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“Ready, Momma.”
Rosalie was too, at least on the outside. She’d put on her makeup and paired a pair of gold cowboy boot earrings to her clothes. On the way out the door, she grabbed a white sunhat for herself and the small backpack she’d put together the night before. It held Autumn’s refillable water bottle and two spray cans of sunscreen, Rosalie’s lip gloss, and a phone charger.
They had plans to be at the farm until at least eleven o’clock tonight, as Sweet Water Falls Farm was hosting fireworks on their land tonight once darkness fell. Rosalie stayed calm and strong for the entire drive out to the farm, but the moment she made the turn, her nerves rioted.
She could easily see herself driving out here every single day after work. That turn had been easy and natural. This place felt so homey and down-to-Earth.Shefelt safe here, and tears pricked her eyes.
She made all of the turns to get to Lee’s pretty little cabin against the woods, wanting the size of her family to suddenly double—and for the handsome cowboy setting his guitar aside and rising to his feet to be her daughter’s everyday father figure.
She couldseeit. Hear it. Feel the joy such a thing would bring into her life.
Lee smiled and waved, coming toward her stopped sedan slowly to give her a second to breathe. Rosalie appreciated him so much, and she quickly undid her belt and said, “Autumn, get unbuckled and get out.”
She did that and smiled at Lee, only the farm fresh air between them. “Howdy, Handsome.”
He chuckled and whistled as he dragged his eyes down toward her shoes and back. “Look at you, Miss Patriotic.”
“It’s the Fourth of July,” she said, giving his yellow shirt a cursory glance.
“Not until Saturday,” he said, stepping closer.
Rosalie opened the back door and helped Autumn with the last latch. Her daughter stood on the lip of the car and then jumped to the ground, where Rosalie took her hand. “Autumn,” she said. “This is Mommy’s boyfriend, Lee Cooper. Lee, this is my daughter Autumn.”
Lee dropped into a crouch, his smile as wide as the ocean. She felt his happiness and adoration of her daughter, because Lee Cooper didn’t fake anything. Rosalie was sure he didn’t even know how.
“Howdy, Little Miss,” he said. “You look as cute as your momma.”
Autumn looked at him and twisted back and forth, making the skirt of her dress swing.
“Say hello, baby,” Rosalie said.
“Hello,” she said.
“So,” Lee said, reaching into his back pocket. “I heard somethin’ about you.” He brought his hand forward again. “Someone told me that you like rabbits and things that glitter and sparkle.” He opened his palm, and Rosalie herself gasped.
Autumn shrieked and ran at him. “It’s a rabbicorn!” She grabbed the sparkly, pink stuffed rabbit with a single unicorn horn poking out of its forehead, right between its long ears. Autumn danced around in a circle and held it up. “Momma, look! The rabbicorn! A rabbicorn!”
Lee laughed and straightened, so pleased with himself. Rosalie couldn’t help grinning too, and she picked up her daughter. “Baby, what do you tell the cowboy?”
“Thank you,” Autumn said dutifully. “Thank you, thank you.” She lunged out of Rosalie’s arms and toward Lee, who had the reflexes of a ninja, for he caught her.
Rosalie stumbled forward with the shift in weight, but Lee held everyone up as he took Autumn from Rosalie and didn’t let her fall forward either.
“Thank you,” Autumn said, wrapping her skinny arms around Lee’s neck and squeezing him tight.
“Sure thing, sweetie,” he said. “What are you gonna name ‘im?”
“It’s a girl,” Autumn said, pulling back. She’d spoken in her little-girl-duh voice, and Lee nodded along.
“Of course, sure,” he said. “A girl.” He set Autumn on the ground, and she stroked the rabbicorn’s multi-colored fur back.
Rosalie watched her for a moment, then lifted her eyes to Lee’s. “Thank you,” she whispered, stepping into her handsome cowboy’s arms. There was no sign of the surly side of Lee, and Rosalie didn’t care if he argued with his brothers later or not.
He’d presented her daughter with the perfect gift, and she wanted him to know how much that meant to her. She touched her lips to his, intending to only kiss him for a moment. As the kiss lengthened, Rosalie’s blood turned warmer and warmer until finally Lee pulled back.
“Come on,” he said, taking Rosalie’s hand and falling back a step. “Let’s go see if Ford can help Autumn name the rabbicorn.”
Rosalie glanced at the guitar leaning against the railing. “Will you play for me someday?”
“Count on it, sweetheart,” he said, leading her up the steps.
