Page 43 of Only With Me

“She was my first kiss too.” He waggles his brows.

“Was she a willing participant”—Magnolia giggles—“or did ya have her pinned against the slide?”

“She chased me and forced her mouth on mine, I’ll have ya know.” Wilder pulls out a few photos from our elementary years and holds one up. “Can you blame her, though? We were good-lookin’ kids.”

“That’s because you take after me,” Dad gloats.

Mallory scoffs. “Don’t encourage ’em.”

We laugh, and I look at my father, who’s a spitting image of us. Wilder, Landen, Tripp, and I look more like him than our mom, but Noah takes after her. From the photos I’ve seen, Noah’s her mini-me. Golden blond hair, blue eyes, and an I’m-always-right attitude.

“You know, he was the most eligible bachelor in town,” Mom praises. “I was lucky to steal those genes for my children. Y’all are welcome.”

“You mean, he corrupted an innocent church girl,” Gramma Grace quips.

Magnolia gasps with a holler. “Ooh, boy. Are we about to get some hot tea? Tell us more.”

“Corrupted?” Dad huffs, folding his arms and leaning back in his chair. “It was love at first sight. If anything, she corruptedme.”

Mom raises her brow, shooting him a look that can only be interpreted asDon’t test me right now.

He shoots her a smug one right back.

“Mrs. Hollis wouldneverchase a man.” Magnolia beams. “She was probably the prettiest girl Mr. Hollis has ever seen and he did the chasin’.”

It’s sweet how much she loves our mom and how well they get along. No surprise, though, since Noah and her have been best friends since they were in elementary school. Magnolia practically lived here throughout their high school years, but then she married Tripp and now lives on the ranch permanently.

“You got that right,” Dad agrees. “That’s why I couldn’t wait to make her mine. There were basta—uh—losers tryin’ to take her from me even after we got married.”

I chuckle at his quick catch of almost letting out a swear word. Even though Mallory’s older now, she still makes us put money in the swear jar.

“They were not!” Mom argues. “They got one look at therockyou made me wear and left me alone.”

Dad’s head falls back, bellowing out a cackle. “You think your ring scared ’em away? Darlin’, I threatened to make ’em horse feed if they evenlookedat you.”

Mom’s jaw drops and the room erupts in laughter.

“That explains some things…” Magnolia’s gaze shifts toward Tripp, who shrugs unapologetically. He’s overly protective of Magnolia and their kids, but I don’t blame him after everything she went through.

“Like father like son,” Dad gloats.

“You mean, crazy and crazier…” Mom mocks.

Dad winks at her. “You love it.”

It’s funny watching my parents after all these years. You can tell they’re deeply in love and have mutual respect. They were engaged and married within three months of meeting and then went on to expand the ranch and have five kids. Honestly, them moving so fast in their relationship explains why my younger siblings shacked up with their partners so damn quickly.

In the past few years, I’ve been to three weddings and became an uncle to two nieces and a nephew.

I shouldn’t be surprised at our family tradition considering Gramma Grace married a former teacher turned pastor—who was quite a bit older than her—and they went on to have a couple daughters.

Then we learned her great-aunt Polly married her second blood-cousin and then they had seven kids.

And now that I’m thinking about it, maybe I should blame my relatives for fucking up my ability to get a relationship. Between the cousin incest and the expectations to get married and have kids, it’s no wonder I have issues.

I’m ready to pass out by the time I get home, but I still haven’t replied to Poison Ivy Girl’s last text after I told her it’s been a while since my last girlfriend.

Poison Ivy Girl: Oh. How long?