Walker (Cordell Walker x Female!Reader)

No Such Thing As Fair Play

"Okay. Order's up." Cordell said, setting down a plate of bacon on the bar. "Thank you, Dad." August said. "Thank you." Stella and I said. "You're welcome." Cordell said, then clapped his hands and rubbed them together as he grabbed a notepad he'd been writing on.

"Okay, let's get back to work. So, I have South Lamar and Mueller. Where else do we want to look to find our new dream home?" Cordell asked the kids, who exchanged a not-so-enthusiastic look. "What?" Cordell asked.

"Sorry. It's weird to think about our next house when we just moved out of our ancestral family home." Stella expresses. "Well, hey, why don't we turn that around?" I suggested.

"She's right! You know, turn a negative into a positive. Make lemonade out of lemons. Yeah? I mean, when Mawline and Gramps refashioned the farmhouse, they weren't thinking, These teenagers need separate bathrooms, right? So, this is a wish list. Just tell me your hearts' desires, and I will write it down. We're not gonna be in a rental forever." Cordell said.

"Hey, team." Geri said, walking in like she didn't just ghost the family and me for a week. "Geri." Cordell said. "How's everyone doing?" She asked, walking behind the bar.

"Great. Well, I mean, besides the Davidsons taking our house." August said sarcastically and let out a small laugh. "Right." Geri mutters, setting her purse down as Stella shoots a look at her brother. "That... I didn't mean that towards, like, you." August said to Geri, who took a piece of bacon to eat.

"Oh, okay, so that's out." Geri said, with her mouth full and swallows her bite. "Cool." She said, looking at Cordell, who cringes at himself for spilling the beans.

"So I share a little DNA with the Davidsons. Family is about more than where you come from. It's who sticks by you, right?" Geri said to the kids and I frowned, remembering Cordell telling me and Liam that he said that same thing to her and she disagreed.

"Yeah, we got you." August said, nodding. "I know you do. Hey, I'm gonna borrow your dad for a minute. Is that okay?" Geri said, placing her hands on Cordell's shoulder as she moved out from behind the bar. "Of course." Cordell said, smiling, and set his notepad down to follow her outside.

3rd Person P.O.V
"Geri, hey, hey." Cordell said, picking up his pace after her as she went to stand on a narrow part of the deck. "I-I should've talked with you before I told them. I know that. I'm sorry. I mean, we were talking about my daddy's release from jail, and it all just kind of came out."

"I get it, I get it. Uh, there's something that I have to share with you." Geri said. "Okay." Cordell replied. "I... had a visit with Gale." Geri reveals. "Really?" Cordell asked, raising his eyebrows. "Yeah."

"Okay. Uh... Okay. Wow. Uh, h-how-how did that go?" Cordell asked. "I mean, she-she cried when she saw me. It seemed like she was more interested in getting to know me than talking about the past, so... that's... something." Geri explains.

"Yeah. Yeah. She is an odd duck." Cordell said and laughed. "That's for sure." He said, grabbing the railing with both hands as he looked down anxiously, struggling to be understanding of the woman who stole his family's home and land.

"Yeah, well, I for one could see how it would be hard to find out that the husband you grieved for, what, 20-something years... actually gave your baby away. I mean, I'd probably focus on the good news, too, but..." Geri said, showing empathy for Gale while also some passive aggression towards Cordell.

"Of course. Ger, I only wanted to prove my dad's innocence. I had no idea what we'd dig up." Cordell said, trying to fix some of the damage the news of Geri being a Davidson has brought on their relationship. "I... I know." Geri mutters.