Page 40 of Take Me Home

Owen blinks in shock. “Wait…Hank as in Hank Daniels?”

Hattie sighs. “Yes, I recently discovered Hank is my biological father and traveled here to meet him. Now, can we move on?”

Poppy rummages through a lower cabinet, removing glass sugar and creamer containers I didn’t know we had. She fills them and brings them to the table.

Owen blows out a breath. “I’m clearly five steps behind everyone else. But yes, let’s eat.”

I take my seat at the head of the table, but Wayne doesn’t sit at my right side as usual. Instead, he waits to see where Hattie sits.

She pulls out the chair beside Tripp. “Is it okay if I sit here?”

He nods, sliding one of his Breyer horses toward her. “Here, you can play with his one. Her name is Hoofie.”

She laughs and gives the horse a scratch on the nose. “This mare looks hungry.”

Tripp grins.

Wayne quickly sits beside Hattie before Poppy can.

“You’re acting like an animal,” Poppy lectures him in a hushed whisper, walking around the table and sitting next to her son.

Jackson takes the seat to my right, but Owen pulls over an extra stool and squeezes in between us, so Jackson has to scoot closer to Poppy.

Thankfully, once the food is dished out, everyone is blessedly quiet for a few minutes.

I watch as Hattie takes her first bite of French toast. She closes her eyes and hums as she chews and swallows. “This is heaven. Lincoln, you really made this?”

I bring one shoulder up in a shrug. “Not much to it.”

“So,” Jackson interrupts. “How long are you staying at Whispering Pines, Hattie?”

“I’m not sure,” Hattie says, pausing for a moment before explaining. “I’m taking it day by day, but I’d like to stay at least two weeks.”

Wayne swallows a bite of food. “You’ll be here for Honey Badger Hoedown!”

Hattie shakes her head. “So, I hear.” She chuckles. “I’ve never been to a hoedown.”

Wayne blows out a long breath. “Well, I’ll be busy kicking ass in barrels, but you can be my cheerleader, okay?”

“I can’t wait to dunk Uncle Linc,” Tripp says, his eyes wide with excitement.

Poppy’s head tips back in laughter, and everyone else turns to look at me.

“You’re doing the dunk tank?” Jackson asks, an annoying smirk on his face.

“Yep,” I answer. “It’s for a good cause.”

Owen snorts a laugh. “The ladies of Honey Badger Creek are gonna go nuts.”

“Yeah,” Wayne hoots. “Who’ll get wetter, Lincoln, or the PTO moms?”

Poppy stands and flicks him on the forehead. “There’s a child at the table, you dummy.”

Wayne rubs at his head. “Sheesh, sorry.”

Hattie watches the interaction with amusement in her eyes. She’s quiet as she listens to everyone tease and talk. Not shy, but watchful. I don’t know if she has siblings or a big family. I’m not sure if she’s used to chaos like this at all. I know little about the woman. But I want those questions answered, and something about that doesn’t sit right with me. I shouldn’t desire to get to know her…I shouldn’t be thinking about Hattie at all.

Wayne finishes his breakfast quickly and reluctantly heads out to feed the cattle. He ogles Hattie one last time before disappearing out the front door.