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Twenty-One
Laney
It wasn’t the first gathering Archer and I had held at our new place, but tonight was for fun, not for moving and hauling out old equipment. I wanted nothing more than to celebrate my marriage with friends like I hadn’t gotten to do three years earlier. Everyone was gathered around the area where Archer planned to have a firepit, and weather willing, one day we’d get to have an actual fire.
I dug in the cooler. “Kennedy, want anything?”
She lifted her water. “Nah, I’m good.”
Liam was also at our belated wedding reception. Kennedy didn’t have to worry about driving unless it was Liam’s turn to get lit. The boys had been here earlier, but Liam’s grandma had picked them up for a sleepover at her place.
Kennedy caught me eyeing her water. A flash of alarm ran through her expression, then guilt like she’d been busted with someone else’s candy, and realization dawned on me. I mouthed,Oh my God. She glanced around to make sure no one noticed and pushed out of her chair.
I played it cool. Aspen was chatting with Lyric on the same camp chairs they’d packed to Medora, only with this get-together, Aspen was wearing athletic shoes. Lyric was dressed as similarly as the last time I saw her. Stetson had stopped by earlier—before Liam had arrived—to let us know he hated to miss our house warming-slash-belated wedding reception, but he had to go out of town.
He was likely skipping the awkwardness of being in the same vicinity as Liam. And the drama afterward, if his parents found out he’d socialized with his half brother.
Kennedy sidled up next to me and whispered, “I didn’t want to spoil your special day, or I would’ve told you. I was going to tomorrow.”
“It only makes the day more special,” I whispered back. My best friend was pregnant. How awesome was that? “I want to hug you so bad, but then people would ask questions.”
“I’m going to tell Lyric and Aspen tomorrow, and we’ll do a big-brother reveal party for the boys.”
“I’m soooo happy for you.”
She grinned and wiggled like she wanted to do a little dance. “Thank you.” She inhaled and fanned her face. “Be cool, be cool.”
Holden approached. Archer had been showing him the house. “I can’t believe you guys were able to get in here so fast.”
“That would be my husband’s doing.” The ass-kissing at the draw had paid off. But I wanted to think Dan could see how much I loved this area for no other reason than it was peaceful and beautiful and I’d want to keep it that way as much as he did.
Archer came up behind Holden, looking perfect in his jeans and boots. “What did I do?”
“You called Dan the day you quit—without telling me—and discussed whether he thought he was getting a fair price for this property.” I couldn’t suppress my grin as I told the story. “And then you offered him more, and even more on top of that if we could get in right away.”
Archer chuckled. “They were willing to pay me to help them move.”
Both of us had helped them sort, pack, and load what Dan and Alice kept, and we hauled what they weren’t keeping. They’d lived at this place for almost forty years, but the process hadn’t been as consuming as I feared. Dan had slowly been clearing out the accumulated junk.
He had been so excited that this place would be a happy home for another couple for forty years.
I scanned my new place. The old farmhouse was in rough shape. Foam green with a leaky roof, creaky stairs, and a sagging porch, and the inside wasn’t much better. Archer and I were planning the place we would build next summer. We’d have to wait for the condo sale to go through before we initiated it, but the house would do fine for another year.
As for the rest of the place—also a bit run down. Alice’s chicken coop was the nicest, and she’d given me a crash course in all things hens and egg laying. Most of her customers were willing to give me a chance while I learned how to farm eggs. She was specific on the feed she used, and based on the way Holden gushed about the eggs, the feed was critical.
Then there was the ranch. Like Ma planned to do, Dan had downsized over the years. Archer and I would have a busy fall and spring of fixing fence and making improvements on the barn. Those had withstood the years slightly better than the house. Dan and Alice had put their money into the business instead of the house.
Archer slipped his phone out of his pocket, and his forehead crinkled. He glanced at our little gathering by the coolers. “Excuse me.”
He moved closer to the vehicles, waving at Bruce and Willow pulling in. His uncle had been thrilled we were moving home and would be neighbors. Bruce had told Archer that his dad had called him a few days ago. The reunion thrilled Archer, and me too. The more support, the better.
Holden grabbed a beer and went to the group circling the cold firepit.
Kennedy’s gaze stuck on Liam, adoration in her eyes. Was that how I looked at Archer? Stupid in love?
I was okay with that.
Kennedy let out a wistful sigh like she was anticipating having the house and Liam to herself since the twins were with his grandma. She switched her attention to me. “You’re helping Kane move next week?”
