I clamped my hand over her mouth again. “Stop. Please, stop. I will literally give you anything you want if you just stop talking right now.”
Hadley stuck out her tongue, the tip touching my palm, and I yanked my hand away. “Gross.”
“Hey, sharing is caring.”
“Not when it comes to this.” The last thing I wanted was mental images of what my sister and Calder got up to behind closed doors. I gripped her shoulders, leaning down to meet her gaze. “For the love of all that’s holy, can we please talk about something else?”
Her shoulders slumped in defeat. “Fine. Let’s chat bridal shower. Laiken said we could do it at The Gallery. I thought that might be fun. We could do a high tea theme. Several kinds of tea, little finger sandwiches, petit fours.”
I collapsed back against the counter. “I already said yes to that girly-ass bridesmaid dress. You’re going to make me go to some fancy tea, too?”
Hadley pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. “The dresses are gorgeous.”
I stared at my sister. “They’re pale pink. And they have that floofy fabric.”
“Floofy?”
“That’s the technical term.”
“I thinkgauzywould be more appropriate. They’re whimsical and fun.”
My jaw clenched. “They’re evidence that I love Everly more than I should if I’m wearing that thing.”
Hadley patted my shoulder. “You’re a good future sister-in-law.”
That melted the annoyance in me more than a fraction. I wanted to be a good sister. And Everly deserved the wedding of her dreams after everything she’d been through. “Oh, all right, I’ll do the damn tea, too. Laiken and I can be in charge of decorations if you and Addie can do food.” If I had Laiken helping me, I couldn’t screw things up too badly.
“Deal.” Hadley motioned me out of the kitchen. “Let’s go for that ride. It’s too nice to be cooped up today.”
I sent up a silent thank you. A trail ride was much more in my wheelhouse than awkward conversations about sex or weddings. “You had me at ride.”
Hadley chuckled. “I had a feeling.”
We headed outside just as Kai dropped his tennis ball at my mom’s feet, letting out a happy bark. She smiled, shaking her head. “I swear he could do this forever.”
“He definitely could.” I turned to the dog, who was in the midst of a full-body wag. “Want to go for a ride, Kai?”
He leapt in the air, sending up another bark and turning in circles.
“Trail ride?” my mom asked.
“If you’re up for it.”
“I’d love that. It’s been too long since I’ve been out on the trails with my girls.”
Far too long. Before my kidnapping, we’d gone all the time. But afterwards, those trips had been fewer and farther between, my mom’s anxiety heightened by what might happen. To be back doing something we all loved felt more than right.
Hadley reached down and gave Kai a scratch. “Only if we can run.”
“Always giving me gray hair.” My mom laughed. “But don’t forget who taught you to gallop. I’ll leave you in the dust.”
Hadley’s eyes twinkled. “We’ll just see about that…”
She started jogging towards the barn, my mom immediately running after her. Kai chased them both, barking as he went. I grinned and followed the circus.
Mom and Hadley made their way down the rows of stalls in the barn, trying to decide on their mounts for the day. I pointed out a few that I thought would be good matches for them as I grabbed a lead rope. “I’m going to grab Sky from the paddock.”
They waved me off as they playfully bickered, setting a wager for their race. It made me happier than I could ever express,seeing the two of them getting along so well. It had been a long road to that closeness, and it only made us all appreciate it more.