Quinn drove along the same route they’d cleared the night before.
Adrian only had to get out once to drag a small tree over to the side of the road. As he did, he noticed a HOUSE FOR SALE sign lying in the ditch near a gently winding drive that led down a hill and over a picturesque bridge spanning a sweet little creek.
It was that cute farmhouse Heather had pointed out when they’d gone for their joyride that eventually wound up at Big Daddy’s Bar & Grill. The white house at the top of the hill sat stately and serene behind a rustic wood farm fence. Beyond the house, a cute red barn. Adrian took his phone out of his pocket and took a picture of the sign, then another of the address on the sideways-leaning mailbox.
Abby rolled down the truck’s window and leaned out. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing.” He put his phone back in his pocket and walked back to the truck. “Just enjoying the view.” He was so going to call that real estate agent the second he found a few minutes of privacy. It was too early for him and Heather to talk about commitment, and that was okay. But if she liked that sweet little house, he could help her and the kids get settled there, and he’d stay in his loft in New Orleans for as long as it took for them to figure things out. She could take all the time she needed to get used to the idea of them as a couple and a family.
She was worth the wait.
***
Friday afternoon, Heather finished her shelter work for the day and walked over to Reva’s, where she and the kids were staying until they found another place. Heather had been apartment hunting because she had neither the money nor the heart to start looking for a house to buy. She was still dithering with the two insurance companies—hazard and flood—who were arguing over which insurance agency was responsible for which portion of the disaster her house had become.
Meanwhile, it was becoming more and more apparent that most apartments had pet restrictions that cut out one or both of their animal family members, and no way was Heather considering anyplace that didn’t welcome every member of her multispecies family.
Reva was stuck with them for now, but Heather was doing her best to help out and simultaneously stay out of the way. Tonight, the twins were going home from school with Sara and her son, Max, to spend the night. Erin was at one of her yearbook club meetings at Sierra’s house and would be dropped off later by one of Sierra’s parents.
Heather’s heart did a happy twirl when she walked through the swing gate to Bayside Barn and saw Adrian’s car parked by the barn. He was probably still out riding Charlie, so she went to Reva’s guest bathroom, showered, and changed into clean clothes. She dressed more carefully than usual, in a pretty A-line sundress topped with a bolero-style cardigan.
She hoped to lure him into going on an almost-date so they could have a private conversation in a relaxed location where they weren’t likely to be disturbed by kids or dogs or people. She hadn’t decided where that might be, but honestly, she’d be happy enough if they could just drive somewhere together and pull over to side of the road.
Maybe on a lonely country road.
Where nobody else ever went.
She walked into the kitchen as Reva came through the back door. “Well,” Reva purred, “don’t you look pretty.”
“I’m…” Heather could feel her cheeks turning pink. “I’m just…”
Reva chuckled. “I know what you’re just, and I totally approve.” She uncorked a bottle of white wine from the fridge and poured a thin sliver of wine into two wineglasses. “Not that it’s any of my business.” She held a glass out to Heather, then clinked them in a toast. “To new beginnings.”
They both took a sip, then Reva tilted her head toward the barn. “Adrian is in the barn, putting Charlie up after their ride. In case you’re interested.”
“Oh, thanks.” Heather knocked back the rest of her wine—just a sip, but still—then pressed her hand to her chest and coughed. Light-headed, she set the glass on the counter and wobbled to the door.
“Lightweight,” Reva teased. “Y’all have fun. I’ll feed Jasper when I feed Georgia, and I’ll be watching for Erin to come home. Feel free to take your time.”
Heather stepped into the barn just as Adrian was closing Charlie’s stall door. “Hey. I was hoping I could convince you to go on a…on a date, I guess…before you head back to New Orleans.”
He slid the latch home with a quiet click. “I’m kind of horsey and sweaty…”
She stepped closer. “I don’t care.”
“Okay. There’s something I’d like to show you anyway. Maybe we could do that too, while we’re out.”
“Whatever you want.”
“Um…” He ran a hand down his sweat-soaked T-shirt, smearing a bright-green slime mark that slashed across it. “I have a change of clothes in my car, if you wouldn’t mind giving me time for a quick shower first. Quinn said I could use the shower in the pool house whenever I want, now that they’ve moved into the cabin.”
“I’ll visit with Charlie while I wait. See you in…” She looked at an imaginary wristwatch. “Fifteen minutes?”
He grinned. “Five, tops.”
True to his word, he came back soon, though her imaginary wristwatch wasn’t accurate enough for her to be sure. Dressed in a pair of clean jeans and a black T-shirt, with comb marks furrowing his dark hair, he looked like a movie poster of a sexy cowboy. “I’m ready.”
She walked toward him slowly, then leaned into him and tilted her face up to invite a kiss. “You sure?”
He used his thumb and forefinger to tip her chin up just a bit more. His mouth hovered a breath above hers. “I think we need to collect more data before I can make a…firm…decision.”
She closed her eyes, but instead of kissing her, he put an arm around her waist and guided her through the barn to his convertible. He helped her into the passenger seat, then came around the hood to get into the driver’s seat and start the engine. “Was there anywhere you were dead set on going?”
“Somewhere private?”
“Your wish is my command.” He put the car in reverse and backed down the drive so fast she had to close her eyes. “Buckle your seat belt. We’re going on another joyride.”
“Where are we going?”
“I want to show you my new business venture.” He reached over and took her hand. “What did you want to talk to me about?”
“Well…” She brought her right hand up to chew on her pinkie fingernail. “I know that Charlie is happy at Bayside Barn, but I also know that you’re his favorite person, and maybe it’s selfish of me to keep him so close to me when I could let you keep him instead.”
“Keep him?” Adrian glanced at her briefly before returning his attention to the road. “What do you mean?”
“There are some nice full-board horse barns in New Orleans. You could ride him every day if he were yours. If he lived closer to you instead of closer to me.”
Adrian nodded. “I see what you’re saying.”
“And?”
“Let me show you my new business venture.”
She hadn’t been paying attention to where they were going, but he turned down the driveway of the cute farmhouse she’d noticed on their first joyride, where he’d pretended to claim the John Deere tractor some guy was driving. “I’ve been thinking of becoming a real estate baron. Buying up properties and renting them out—or renovating and selling, whatever.” The car’s tires bumped over the slats in the wooden bridge. “What do you think of this place for you and the kids? House, barn, and pool, on ten acres with fencing and cross-fencing.”
“It’s lovely, but I can’t afford this.” The modern farmhouse on the hill was beautiful. With its wide wraparound porch, white-plank exterior, and dark-charcoal roof and trim, it was exactly the sort of house Heather would choose for herself if money were no object. Her house—the one she’d just lost—had been nice,
but this one was extravagant.
“But I can afford it.” Adrian drove through the open gate of the weathered-wood farm fence and parked on the T-shaped concrete drive. “It’s an investment. I wouldn’t expect my renter to pay anything near what it costs to own.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “I’d expect to lose money. It’s a tax write-off.”
She smiled at him. “You are so full of shit.”
“Come see.” They got out of the car and walked along the concrete path that wound through the beautifully landscaped area surrounding the house. He slipped an arm through hers and gestured grandly with his other arm at the property, from the polished-concrete back porch overlooking the pool to the fancy red barn situated a hundred feet away at the back side of the hill. “Wouldn’t Charlie love this?”
“Charlie doesn’t care where he is as long as someone there loves him.”
“Truer words…” Adrian smiled down at her.
“Wait.” She put a hand on his arm. “We need to talk.”
“Okay.” He stood next to her, looking uncharacteristically apprehensive. “Let’s talk.”
“Adrian, this is such a sweet gesture, but…” She took his hands in hers. “I can only accept it under one condition.”
His lips tightened, but he didn’t say anything. He nodded for her to continue. “Go on.”
“I need to know that the kids and I won’t be staying by ourselves here for long.” She threaded her fingers through his and squeezed. “I need to know that one of these days, maybe sooner than later, you’ll be living here with us. If you’ll have us, I want us to be a family.”
“Well, Heather.” His apprehensive expression morphed into a huge smile. “Are you proposing to me?”
She smiled back, all her fears washed away by a flood of joy. “I guess I am.”
He laughed, then threw his arms around her and held her tight. “Heather, I love you so much.”
She hugged him back with all her strength. “Is that a yes?”
“Hell yes, that’s a yes.”
Epilogue
When Charlie heard Adrian say, “Load up!” in that happy tone, he bolted toward the new, fancy horse trailer, moving so quickly that he almost stepped on Jasper, who had some silly thought in his head that he was helping by getting underfoot.
Jasper didn’t seem to care when he almost got stepped on, though, because honestly, the dog didn’t have more than two thoughts in his head to rub together at a time, and he had already moved on from “How long has it been since breakfast?” to “How close is it to dinnertime?”
Charlie leaped into the trailer and stepped right up to the tie-down loop at the front, then stood still so Adrian could fasten the lead rope. “You’re okay, boy,” Adrian whispered in Charlie’s ear. “We’re going home now, and when we get there, a special surprise will be waiting for you.”
Charlie’s skin quivered with anticipation. He didn’t know where he was going, though Heather had tried to explain with words, and Adrian had sent the emotions of love and acceptance and anticipation.
Reva had shown him mind pictures of the place: a barn with a view of a huge green pasture bordered by tall trees. She’d also shown pictures of his family: Adrian and Heather, Erin, Josh and Caroline, Jasper and Winky—the one-eyed cat who Charlie hadn’t yet met but who’d been communicating with him for quite some time.
Charlie knew already that Winky would be a friend. Winky had been sending mind pictures, too, along with messages informing Charlie that Winky would be in charge of the barn. Charlie would have to obey Winky in all barn matters because Winky had been there first and had marked out his territory by rubbing his scent on all the important pillars and posts.
Charlie was happy to bow to Winky’s rule because Winky had also promised that no intruders would be allowed to eat Charlie’s grain under the watch of Winky’s one good eye. Charlie had seen firsthand how Reva’s cats used scent marking and other magical means to keep intruders from venturing into Bayside Barn, and Charlie knew that he was lucky to have a magical cat in charge of his new barn.
But what nobody, not even Reva, would tell Charlie was the surprise that was waiting for him in the home he hadn’t yet seen.
Charlie spread his legs to balance as Adrian drove the new truck and trailer down the gravel drive of Bayside Barn. He whinnied goodbye to his friends, Sunshine and Midnight and Miriam and Elijah. He snorted a good riddance to Gregory the goat, who possessed, in Charlie’s opinion, an overinflated ego that deserved a good popping.
Adrian had tied the lead rope so tightly to the tie-down that Charlie couldn’t see much outside the trailer, but he smelled the pine trees and the green grass and the clear spring water of his new home before the truck slowed, and the trailer under his hooves bumped to a near-stop before turning.
Home.
This was a new place that Charlie had never seen before, but already, it smelled like home.
But there was a new smell, a different smell, one he’d never encountered before, carried on the fresh wind that cut through the humid heat and sent leaves flying. A scent that made Charlie’s ears prick forward and his tail arch up and his hooves dance against the newly milled boards beneath them.
Charlie strained against the lead rope to look out the trailer’s slatted window openings, but he couldn’t see.
He could only smell the scent that brought back his days of youth and vigor, days when love was in the air and anything was possible.
The trailer rocked to a stop. The truck’s diesel engine stilled. The trailer’s door behind Charlie opened with a giant, screeching squeal.
Adrian walked up behind Charlie and stood on the other side of the trailer’s central divide. Adrian cooed soft words and made soothing clicking sounds with his tongue while he untied Charlie’s lead rope and backed him out of the trailer, step by step.
When Charlie’s hooves hit the hard concrete driveway and Adrian grabbed the lead rope to circle him back around, Charlie lifted his head and breathed in, inflating his nostrils to catch the elusive scent that had him so enthralled.
He remembered the words his humans had said about what he would find at the end of this next journey: present and surprise.
No wonder animals didn’t bother with human words because they couldn’t begin to express a reality that went far beyond words.
Charlie tugged at the lead rope and rushed toward the pasture where his future waited for him, her chestnut coat gleaming, her beautiful neck arched and high, her tail raised, and her nostrils flaring as her eyes locked with his.
Charlie realized in that moment that he had been waiting all his life for her and that every worry, every hardship, every loss, and even every love he’d endured in his life had been leading him to her.
Heather opened the pasture gate, and Charlie jerked his head and ripped the lead rope from Adrian’s hands, then ran through the open gate to meet his mate.
The lead rope flew out behind him, flapping against his back and tangling in his tail. He would apologize to Adrian later, but right now, he couldn’t bring himself to wait for permission to begin living the rest of his life.
Acknowledgments
As always, I have many people to thank for their invaluable help and support during the writing of this book. I know that words will fail to express the depth of my heartfelt appreciation, but I want to try, so here goes:
I owe a BIG thank you to…
Brandon James, director of the Atmore/PCI animal shelter, for taking the time to answer my questions about creating and sustaining a small-town animal shelter. You’ve done so much good for your community. Your driveway in Heaven is paved in gold, studded with diamonds, and lined with dogs and cats waiting for you to unlock the door to the mansion so they can come inside.
Lisa Miller, for your friendship and encouragement, and for creating your amazing Story Structure
Safari method that I always use to assemble the bones of every book I write.
Margie Lawson, for helping writers to hone their craft, share what they’ve learned, and meet up with kindred spirits. I’ve learned so much and met so many friends through Lawson Writer’s Academy.
Deb Werksman, the world’s best editor, for bringing out the best in my writing. Your sharp eye and delicately wielded scalpel make all the difference. If you ever get tired of being an editor, you’d make a fine plastic surgeon.
Everyone at Sourcebooks! Your dedication makes every book an enjoyable experience for readers, but also for authors. Special thanks to Susie Benton and Christa Désir for your sensitive and insightful edits, to Jessica Smith for your diligence, determination, and guidance in the copy editing phase, to Stefani Sloma for taking the terror out of marketing, to Beth Sochacki for including me in fun author events, to Rachel Gilmer for organizing the launches, and to everyone else on the team, many whose names I don’t even know, for everything they did to make this book a reality.
Lesley Sabga at the Seymour Agency for your first-read notes, brainstorming, and regular check-ins to make sure all is well, and Nicole Resciniti for always being just an email away.
JoAnn Sky and the Plotting Wenches (That sounds like a great name for a band, doesn’t it?) for brainstorming and first reads.
Katrina Martin, my virtual executive assistant, for fulfilling my lifelong dream of having a trusted friend who possesses the wits and the will to wrangle my inbox, plan my days, and make sure I do yoga most mornings.
Jennifer Newell of SB Creative Content for taking the text and photos I toss at you and somehow turning them into a beautiful website, and a newsletter that actually goes out to subscribers almost every month! (When it doesn’t, it’s my fault, not Jennifer’s.)
Shelley Glass, my neighbor and friend, for making sure we didn’t starve when I was too busy writing to cook.
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