Southern Secrets (Southern #7) - Natasha Madison Page 0,40

that Ethan’s whole face lights up. He gets out of the truck and walks to them, and I watch for a second as I wait for the sadness to pass. It’s what I thought I would have. I wait for the moment to pass like it always does before I get out.

"Look who is here," Ethan says, and Gabriel runs over to me, smashing his face into my chest.

"Auntie Amelia," he says, looking up at me. I kiss his head and scrunch my nose at him, something I used to do to him ever since he was young. "Daddy said you fell and hit your head."

"I did," I say, walking into the house.

"You should wear a helmet," he says, and I laugh at him. I walk into our childhood home, the smell of cooking filling the air.

"Momma," I say when I get inside and make my way to the kitchen. Her eyes light up when she sees me.

"Look at you," she says. "You have color in your cheeks."

"I did that," Ethan says, coming in and going straight to the fridge.

"Did you wash your hands?" my mother asks him, and he rolls his eyes.

"He did not," I tell my mother as I walk to the sink and start to wash my hands.

“Tattletale,” Ethan mumbles under his breath as he comes up and pushes me over, making me laugh.

"What is all this noise?" I hear my father say, coming in the side door. I turn my head, smiling, and then I see Asher behind him.

"Now this is what I like to see," my father says. "The family all under one roof." My heart speeds up, and my stomach sinks when Asher looks at me and then turns his eyes right away to my mother as she talks to him. I dry my hands on the towel and avoid looking at him.

"What can I do to help?" I ask my mother quietly as Ethan, Asher, and my father stand in the kitchen looking around.

"You can wash the salad," my mother says, and I bend my head, going over to the sink and grabbing the bowl to place the salad in.

The noise around me goes up just a notch, but I keep my head down, trying not to think about where he is. My mother works around me, and Emily also comes in to help. I feel so out of sorts, and it’s crazy.

"Mom, is there any ginger ale?" I ask, and she nods her head.

"In the garage fridge." I nod at her and walk toward the garage. Opening the door and walking down the four steps, I’m about to pull open the fridge when I feel eyes on me.

I turn my head, seeing Asher there leaning against my mother’s parked car with his phone in his hand. "Hey," he says when I look at him.

"Hi," I mumble and then turn to grab my drink and get out of there. My stomach feels like it’s spinning around and around.

"Are you okay?" Asher asks, pushing himself off the car and walking over to me.

"I’m fine, why?" I avoid looking at him as I duck my head. I feel him right beside me. His hand comes up, going under my chin. He lifts my head, and my eyes meet his. "What?" I ask, the sounds of my heart beating echoing so loud in my ears I can’t even hear myself talk.

"Ever since I walked into the house, you’ve become quiet," he says, his voice soft, and he steps in even closer as his hand falls from under my chin.

"I was just surprised to see you here," I answer honestly.

"Yeah, and why is that?" His voice goes low as he steps up even closer to me, and I feel the fridge against my back.

"I don’t know," I answer, frustrated. "You’re fucking everywhere I turn."

"And that bothers you?" His eyes go a deep brown to where they look almost black. "Why?" he whispers. He is so close I can feel his breath on me. His hand comes up as he takes a piece of my hair in his fingers. My whole body is on high alert, and my body braces itself. "Why does me being here bother you, Amelia?" He says my name, and I lick my lips as I feel his head get even close to me. I want to put my hands on his hips. I want to tilt my head back just a touch more and ask him for the kiss I’ve been dying for.