and grandpa John, my mother’s parents, were around every weekend. John would always help my uncle Colt with projects, and we’d throw lots of barbeques in the summer, which the ranch help were always invited to.

Our eyes met and he winked, letting me know he was all right. I motioned with my head for him to follow my lead. My great-aunt greeted him, hugged him, and handed him a plate.

After grabbing bacon, and a couple links, we headed out to the pool yard, followed by my parents. Uncle Colt was too busy giving his daughter a hard time to notice that we’d even sat down at another table. Rusty gave me a look, and I understood that it was because she was getting reamed out over something she’d done with my brothers. I caught a few words of the conversation. Bad influences was the one that stood out the most.

I couldn’t be mad. My brothers were trouble makers. They thought that everything in life was a joke, and you weren’t living unless you were getting into trouble somehow. Who could blame them when our father acted like a kid most of the time?

I smiled when I looked over at Rusty. It was nice to know he was there with me.

Then Noah came and sat at our table, followed by Shalan. He gave us both a once over, and focused on his plate of food.

Shalan broke the awkwardness. “Good morning, you two.”

“Morning,” Rusty said as he chewed. He swallowed before continuing. “Did you just get here?”

“No. We were upstairs. Apparently Addison snuck out with your brothers last night. God only knows where they all went, because none of them are talkin’, but I’m sure it was to one of her friend’s parties. She told my parents that she was staying at Gram’s house. Apparently they partied somewhere, because she threw up all over the bedroom she slept in. We were up there tryin’ to get it cleaned up.”

I looked over at Addison getting yelled at and knew exactly where they’d partied it up. “I bet they were at my house.”

“Your house?” Noah asked.

“She stayed with me last night,” Rusty announced proudly. I don’t think he said it to rub it in Noah’s face. It was more to make it a point that we were definitely together. I think he felt that if he kept reminding my cousin he’d finally get over the hostility he was feeling for Rusty lying to him.

“I didn’t notice nothin’ out of place at the house when I went to change my clothes, but I bet they were there. My brothers might be ass**les, but they don’t drink and drive, and they certainly wouldn’t have put her in danger.”

“She’s under age,” Noah said loudly.

“Babe, calm down. Your father has it handled,” Shalan did her best to settle Noah. Once he got a hair up his ass he was exactly like his father. It was pretty comical when I thought about all of the times he’d said he didn’t want to turn out like him. When he started eating, instead of bitching, she turned her attention to me. “I hear you have a sonogram coming up. That’s so exciting! Do you want to know what you’re having?”

“Yeah, I think I might,” I said.

“You don’t want it to be a surprise?” Rusty asked.

“You two haven’t discussed this yet? Ain’t this a big decision?” Noah was onto us.

“We just can’t decide, that’s all. I hate secrets, and I don’t like not knowin’ if it’s a boy or girl. I want to have the name ready, and be able to decorate the room.”

“In other words, she wants pink or blue,” Rusty teased. “I think we all know the color she’d like it to be.”

Noah shook his head and started chuckling as he spoke. “Yeah. She’s a girl through and through.”

I threw a piece of meat at him. “Shut up! I hunt. I four-wheel. Just because I like lookin’ pretty don’t mean I can’t hang with you men.”

They both agreed to give me a look and change the subject.

Ignoring them, I turned my attention back to Shalan. “I was thinkin’ that maybe since everyone knows, you’d want to help me to decorate the room, once we find out the sex of course.”

“You know I will. It’s so exciting. I can’t believe you were able to hold it in for so long, especially from me. You know I would have had your back.” Shalan ignored the dirty look she got from my cousin.

“The truth is, I didn’t want you to have a secret from Noah. I didn’t want anyone having to be burdened with my secret. Rusty was the first person to know, and together we decided to wait until I was far enough along. I wanted the whole family to be around, so that I didn’t have to explain it a million times.”

“So what happens now that the secret’s out? I’m thinking y’all will live in your house, and not the trailer?” Noah’s question caught me off guard. It was my fault for not thinking that far ahead. Technically, Rusty and I had just become a couple. We’d hooked up several times, but I’d always fought my feelings because of my situation.

“I’m going to move into her house,” Rusty reached for my leg under the table. I stuck my hand down and placed it on top of his. When I looked his way he formed a small smile at the corner of his lips.

“I’m not rushin’ you, but Seth’s been bunking in the office for a few weeks. It would be nice to offer the trailer to him, if that’s all right. I know your job requires me to house you.”

Rusty motioned with his hands. “It’s not a problem. I know where I belong.”

He stared deeply into my eyes when he said it and I couldn’t help but feel chills all over my body. This thing between us was really happening, and I was going to have to accept that it was a good thing. I’d worried for a long time, and finally it was all starting to settle. I had a boyfriend that wanted to take care of us, and a family that was accepting it.

I was able to finally breathe.

Chapter 29

Rusty

Things settled down once everyone left and went home. I think at first I was reluctant to move some of my things over to Isabella’s house, considering she’d been so indecisive for such a long time. It was nice to be able to get off work and head straight to her place to see her, and even better to be welcomed by her beautiful smile.

Since she worked off the ranch, I decided that if I was home first I’d make the meals. She’d come home and put her feet up, allowing me to pamper her. I think I was going above and beyond just to prove to her that it was what I wanted. Now that I was taking on the father title, I needed to get used to taken care of a family again.