Kinsley closed her eyes and moaned when she had taken her first bite of the brisket. “This is amazing.”
Jared sat next to her, and the action caused him to ache for her. The concern that had been playing on her face much of the evening seemed to have dissipated, and she appeared to be in a more jovial mood now. He felt more relaxed and found reasons throughout the meal to touch her, while they laughed at jokes and asked about her book tours.
The sun had set, and flies were leisurely circling their empty plates, stalking the leftover brisket and potatoes. Nikki lit the citronella candles before the meal began. Even so, Jared was acutely aware each time Kinsley swatted at her bare arm or leg, and suggested the mosquitoes closing in was their cue to retire inside and force the bloodsuckers to find victims elsewhere.
With all four carrying dishes and the remaining food into the kitchen, it took only one trip. Kinsley and Nikki headed to the sink and turned on the faucet, but Chance held his girlfriend’s arm. “I think this whole night should be a treat for the ladies. Let me and your dad clean up, okay?”
They peeked at Jared. “Yeah, you two go on into the living room and I’ll brew up some fresh coffee.” After they’d left the room, he looked questioningly at the young man, dread starting to fill the bottom of his stomach.
“We’re alone now,” he said. “Something on your mind, son?”
Chance moved to the sink to rinse the plates while Jared loaded them into the dishwasher, waiting patiently for the young man to explain.
“So, you know, Nikki and I have been seeing each other for a good while, now.”
The dread started spreading, and Jared mumbled, “Uh-huh.”
“And you know I love her more than anything.”
Jared nodded. He was not completely comfortable with where the conversation might be headed. “You do treat her well. And she’s happy with you.”
“I just can’t imagine being with anyone else, Mr. Adamson.” The young man stopped what he was doing and looked into Jared’s face, a serious expression on his own.
Uh-oh, the formality. Jared’s niggling suspicion grew, and he had a strong feeling he knew exactly why Chance had wanted to have dinner tonight with all of them.
“I’m going to ask Nikki to marry me. And I’d like to ask for her hand in marriage,” his daughter’s boyfriend finally confessed.
Jared stilled, holding a plate above the open dishwasher. Chance’s face suddenly registered a small amount of fear at the edge of his brows.
Jared took a deep breath then laughed. “Well, now, I don’t think she’s much mine to say what she does with her life anymore, but I appreciate you asking.” He put the plate into the dishwasher and stood back to face the man who seemed to be holding his breath for an answer. “I don’t want my baby girl to grow up, but seeing as I don’t have much of a say in that matter, if this is what you both want, I will gladly accept you into our family.”
He held out his hand, but Chance stepped forward, grabbing him in a hug. “Thank you, sir.”
Embarrassed, he patted the younger man on the shoulder and pulled out of the embrace. “Buddy, you’re practically already part of the family, anyway. Does she know?”
Chance shook his head. “I’m planning on popping the question at her party this weekend.”
“That’s a good idea, son,” he said, clasping his shoulder again. “You know what I have to say, though, right? You hurt my baby and …” He held up his fist but grinned widely.
Chance chuckled. “Yeah, right after she gives me a black eye. Don’t worry. The last thing I want to do is hurt Nikki. I love her.”
After preparing the coffee pot for an after-dinner brew, they headed to the living room, where they heard the women laughing. Jared thought maybe he had never heard anything quite so beautiful. They were sitting on the couch, and Nikki moved over to make room for Chance, while Jared took his position in his favorite armchair. The younger man kissed his daughter on the cheek, and Jared looked over at the woman whom he’d been kissing with much more passion only a few hours earlier.
As if sensing what he was thinking, Kinsley lowered her head and smiled at him before returning her attention to the young couple in love sitting next to her. Suddenly remembering something, Jared stood. “That coffee should be ready now.”
“Oh, no you don’t, mister,” said his daughter, jumping up and pulling Chance with her. “You did the cooking and the cleaning up afterward. Chance and I will bring out the coffee. You must be tired from the last couple of days.”
Jared caught a glimpse of Kinsley in the corner of his eyes, who blushed and looked away. “So tired,” he said. “There’s been a lot of activity lately.” He sat back down, and the young couple went to the kitchen. “I’m not complaining about any of the activity,” he added, continuing his insinuations after they had left the room.
“I’ve had quite the workout too,” agreed Kinsley.
“Yet somehow, I feel like I’ve got a little more energy in me,” he said, reaching his hand over.
“I think I know what you mean,” she said coyly.
The kitchen door swung open and he sat back, pulling his arm to his chair as Nikki and Chance delivered four cups of coffee. After setting the mugs on the table in front of the couch, Nikki took the creamer she was holding between her arm and side and set it in front of Kinsley. Jared warmed at how easily and quickly it had been to feel that their “guest” belonged here.
While the warm beverage added to their full stomachs, Nikki talked about her plans for an apprenticeship at a veterinary hospital in Atlanta and the graduate schools she was applying for.
“The work to get to be a veterinarian has really only begun. There’s a pretty long, hard road ahead of me.”
“Don’t wish it away too soon,” warned Kinsley. “Those years will be gone before you know it, and you’ll look back and wonder how you’d let them slip between your fingers.”
“What school did you go to?” Nikki asked.
“I was lucky enough to attend Northwestern,” said Kinsley. “And believe me, there are so many times I wish I was still back there. This adulting thing is pretty hard. I’d love the pressure of class deadlines and a rigid schedule. It’s more difficult than you’d think to keep yourself on task when working from home. I’ve just been blessed to have so many resources available to me. Success is two parts hard work and one part luck, so watch for those opportunities.”
Jared thought he would never tire of exploring the world that was Kinsley Griffin. He sipped his coffee and, while they chatted, his mind drifted to his hands tangled in her hair. Deciding those thoughts could lead to awkwardness, he returned his focus to the conversation.
Nikki was talking about the course of a veterinary degree. He had no doubt she would make a great one. He remembered how she would bandage up the various baby animals on the farm when she was barely past the toddler stage. He’d had to free more than one crying kitten from her tiny “doctoring” hands and kiss away the pain of the scratches in her arms and sometimes her soft little cheek. She had learned the hard way that kittens do not care to be held upside down while you listened to their hearts beat.
He smiled now, thinking of how many stray animals had followed her home. She had sworn she tried to get them not to. She’d sometimes explained that the only reason she was carrying them was because they had gotten tired while following her to the house. He suddenly had a vision of her carrying a baby in her arms and thought about what a great mother she would be, but hoped that day was far in the future.
“Yeah, you would be surprised what all you can go into with a degree in agriculture,” Chance was saying now. He had decided to get an agricultural business degree, which Jared thought to be a good plan. There were so many opportunities with all the farms in the area.
Jared took the last lukewarm drink of his coffee and stood, asking if they were all ready for him to take their mugs to the kitchen. Chance handed his to the older man and stood up as well. “Thanks so
much for dinner. It was delicious as always. I better be going.” He kissed Nikki on the lips and reached for his coat as he nodded at Jared and Kinsley. “If I don’t see you before then, I’ll see you at the party.”
Jared grabbed the rest of the mugs. “See you later, Chance.”
When he returned from the kitchen, both women were saying good night to the man who would soon be his son-in-law. Jared frowned slightly. Nikki headed upstairs, and Kinsley turned to him and said, “Good night.”
He lifted his eyebrows and put his hand out to hers. “Are we okay, Kinsley?”
She bit her lip. “I don’t know. Are we, Jared?”
“I thought we were more than okay, considering all the ways we’ve touched each other.” He moved closer to her, and she shivered as he wrapped his arms around her.
“I just thought—”
He lowered his mouth to hers and then kissed along her cheekbone. “Just thought, what?”
She sighed and he threw his arms around her. “Nothing, it’s nothing.” She smiled as he turned off the living room light and took her hand to lead her upstairs to his bedroom.
16
“And he’s going to ask her at her party?” Kinsley lay on her stomach next to Jared. She was propped up on her elbows. He was on his side, one hand idly stroking her back. “Well, I hope he’s sure about her answer because that could be putting her on the spot in front of everyone.”
“I hadn’t thought of it like that,” he said thoughtfully. “I think it’s safe to say she’ll say yes. At least, she’s given me no indication she might not want to marry him. I guess when I’ve thought about Nikki’s future, it seemed Chance was always a part of that.”
“Then don’t let me cause you to worry. I was just thinking of how that could go if she hadn’t planned on saying yes. But it sounds like, and it seems to me when I look at them together, that it’s always been part of her plan.”
“Yeah, I hope it’s the right plan. It seems that it was always where they were headed. I hope she’s in this for the right reasons and not because it seems like the next step she should take.”
***
It was a few minutes before noon when Kinsley and Nikki were putting out sandwiches and a vegetable tray on a table in the barn. Nikki’s girlfriends Tammi and Beth were coming over to finalize plans for the party, which was two days away.
Jared was just returning from checking on the cattle and he excused himself to wash up and change his shirt. When he joined them again, he grabbed one of the sandwiches and popped it in his mouth just before Nikki playfully slapped at his arm. “Not yet,” she chided.
A few minutes later, he was standing around the table with four women. Tammi had a notebook and pen; she’d been the primary planner and had organized this final powwow.
“So, here’s where the speaker and microphone will be, and then the band will be here.” She pointed at different places on a drawing and then at their corresponding locations in the barn.
“Band?” asked Jared. “I thought it was just Brad and Cliff with their guitars.”
“Yeah, but it’s quicker to say ‘band’ than ‘Brad and Cliff with their guitars,’” Tammi teased. She walked over to a space near the back of the barn. “And you’ll have hay bales here and here, right?”
He nodded. “Just waiting on you to tell me where those go. They’re all stacked up over there. I think I’ve got most of my to-do list done. Wood is chopped and stones are set up for the bonfire.”
“This really is gonna be so much fun,” said Beth.
They each talked about their roles, and Kinsley requested she have a working role as well. Tammi assigned her the task of making sure the caterers got everything set up as planned and being their go-to person. She pointed to the drawing again where she indicated the caterers were to be stationed.
Kinsley turned to Jared. “What’s your role?”
He chuckled. “My role is to do as I’m told.”
“Daddy,” scolded Nikki.
“I’m just kidding. My role is to make sure everything is paid for and everything is perfect for my baby girl … and do as I’m told.”
Nikki grinned at him. Tammi ticked off the schedule for decorating over the next couple of days and went through the party’s lineup, including when the caterer and band would be arriving. Then she made sure everyone knew what was needed during decoration time, which would be the next afternoon and evening.
An hour later, they were all bidding Nikki’s friends goodbye. Jared followed them out of the barn, while Nikki and Kinsley took the remaining sandwiches back into the kitchen. “And you’re going to have the projector set up for me, right?” he asked.
They nodded and Tammi pulled out her notepad and showed him a page that she hadn’t had out during the planning. “It’ll be right here. Do you have all of the pictures ready?”
“Some of them. Since she’s staying with you tonight,” he said to Tammi, “I was planning on getting the rest of them scanned. Then tomorrow I’ll have the slideshow done. Kinsley can probably help me with that.”
The girls looked at each other and grinned before turning back. “She’s great, by the way.”
He smiled and nodded. “I sure think so.”
“We approve.”
He laughed. “Thank goodness that approval is out of the way. Now maybe I can date her.”
He said goodbye and returned to the house where Nikki and Kinsley had just finished putting away the leftovers.
“I’m so glad you’re going to be there,” Nikki said for about the thirtieth time since Kinsley had announced she would stay.
“Me too,” said the older woman.
As they put away the food and dishes, he watched Kinsley with his daughter. He had been so glad she was staying longer, he had not yet thought beyond the party. He suddenly pictured his house with Kinsley gone and pushed away the dread, thinking they would cross that bridge when they came to it.
Nikki said goodbye and walked out with her overnight bag a couple of hours later. Kinsley had decided to get her laptop out and do some work at the kitchen table while Jared was feeding the horses. She had managed to write about half of the outline of her new book during a few scattered moments she’d been able to grab over the last couple of days. Her conversation with Jared in Chattanooga about her experiences growing up here had kicked off some thoughts, and this was the first opportunity she’d really had to commit those thoughts to paper.
She checked her emails first and noticed a strange one from yourbiggestfanever@quickmail. Cautiously, she opened it but there was nothing in the body of the email. Just the subject line: “I can’t wait to see you.”
She’d had a few contacts from fans that belied the fact that some needed more help than others, but this one chilled her. She shook it off, remembering the time she was getting hang-ups fifty times a day before they finally stopped. These things usually amounted to nothing.
She answered a couple of emails from her publisher and Carley, giving a few details about her last couple of days to the latter. They hadn’t had time to speak for more than a minute since things had progressed with Jared. She wrote that she would find some time to call her within the next day or two, and then turned to her work.
It was amazing what one solid hour alone could do. By the time Jared came in the front door, she was hitting send on another email to her publisher, having delivered the first draft of the complete outline a full week before her deadline.
He walked over to her and kissed her neck as she shut down her laptop. She turned her face to his and met his kiss. “I’m gonna hop in the shower,” he said. “and then let’s go into town and grab some dinner?”
It was almost an hour later before they were walking out to his truck, a healthy glow lighting up Kinsley’s face due to sheer happiness. “Hey.” She stopped suddenly. “You know, how about we take Ethel? Our days with her are numbered.”
He chuckled and slid into the car’s passenger seat as she got behind the wheel.
“You wanna play the part of sexy GPS man for us?”
He laughed again and gave her a few directions before she turned around and headed out the Adamson Pride gate.
He had chosen a local steakhouse in Belle Ridge, and Kinsley found her meat seasoned and cooked perfectly. She’d also ordered a lobster tail with hot melted butter and was surprised at how fresh the lobster tasted considering how small the area was. While they enjoyed their dinner and wine, Jared told her about his plans for the surprise slideshow at Nikki’s party and asked if Kinsley could help him choose the final selection and scan the images. She was delighted to be able to help him with another special gift for his daughter and told him that she would love to help him create a memorable presentation.
After dinner, they walked to the car hand in hand, and he tugged her to him when she started to pull away to go to the other side of the car. He kissed her softly and moved her until her back was against the passenger door. He pulled his head back to look into her eyes. The full moon illuminated half of his face. “Thank you,” he said sincerely.
“For what?”
“Just … thank you.”
***
By the time they had returned to the house, they were both ready to make out on the couch like teens. They said good night to Ethel, and Jared quickly made his way to Kinsley’s side where he picked her up and carried her onto the front porch. He had her back against the door and had just gotten his keys in the lock when the door gave behind them.
This time, he held her firm, his lips on her neck. “Déjà vu,” he murmured, but then pulled back suddenly and set her on her feet, pushing her behind him. Kinsley felt a chill go down her back as she sensed his worry. She thought back and was pretty sure she had seen him lock the door as they were leaving.
A quick glance around the room revealed nothing out of the ordinary. Jared asked Kinsley to stay where she was and he ventured into a couple of rooms, and then upstairs, returning each time with a head shake. Nothing seemed disturbed. She saw him relax a bit and then gestured for her to enter. He scratched his head a minute. “Maybe Nikki came back for something and forgot to lock it. Doesn’t look like anyone else came in here,” he said. “Everything looks as it was before we left.”
Country Pride (Belle Ridge Book 1) Page 11