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CHAPTER ELEVEN
June 26
ADAM
It's dinner time and the whole family is together, which is unusual. It's summer and North Starr Ranch is in full swing. Horses are ready for auction as well as almost daily appointments with private buyers who want first dibs on our best stock. Then there are the steers to be culled and sent off to market. Crops to be tended. We're not a commercial farm, but we grow hay and other grains for our own livestock.
Then there's The Hamilton Hotel—whenever I get an email from Caroline, the manager, I think back to the night when I first met Kit. When I saw her in the hotel bar, I had a feeling about her. Now I have even more feelings. Deep feelings.
Regardless, The Hamilton is a business that needs my supervision. And then there's personnel issues, our other investments in hotels and mineral rights, and now, Boone's new wedding place.
We're all busy from dawn to dusk, so it's nice when we can be together for dinner. I sit at the head of the table, the place my dad always held, and it still feels a little awkward. Will I ever measure up to him?
No time to ponder that thought at the moment. Dinner is ready and we're all about to dive into steaks and corn on the cob, enjoying the bounty of summer. In addition to wrangling the four of us Starr siblings and running the house, Midge also has a garden where she grows corn, tomatoes, lettuce and green beans. Much as I think she overdoes it around here, I'm glad she hasn't given up the garden. Despite the fancy house and overflowing bank account, I'm a country boy at heart and fresh corn and tomatoes taste better than any fancy five-star meal as far as I'm concerned.
Once everyone is settled in with heaping plates of food, Boone stands up. At first, I assume she's forgotten to wash her hands or something but she doesn't move, just stands there until we all pause and look up at her.
She reaches down and picks up her glass of wine and raises it. "I would like to announce a major addition to life here at North Starr Ranch," she says and I'm not sure where she's going and I pray she's not about to announce she's pregnant. I've got nothing against kids, but Boone is not ready to be a parent.
"Kit, my dearest and bestest friend, has agreed to stay here at North Starr Ranch and be my number one assistant and right-hand woman in running our party business, The Love Knot." As she speaks, happiness spreads over Boone's face and as the words sink in, I can't help but grin like an idiot myself.
Kit's going to stay.
I know we talked about it last night and I was pretty sure that's what she was going to do. What I'd hoped she'd do. Hoped like hell she'd do.
"A toast," Boone goes on, raising her glass, "to Kit and The Love Knot. And to the newest addition to North Starr Ranch."
We all raise our glasses and toast my beautiful girl, Kit. Deacon and Caleb seem genuinely pleased. I know I'm over the moon happy. I glance at Kit and she's blushing adorably.
"Th-thanks, everyone," she says. "I'm excited. I-I hope I won't be a bother."
"Of course not," Boone says as she sits. Caleb and Deacon also assure Kit she's very welcome here. It would be rude if I didn't say something.
I turn to Kit and hold up my glass. "Looking forward to having you here," I say and it's about the most truthful thing I've said in a long time. I can hardly believe she'll be here, in my house. And not for a quick visit.
"Thank you," she says. "I'm looking forward to it too." And somehow everything in the room melts away and it's the two of us looking at each other with so much unspoken, but hoped for, between us.
"Okay, can we get on with dinner?" Deacon asks. "I'm starving."
We all laugh and the moment between Kit and me is broken. Probably just as well because I was thinking about doing all sorts of naughty things with her.
Apparently, she was too because as she held her ear of corn up to her mouth, she gave me a purposeful look and ran her tongue along the buttery kernels before taking a bite.
* * *
KIT
Well, the cat's out of the bag, so to speak.
It's a relief to have made a decision, though I can't help having doubts. Me? On a ranch in Montana? Admittedly, North Starr Ranch is an elegant and beautiful place to live. Hardly the farm I'd envisioned as I drove from Ponderosa Pass to Chickadee Ridge.
In fact, very little has gone as expected on this trip.
It's actually been a thousand times better than anything I could have imagined. A glimmer of hope blooms in my chest.
After dinner and a dessert of strawberry shortcake, we all sit on the porch and talk about The Love Knot. I’m surprised by how interested all three of Boone's brothers are in our plans.
Adam is the first to excuse himself, wishing us all a good night's sleep, his gaze lingering on mine a fraction of a second longer than necessary and my tummy does that flip flop thing.
