I’d known this place was special from the moment I arrived. But Kirby Falls wouldn’t be home without the woman in my arms. Without that little boy running through the fields. Without the acceptance and joy I’d found here.
Home was what we made for ourselves, built and maintained with love. And I was never going to take that for granted.
Suddenly, Joan’s mouth broke away from mine. Before I could protest or draw her bottom lip between my teeth, she said, “I love you, too. I should have told you that. I should have never made you wonder or question it. I love you so much, Ian. There are probably people out there who’d be better for you. Who’d be easy and agreeable, who’d slot themselves effortlessly into your life. But no one will love you the way I do.”
I smiled, relieved and elated, overwhelmed and comforted. She was right. No one would be as dedicated, as loyal, as fiercely loving as the woman before me. It was an honor to be hers, and I’d spend the rest of my life making sure I earned all that devotion and returned it many times over.
My fingers stroked a path up and down her spine, and I nodded. “I know. And I promise, I’ll never make you regret it. I love you, Joanie.”
Her hands cupped my face, and I knew we were grinning at each other like idiots. But I didn’t care. I was right where I belonged.
“Besides,” I said seriously. “We have a goat together. I would never abandon my kid.”
“Oh my God,” Joan groaned, dropping her forehead to my shoulder.
“Get it? My kid. Do you get it?”
I could feel her body shaking with laughter, and I held her a little tighter. Thinking, I’d never let go.
twenty-four
JOAN
Several weeks later
“Is everyone gathered round? Can you hear us?” Brady practically shouted through the tiny speaker of my cell phone.
“Yes, we’re here.” I was holding up the device while over a dozen of us gathered beneath the private pavilion overlooking Lake Archer.
It was Junior and Nola Clark’s annual Memorial Day celebration at their lake house, but Mac and Brady had been suspiciously absent.
I’d gotten a video call a few minutes ago from the devious pair, but they wouldn’t tell us where they were until we’d assembled all relevant parties. That included parents and siblings for both of them, as well as friends and cousins.
As I held my arm out as far from my body as humanly possible, I felt the press of curious bodies. Ian was at my side. My sister leaned in behind me, her little pregnant belly pushing gently into my back. Mercer was there, along with my parents. Bonnie and Jack struggled to see the screen as Larry demanded to know what this was all about. Will looked on grumpily with a cheerful Becca under his arm. Chloe and Jordan were in myperiphery with a tiny baby in theirs. Brady’s best friend, Cole Abernathy, whispered something from Ian’s other side, but I couldn’t hear it over everyone else’s yapping. Mac’s parents, grandparents, aunt, and uncles rounded out our numbers.
“Y’all, be quiet,” Mac called. “We have some news.”
The crowd quieted, and I couldn’t help but feel like this was par for the course with these two. They’d put us through all sorts of drama last Memorial Day, too.
When they had everyone’s rapt attention, Mac and Brady shouted in unison, “We got married!”
And sure enough, the camera panned to show the Vegas Strip, the sun shining brightly and people everywhere. Mac was riding piggyback, her arms draped over Brady’s shoulders, where she flashed a shiny diamond on her left hand.
“Bro,” Ian said solemnly. “Without us?”
“Bro, I know,” Brady replied, a little shamefaced. “But we’re going to have a huge wedding reception this summer. We’ll celebrate with all y’all.”
“Okay, good,” Ian decided. “I’ll plan the belated bachelor party.”
Conversation burst around me, everyone talking at once. The troublemaking pair accepted congratulations and fielded grumbles. And my arm grew tired from holding my phone out for so long. Larry helped me out by grabbing the device so she could scold her cousin directly. I figured my phone would eventually make its way back to me.
Ian and I drifted over to the cornhole boards, where George was playing with Darren, Sophia, and Sophia’s boyfriend, Alex.
“I can’t believe they did that,” Ian said, but he was smiling.
I huffed out a laugh. “I can.”
I imagined the wedding reception would make up for Mac and Brady getting married without us. Either way, I was happy for my brother. Mac made him a joyful idiot, and they were good for each other. It had takensome time for them to get things right, but sometimes it meant more when you had to work for it.
