Page 115 of Wild West
Several cheers go up, the loudest from my family in the back and I pull her close and kiss her like my life depends on it, because I don’t want to see another day without her in it.
My family crowds around, and Daisy takes Waylon as everyone comes to congratulate us.
“Well, hells bells, Another Winchester off the market, huh?”Wade says, clapping me on the shoulder.
“Better look out, I hear it’s catching.”
“Not on your life,” Wade says, his eyes tracking Lainey as she crosses the room to hug Daisy.
“Uh-huh.”
His phone rings, and he steps away as he answers it.“Hello?Sorry, I can barely hear you.Hold on.”
He pushes through the throng surrounding us and heads outside.If we’re not careful, the Fire Marshal’s going to shut us down before we even get through the first hour of the opening.Mama pulls me into a hug, peppering my face with kisses first, and then Daisy’s as she welcomes her to the family.I glance at my brother outside as he stands on the sidewalk.The early morning sun glints off his light brown hair, that he’s currently raking his fingers through.
I press a hand to Daisy’s lower back and lean in.“I’m just gonna check on Wade.”
“Everything okay?”she asks.
“I don’t know.I’ll be right back.”I head out through the crowd, which has mostly thinned back into a steady line.The bell above the door jingles as I push outside.
“Wade?”I ask.He stares at his phone and then meets my gaze, but he’s looking for all the world like he just received news that he’s got three days to live.“What’s wrong?”
“I have a kid.”
I frown.“What?”
Wade scrubs a hand over his face and stares at the cars going by on Main Street.When his eyes meet mine again, they’re wide and haunted.“That was social services.I have a kid, West.I have a goddamn baby girl I knew nothing about.”