The Way The Wildflowers Grow by MJ Fields

Author:MJ Fields [Fields, MJ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blue Valley Publishing LLC
Published: 2023-04-05T18:30:00+00:00

Walking off the field, toward Mom and the kids, I grab Phoebe’s hand as I pass her and continue walking.

“Where are we going?” She laughs.

I don’t answer, because I don’t want her to have a chance to get nervous.

I stop in front of Mom, and she looks down at our hands, up at me, and then to Phoebe.

“Mom, Kendall, Jake, this is Phoebe Maxwell, and she’s my date to the dance tonight.”

“Okay, wow. Um, hi.” Phoebe waves.

Kendall smiles. “You play field hockey with Tessa.”

She smiles back. “I do.”

Jake giggles. “Are you the one who wacked the girl who hurt her ankle?”

Phoebe wrinkles up her nose. “Guilty.”

“That is so awesome.” He holds up his hand, and they high-five.

She looks at Mom. “It was instinctual. I’m normally not—”

“Jane and I are friends.” Mom finally smiles. “She’s said nothing but amazing things about you.”

“Wait, you’re a Brooks kid?”

“Jake,” Mom and I scold him at the same time.

“What? It’s cool. They have horses. Kendall wishes she lived there since we don’t.”

“I didn’t say that.” Kendall looks nervously at her mother.

“You like horses?” Phoebe asks Kendall, who nods. “Have you ridden much?”

She shakes her head, and Phoebe looks at Mom. “Maybe when I get better, she can come up. I’m sure Jane wouldn’t mind.”

“Better?” Mom asks. “Jane said you ride for hours on the weekend; she thinks you’re amazing.”

“I’m at their mercy. They do all the work; I just ride.”

I notice Mom’s throat bob, and then her smile returns. “She also told me that you and Alex helped Star give birth.”

“You did?” Kendall gasps.

“Ryan doesn’t do well with that sort of thing.” Phoebe smiles. “It was incredible. Alex was astounding.”

“He used to want to be a doctor,” Jake says, and I cringe.

“Maybe he’ll be a vet instead,” Phoebe and Mom say at the same time.

“Maybe he’ll play for the NFL.” Jake grins big. “You are awesome!”

“Or maybe I’ll be a farmer,” I say with a bit of a bite and immediately regret it.

“You can be all those things.” Kendall hugs me. “You’re the best, Alex.”

“Thanks, Kendall.”

I look at Jake and Mom then nod behind us. “Gotta get back. Just wanted you three to meet Phoebe, officially.” Because I assumed correctly that Tessa wouldn’t introduce them since she’s angry at Mom, and I get it.

“Take lots of photos tonight, please.” Mom smiles sadly.

Phoebe looks up at me with questions in her eyes, and I give her hand a squeeze. “We will.”

“I’ll take lots at the farm,” Jake offers.

“You cut everyone’s heads off.” Kendall waves as they turn and walk away.

As we turn, I tell her, “She’s working the nightshift so she could be here today.”

“You don’t have to explain anything.”

“If we were just friends and not dating, I’d still want you to be comfortable around me, and all of them.”

“Dating.” She nods as if it’s answering a question she’s been mulling around with. I won’t make her question my intentions again.

“You killed it out there.” Molly lunges and hugs me, causing me to let go of Phoebe’s hand.

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