After the Summer Rain
Page 27
She swallowed. “You never said the words to me.” She met Mel’s gaze. “But it was there in your eyes. I saw it…I did. But I didn’t know what to do with it. I’d never seen it before. Once I did… Well, I knew that it was supposed to be there. Sarah…” She shook her head. “It wasn’t there, it had never been there.”
“You saw it, huh? I thought I hid it well. I didn’t even dare admit it to myself until after you’d left.” Melanie gave her a quick smile. “I hope you told her to never, ever kiss you again, right?”
She nodded. “I kicked her out, told her I’d call the police if she came to the house again. She called me a loser. That was her parting shot: I was a loser.” Erin leaned down and kissed her. “With you, I think I’m the winner.”
Chapter Sixty
“You don’t know how much I missed this little goat.”
“Judging by how long you’ve been rubbing on her, I’d guess it was more than you missed me.”
Erin laughed. “I think I rubbed on you quite a bit last night.”
“So you did.”
Erin pointed to the small oak tree near the cabin. “Hummingbird feeder is gone. They all leave?”
“They did. Most left… Well, not too long after you did.”
“I wish I hadn’t left, Mel, but I needed to leave. At the time, I needed to leave.”
“I know. You needed to leave in order to…to know.”
“Exactly.” Erin held her hand out to her. “Walk to the creek? I’d like to say hello to it.”
Melanie nodded. “I love that about you.”
“What?”
“That you think of everything as more than just an inert object…or a stupid farm animal.”
Erin’s eyes widened dramatically. “Are you calling the goats and chickens stupid?” She lowered her voice. “They’ll hear you!”
Melanie took her hand and swung it between them as they headed to the creek. “I think the chickens missed you. I don’t throw out nearly as much scratch as you did. And Rosie? She always looked past me, like she was waiting for you to come up behind me.”
“And the ladies? Did they grill you after I left?”
“Yes, but they were very sweet. They could tell that I was hurting. At the monthly dinner in October, Rebecca told me that you’d be back.” The smile she’d had on her face faded somewhat. “I didn’t believe her. When I got home, I crawled into bed and cried.”
“I’m sorry, Mel.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t believe her.” She linked arms with Erin as they stood beside the creek. “Thanksgiving is tomorrow. We always have a big feast at Stella’s. Takes the place of our monthly dinner.”
“Good. I’ll look forward to it. Be nice to see everyone.”
“Yes. You can help me cook. Angela and I bring the meatless loaves. Two each. Everyone else brings a side dish.” She grinned. “Rachel will cook the beans.”
“Oh, goody,” Erin said dryly. “How I’ve missed them.”
“Stella bakes pies. And now that you’re here, I would imagine there’ll be a chocolate cake at the table too.”
“Did I pick the right time to come back or what?” she teased.
“How was Stella? You never said. Was she surprised to see you?”
“I don’t think so, no. She wanted to know what took me so long.”
Melanie nodded. “She came to see me a couple of days after you left. Brought Fred over for some company for me.” She leaned her head against Erin’s shoulder. “You’re not going to leave again, right?”
“I’m not going to leave.”
She lifted her head, looking at Erin. “Are you going to get bored being here?”
“Bored?” Erin frowned. “What are you worried about, Mel? Tell me.”
“I’m worried that you’re used to living in a city and you’re not used to being on a farm.” There. She’d said it. Her worst fear—that Erin would grow bored here and leave again.
Erin cupped her face for a moment, then her thumb moved gently across her cheek. “I was here three months. Did I look like I was bored?”
“Not counting the first week? No, not really. But you knew you’d be leaving. There was an end date, an end in sight. It’s a lot different here during the winter than during the summer.”
“I’ll find something to keep me busy.” Erin took a step away, then glanced back toward the cabin. “I’m used to building things. Maybe I’ll enlarge the shed or something. Or build new stalls and we can get more goats! Or some horses or something.”
She smiled. “Horses? Have you ever ridden a horse?”
“No. But I’m thinking it would be a lot of fun.” She smiled at her. “Point is, I’m not going to get bored. And I’ve been on construction sites since I was old enough to walk. I’m pretty handy with power tools. I’d guess that there are a lot of odds and ends that the ladies need help with.”
“Like a handyman?”
Erin smiled. “Handywoman,” she corrected.
Melanie took her hand and tugged her back toward the cabin. “Handywoman,” she repeated. “I like it. And speaking of getting more goats, guess what day it is?”
Erin gave an exaggerated groan. “Ah…come on. I just got here. You can’t possibly expect me to muck the goat stall.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Ah, Mel…that’s such a shitty job.”
“I know it is.” She grinned. “That’s why I’m so glad you’re here, my handywoman.”
“Oh, I don’t mind mucking the stall. Little Rosie gives me love taps while I do it.” Erin stopped walking, her gaze drawn to the sky. “It’s so blue. Like…bluer than I’ve ever seen before.” She turned to her then. “Beautiful. Everything is beautiful. I’m looking forward to a real winter…cuddling by the fire. And spring, when everything blooms again and the birds come back.” She smiled. “But I’m mostly looking forward to summer. Play days in the creek, the hot springs.” Erin reached out and touched her chest, running her finger down between her breasts. “You out in the garden, topless. The summer rain chasing us into the shed…”
“So you can steal a kiss,” she finished for her.
“Lots of kisses.” She leaned forward and kissed her then. “I’m very happy, Mel. I feel like my heart is smiling.”
Melanie nodded. “Me too.” She moved into her arms. “I love you.” She felt Erin squeeze her tight, heard the softly spoken words repeated to her.
Yes, her heart was smiling too. Erin was home. Everything was perfect now. She found Erin’s mouth again and let the kiss deepen.
“Maybe the goat stall can wait,” she murmured after a while.
Erin laughed lightly as she led her away from the shed and toward the cabin. “You’re too easy.”
“Are you complaining?”
“That you’d rather make love than clean goat poop?” Erin looked past her to where the twins were watching them from between the slats in the fence. “Sorry, girls. You’ll have to wait.”
Melanie was smiling as she went into the cabin. She paused, glancing back outside, finding only Rosie still staring after them with a somewhat accusing look on her face. Then, in typical young goat fashion, she kicked up her heels and did a spinout in the chicken yard, scattering the hens in the process.
With a contented sigh, she closed the door and let Erin lead her purposefully into their bedroom.
Bella Books, Inc.
Women. Books. Even Better Together.
P.O. Box 10543
Tallahassee, FL 32302
Phone: 800-729-4992
www.bellabooks.com
%); " class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons">share