Page 26 of Take Me Home

Walking inside our old farmhouse, I freeze at the unexpected sounds of feminine giggles. Poppy’s laugh is familiar to me, but I don’t recognize the other.

I remove my work boots quietly, placing them on the rubber mat right beside the front door, and listen.

“So, which one would you choose? Brother’s best friend, or enemies-to-lovers?” This question comes from my sister.

The other woman hums thoughtfully. “Enemies-to-lovers is very fun,” says an annoyingly familiar voice.

Both women erupt in laughter.

“So true,” Poppy agrees.

I round the corner, and my sister jumps when she sees me. I cross my arms and lean my body against the door frame that separates the living room from the eat-in kitchen.

My gaze goes straight to a woman I don’t want in my house. The woman who sticks out like a llama in a field of cattle. Hattie sits on our old, worn sofa with her legs pulled up beneath her. She’s wearing her fancy clothes that look brand new, and her hair is curled at the ends.

I hate the wave of embarrassment that moves through me. What must she think of this farmhouse? Is she noticing all the scuffs and scratches and repairs that need done?

Irritated, I try to keep my tone even. “What are you doing here?”

Hattie whips her head in my direction. “Sunshine?”

“Please stop calling me that,” I groan.

My sister’s eyes twinkle as they move between the two of us. Something tells me she’d already put together that Hattie and I must’ve met before now, but she pretended not to know. And I don’t know why she’d do a thing like that. That kind of asshole behavior is usually reserved for Wayne.

“Uncle Linc!” Tripp finally looks up from the horse barn he’s playing with on the floor. He jumps up and runs to hug my legs.

I place my hand on his mop of hair and tousle it without taking my eyes off the imposter in my home. “Hey, Bud,” I say, softening my tone for my nephew.

Poppy looks between me and Hattie. “Have you two met?” she asks innocently.

Too innocently.

I level a stare at my sister.

“Um, yes,” Hattie says, looking confused. “I’m staying at Whispering Pines Ranch. How do you two know each other? Is he your husband?”

Poppy screws up her face in disgust. “Gross. He’s my brother.”

Hattie arches one eyebrow. “Wow. I can’t believe I didn’t see it. You guys totally look alike.” She smiles at my sister. “Except you’re obviously way cuter. You got all the good looks in the family, I see.”

I sigh, and Poppy’s head falls back in laughter.

Tripp chuckles. “All my friends’ moms say Uncle Linc is super handsome.”

“Is that right?” Hattie asks. “All of them?”

Tripp slowly nods his head. “Yeah, I’ve got lots of friends at school, and their mamas turn all red when my uncle picks me up from school.”

Dragging a hand down my face, I mutter an expletive.

Hattie and Poppy erupt in laughter.

Waiting for the girls to quiet down, I ask my sister once more, “why is she here?”

“We met at Porcupine Café earlier!” Poppy smiles. “I invited her for dinner since she’s new in town. You’re going out, anyway. And Wayne has poker night.”

I should be glad that Poppy and Hattie hit it off. I worry about my sister getting lonely out here on the farm all day. But Hattie is leaving in a few weeks. People never stay in Honey Badger Creek for long. Especially the ones you grow closest to.