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“You’re very bright. Have you started reading yet?” They shook their heads. “Would you like to learn? When I lived here, I taught lots of little girls to read.”
“You’ll teach us?”
“You won’t get mad?”
“I’d love to teach you and I’d never get mad at you. After dinner, we’ll start.”
Nodding at each other, the twins raced around her into the house, shouting the place down.
“Miss Jeffries!”
“Rowan is gonna teach us to read!”
Gage lowered to the step beside her. “You’ve always been good with children.”
“So have you, Gage.”
He stared out at the land across the road and the house Bennett built there. “After we talked, I realized it’s not your normal day to call Miss Jeffries. You called to share news.” Turning to stare into her eyes, he asked with a smile, “Are you pregnant, Rowan?”
“Yes.” Saying the word washardand she wasn’t sure why.
“I’m happy for you. I know how much you wanted to be.” He returned to staring into the distance. “I wish Bennett was here to celebrate with you, Rowan. I know he’d be excited.”
“I do, too.”
“You need anything, you let me know. I mean that. I don’t care what it is. I know you have lots of people lookin’ out for you but just in case.”
“Thank you, Gage.”
“You know, lots of people have said my name in my life. I like the way you say it best.” He stood and headed to his truck. “Gonna get back but give a holler if you need me.”
“Gage?” He paused and half-turned to her. “Thanks for the lollipop.”
“Sure thing, Miss Rowan. Your tongue’s purple.” Then he winked, got in his truck, and drove back to his spread up the road.
“Inside joke, I think,” James said quietly to Mary-Margaret behind her. “Something tells me young Gage once kissed our darling when her tongue was purple from a lollipop…”
“Snow cone,” Rowan said softly. Standing, she shrugged. “A purple snow cone.” Raking her fingers through her hair, she groaned. “Let’s get Miss Jeffries settled with all the help she needs and get home…”
Mary-Margaret gasped. “You have two little girls to teach to read, Rowan. I refuse to leave a minute before they can get all the way throughGreen Eggs and Ham.”
“It won’t work, you two. My hearthurts.”
“I get that. I swear I do.” They nodded sagely and her assistant murmured, “Your lady bits probably won’t care. Trust me on that.” It was strange to have a woman in her sixties talking about your lady bits. “Carpe diem, Rowan!”
“I can’t think about anything like that.” Glancing over her shoulder, she said, “I really want to see that house though.”
James stepped up beside her and held out his arm. “A tour it is. You’re going to love it.”
The three of them spent an hour wandering the property as well as the house. Rowan could tell the builders had done their best to save every possible tree.
On the second floor, her bedroom window faced the Chambers property. She could make out the roof line in the distance. When the trees were barren in the winter, she’d be able to see the entire front of the house where Gage lived.
Based on how the room was laid out, where the bed would have to go, it would be her first view every morning.
Frowning, she murmured, “Bennett...what were youdoingwith all of this?” Naturally, he didn’t answer.
Meeting James and Mary-Margaret in the kitchen, she said, “As beautiful as I imagined.”
