He grinned wickedly at her. “Even better.”
“What about tomorrow? Am I supposed to wear my dress home? Don’t make me do the walk of shame.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he promised, pulling her in even closer. “You can wear something of mine home. And then, maybe you should think about bringing a few things over.”
Karise sobered. She hadn’t really thought about that. “I don’t want to move in until we’re married. I mean, I guess it makes sense to start moving some stuff over, but I don’t think I should stay over again until the wedding.”
“Then I guess I’d better make this one count.” There was a promise in his soft voice.
Karise smiled, resting her hand on his leg and turning her attention back to the road. She absentmindedly traced her fingers over the patterns in his worn jeans along his inner thigh. The touch was a simple one, but it still created a yearning in her belly.
Once the truck was in park, he came around to the passenger side and lifted Zoe out of her car seat with incredible tenderness. Karise took the keys from his pocket to unlock the door for him. She hung his keys on the rack while he tucked Zoe in, kicked her heels off in the corner of his room and then stretched out on her belly across his bed to admire her ring while she waited for him to finish up with his daughter.
Aidan locked the door behind him when he joined her in the room. He climbed on the bed, straddling her as he slowly unzipped her dress, his lips worshipping each inch of newly exposed flesh. Chills raced down her spine; she thrilled at his touch.
That night, he loved her with a gentle sweetness. It was achingly beautiful, and it left her feeling like the most precious treasure in all the world.
Karise would have been quite content to doze off afterwards, all tangled up in Aidan, but he got out of bed and hung her dress in his closet. Then he retrieved her shoes from the corner and placed them in the shoe rack hanging from the closet door. “There. You’re official now.”
She smiled and thanked him, gratefully accepting the T-shirt and a pair of boxers he handed her next. She shimmied into the clothes, pleasantly surprised at the shirt’s buttery softness.
Aidan paused to admire her. “I didn’t think it was possible, but you look even more beautiful now.”
Karise shook her head and blushed. “I think you’re smitten and it’s hampering your judgment.”
“No, I’m pretty sure you’re exquisite. Your hair is spilling over your shoulders. Your face is flushed from loving me. My favorite shirt is clinging to my favorite curves. I’m positive I want to remember this picture for the rest of my life.”
Karise didn’t know how to respond to that, so she opened her arms in a silent request that he come back to their bed. He obliged, allowing her to wrap him up in her embrace. She ran her fingers through his hair, enjoying the simple feel of him in her arms.
“Poor Lani,” she mused, her mind straying back to the earlier scene.
“Poor Lani? I was thinking poor Daniel. I had visions of Zoe a dozen years from now and thought poor me. It hadn’t occurred to me to think poor Lani.”
“It’s obvious she loves the guy. He wasn’t some vagabond off the street; Daniel and Alex knew him. There is definitely more to this story. Her whole life is written out for her; she has no say in it. I think it would be terribly sad to be 17 and have no fork in the road before you.”
“I’d never thought of it that way.”
“I wish there was something I could do,” Karise sighed.
“You can. You can be her friend. I would imagine she needs one of those right about now.”
Karise nodded. Aidan had a point. She fell asleep that night wondering how she could go about befriending her niece without alienating her sister.
She awoke before he did but she was loath to let him go. Sometime during the night they’d shifted positions, and she found herself back in his arms. It wasn’t a bad place to be. A selfish piece of her wanted to wake him up, knowing this was probably their last moment alone for a while – maybe even until the wedding. But the better part of her wanted to make Aidan and Zoe breakfast, even if the only thing she knew how to make was pancakes.
She’d barely cracked the first egg when a sleepy Zoe joined her. The girl perched on a stool, watching Karise work.
“Did you have fun last night?” Karise asked, wondering if Zoe had been awake when Lani’s guest arrived.
“I did. Look at my toes.” Zoe held out a foot to show off its pretty pink nails.
Karise stopped what she was doing to examine the foot. “Did you do that? Pretty!”
“Lani did it, but I helped.”
“Very nice.” Karise poured the batter on the hot griddle, thinking through her next question before she spoke. “Was there anybody else there with you guys last night?”
“Just the babies, but they were asleep.” Zoe tried to steal a piece of bacon as Karise put it on the plate to cool. She burned her hand in the process. “Ouch.”
Karise handed her an ice cube to hold against the wound. “Let the bacon cool before you steal it.”
Zoe nodded solemnly, tears welling in her big blue eyes.
“Talk about something else; it’ll help get your mind off your finger,” Karise advised.
“Did you have fun last night?” Zoe tried to take her advice.
“I did. I’ve really enjoyed spending time with my family.”
“I like your family.” Zoe’s finger seemed forgotten already.
“I do, too.” Karise could hear the shower turn on. She made herself focus on the pancakes and the conversation at hand. “So Zoe, what do you think about me marrying your daddy? Are you sure you’re okay with that?”
Zoe nodded, and Karise realized she’d been holding her breath, afraid the girl would suddenly protest.
“Well, last night we were talking about maybe getting married soon, so my family can be at the wedding. What do you think about that?”
Zoe gave Karise a pleading look. Karise braced for the worst. “Can I have a piece of bacon yet?”
Karise smiled. “Absolutely. The bacon should be cool now. Help yourself.” She was so elated the kid could have taken a fistful of bacon and gotten away with it—well, until Aidan appeared, anyway. He would have objected to the fistful of bacon. It occurred to her that if she was going to be Zoe’s stepmother, she’d probably have to start objecting to fistfuls of bacon, too.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
AFTER BREAKFAST, Karise borrowed a pair of Aidan’s knit shorts and cinched them down as tight as they’d go. They still hung loosely on her hips, but it beat walking around the farm in his boxers, or so she hoped. She also borrowed his muck boots so she could help him with his chores. Zoe’s giggles when she saw Karise’s completed ensemble didn’t give Karise an ounce of confidence about her appearance.
Zoe played with Bonnie in the yard while Clyde kept watch from the porch. Karise followed Aidan out to the barn, eager and a little apprehensive over her first lesson in goat keeping. Joe had already been out to do the milking and feeding. Aidan said they were doing herd health, but she had a sneaking suspicion he was mostly looking for an excuse to get her back around the goats.
She listened patiently as he explained what he was doing. She held goats when he needed a second set of hands and even tried her hand at trimming a set of hooves. But she still didn’t see their charm, no matter how hard she tried.
“You look like you need a shower,” Aidan observed, wiping his brow with the back of his hand.
“You look like you could use another shower.” She playfully poked his ribs.
He raised his eyebrows at her. “Maybe we should take one together to conserve water.”
“Who knew you were so green-minded?”
“It’s a passion of mine.” He tried to look serious but didn’t quite pull it off.
“Are we done?”
He shook his head. “One more thing. Come on.” With that, he took her hand and led her into the pasture he called th
e kid pen. Karise called it the nursery. She followed him over to a shade tree. He sat down and leaned against the tree before pulling Karise into his lap. She leaned into him; he wrapped his arms around her and sighed.
They didn’t speak; they watched. It didn’t take long for the goats to largely forget their presence, or rather, accept it. Some of the mama goats went back to grazing, oblivious to them. A couple of the others came up smiling, and greeted Aidan with a sound that had to be a friendly hello. He scratched their necks, talking to each one in turn. After they’d gotten their fill of attention, they wandered off to graze, though a couple stayed pretty close to him.
“They’re like people,” he explained. “Some are social, others not so much. They all have distinct personalities, though.”
Karise nodded; she was beginning to see their personalities emerge. And then it began: The first goat leapt into the air, doing a twist and then a kick. He pranced in a circle then leapt again. His display set off a domino of similar displays as baby goats all over the pasture joined in. Karise got the distinct impression they were just so happy to be alive that they couldn’t contain it. When she said as much to Aidan, she could feel his grin against her cheek.
“That’s exactly it, and it’s why I love them. They remind me to find the joy in an ordinary day, and if there isn’t any, to make some. That, and they are who they are. If they want to kiss you, they kiss you. If they want to head butt you, they head butt you. I find their honesty refreshing.”
“I can respect that,” Karise conceded.
Aidan laughed quietly. “But you still don’t see it, do you?”
“I’m beginning to.”
They spent another twenty minutes in the goat field, enjoying the quiet moment together with the animals. When Aidan decided to go check on Zoe, Karise went with him. She wasn’t ready to be left alone with the goats.
“Are we still planning on having everyone over for dinner?” she asked on their way back through the barn.
“We can if you want. Maybe I could throw something on the grill. The house is a little small to entertain.”
“I think something on the grill would be good. And that reminds me—I still haven’t shown you my drawings.”
Aidan suggested dropping her at the cottage while he went shopping for the party. She accepted the offer, eager for a hot shower and some fresh clothes. When she called Devon to see if they were game for a visit, he agreed to round up the troops to be at Aidan’s around two that afternoon, after the twins’ nap.
After Karise had cleaned up and gathered her sketchpad, she walked over to Kate’s to invite her to Aidan’s later. Kate and Tara were sitting on the porch swing when Karise approached; both greeted her with a friendly wave.
“Our big boys are off at work and our little boys are napping,” Kate explained. “So we’re sneaking in some girl time.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Karise wished she’d simply called.
“You’re not interrupting,” Tara waved off her concern. “You’re a girl.”
“I was just coming to see if you wanted to swing by Aidan’s later. He’s throwing something on the grill for dinner. Any time after two, but we won’t eat until later. You’re welcome to come, too,” Karise added as she directed her gaze to Tara. It felt wrong to exclude her and Jack, and she’d have to learn to get along with Jack eventually.
“We’d love to.” Kate didn’t hesitate.
“That sounds nice,” Tara agreed. “And I hear congratulations are in order.”
The conversation turned to the wedding after that, and it took Karise fifteen minutes more to extract herself. She wouldn’t have minded if she hadn’t needed to clean the house before company arrived. On the other hand, it made Karise indescribably happy to realize she had just that: a house to clean before company came over.
She had the radio going and the windows open when Aidan got back from shopping. He came in to find her rocking out with the vacuum cleaner. He startled her by sweeping her into his arms, the vacuum clattering to the floor as he whisked her into their own dance. She laughed and pushed him away before going to retrieve the vacuum. Nonplussed, he turned to Zoe, who was a much more willing dance partner. Karise couldn’t help smiling at their antics.
By the time Devon’s rented SUV pulled down the drive, she had the house sparkling. Aidan was busy setting up the cooler when Karise greeted everyone on the front porch. She wanted so badly to ask Alex what was going on and if everyone was okay, but she knew it was none of her business. Still, she gave Lani a warm hug as she welcomed her, taking the girl by surprise.
Aidan joined Karise for the grand tour; her obvious love for the little farmhouse seemed to please him. Jane and Alex—though both lived in palaces, virtual and literal – commented only on how lovely the home was, how pretty the rich wood door and window frames were, and how they envied the front porch swing.
Karise was tempted to show them the poppy field, but Gavin was pulling down the driveway. When Jack’s family followed soon after, Karise did her best not to tense with his arrival.
After everyone had drinks, knew where the bathroom was, and had settled into groups to chitchat, Karise and Alex finally got a chance to talk. They wandered through one of the fields, admiring the lush green and enjoying the peace.
“I’m sorry about last night,” Alex began, saving Karise the debate over whether or not to bring it up.
“It’s okay. How is everyone today?”
“Better. Sad, but not quite as despondent as last night.”
“Tell me to butt out if you want, I get it, but who was that?”
“Aaron Johnston,” Alex sighed the name. “I knew when I first laid eyes on that kid that he was going to give us trouble.”
“Is he that bad?”
“Aaron? No; he’s an incredible young man. I couldn’t love him more.”
“Sorry. I guess I’m not seeing the problem.”
“Aaron grew up in southwest Missouri breaking in mustangs. He’s the epitome of cowboy. Now he rides the rodeo circuit – and just so happens to be in town at the moment. Lani neglected to tell us that little tidbit when she asked if she could come with us.”
“So you’re afraid the cowboy will break her heart?”
Alex nodded. “Even if he doesn’t mean to, it’s going to happen. She is the reigning ruler of a small country. That’s not something she can just chuck to traipse across the western half of this country, chasing after some kid who likes to get thrown off of horses for a living. Although I think deep down, that’s exactly what Daniel is worried about – that he’ll turn around one day and she’ll just be gone. As cruel as it sounds, the queen of Tuwanga doesn’t have the luxury of being 17 and in love.”
“I was afraid it was something like that.”Karise frowned. “But judging from Daniel’s reaction, I wasn’t entirely sure.”
“Daniel has been protecting Lani since she was a baby; he feels responsible for her parents’ deaths, so that doesn’t help. I mean, it wasn’t his fault, but he blames himself for not being able to save them. And ever since, he’s been the only father she’s ever known. He’s warned Aaron a couple of times to leave Lani alone, to let her heal. It’s her heart he’s trying to protect this time, and he’s totally lost.
“I can’t help but think her heart is already broken. One memory to take home and treasure can’t make things worse, can it?” Karise hoped she was right.
“Maybe.” Alex mulled over the words.
“I do not envy you trying to navigate the teen years with all those extra layers of complexity wrapped around them. I think that’s a hard enough time under the best of circumstances.”
“You’ll have your hands very full when Zoe gets there,” Alex predicted.
Karise had to agree; she’d thought the same thing before. Even if she should leave well enough alone, she couldn’t seem to stop herself from suggesting they go to the rodeo that night. “Maybe let her spend a few days with him when you’re there to c
haperone them. That’s got to be better than her sneaking around to see him, right?”
“I’ll talk to Daniel.”
“I think that’s a good idea. If you want to tell me to shut up and butt out, that’s okay, too.”
“What’s the point of having a sister if you don’t take her advice?” Alex looped her arm through Karise’s as they circled back to join the others.
When they got there, it was obvious to Karise that Jack was no more comfortable with Devon or Alex than he was with Karise. Calling him out on it would be rude, but it did seem like the perfect time to ask Devon the question she’d been trying to for weeks now.
“Hey Devon, did Dane McAlister ever live in this area? Someone I met seemed to think he did.” Karise tried to sound nonchalant. Aidan looked up from grilling to raise his eyebrows at her.
“I can answer that one for you.” Jack surprised them all. “I knew Dane when he lived here. I knew your mother, too.”
Karise sank into a nearby seat, shocked.
“Really?” Devon was the first to speak. “I knew they both lived here once upon a time, but I hadn’t realized just how small of a world it was.”
“Could you tell us about them?” Alex asked softly.
Jack shook his head, something other than irritation creasing his brow. “I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s not my place.”
By now, he had the full attention of every adult.
“Whatever it is, we want to hear it,” Karise prompted.
Jack took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. “I just get so damned mad every time the media splashes her face around.”
Karise thought she understood what he was saying until he went on and she realized she’d completely misread the situation.
“Victoria McAlister, when I knew her, was the life of the party. She was actually pretty good friends with your mom, Kate. I mean, they were a few years apart, but their families were close. Maybe that’s why you and Karise were drawn to each other.”
Devon’s face was tinged with sadness. “Mom’s smile could light up a room. I remember that about her.”
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