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After a few more trips to his truck, Jackson comes back in breathing heavily. “That’s all of it.”
“Thank God.” I sigh, relieved.
He takes a few steps forward, and at first, I think he’s going to punch me, but instead, he gives me a big brotherly hug. “Better be glad I love you.”
“Don’t get all mushy on me,” I tell him, and he laughs.
He looks down at his watch. “Gotta go. John’s gonna be home, and I want to meet him at the door wearing the same clothes.”
“You’re such a prick.”
He laughs and gives me a sarcastic thumbs up. “Not many people have a twin they can fuck with. Gotta take advantage of it every chance I get.”
I shake my head, and when I hear the rumble of his truck in the distance, I let out a deep breath. The house almost looks empty without his shit all over the place, but that’ll give River a blank space to make this place her own. I just hope she accepts living with me since I haven’t officially asked her yet. I wanted to make sure she was standing in front of me when I did.
Not wanting to push her limits, I had an extra bedroom set from the B&B moved and set up in Jackson’s room since River decided to sell her furniture. I wish I could sleep next to her instead, but I’m not rushing things, just as she wanted. The more I thought about us while she was in Wisconsin, the more I realized she was right about taking it slow. I plan to spend all the time I can getting to know every little thing about her. I want our relationship to have a solid foundation, considering she already has my heart.
It’s almost been two weeks since River left, and today, she’s finally coming back to me for good. I wake up, feed the animals, finish my day, and clean up before heading to the airport to pick her up. It’s close to five p.m., and I’m exhausted, but just knowing she’s on her way gives me an energy boost. During the hour it takes me to drive there, I do nothing but think about her and our future. It’s all still hard for me to believe.
I sit in the chairs that line the wall and wait for her plane to land. The airport is tiny, so when I finally see a small plane slow and stop, I know she’s here. My heart pounds with happiness, and I can’t wait to hold her in my arms again. As soon as I see her, looking as pretty as ever in a pair of black leggings, a sweater, and snow boots, I stand to greet her. Almost immediately, she spots me, and a smile fills her gorgeous face.
Walking over to her, I can’t help but smile too. I’m tempted to pull her into my arms, but I remind myself of those boundaries she asked for previously. It was impossible the last time she was here, repeatedly crossing those lines, but I’m making a solid effort now. If I want us to have a chance at making this work, I know I need to keep my distance, so we can start fresh.
She wraps an arm around me for a side hug, which I gladly accept. Whatever pace she leads, I’ll follow from now on. Grabbing the carry-on bag from her hand, I walk beside her to the truck, making small talk.
“Nice boots,” I say with a laugh, buckling up. Once we’re both settled in our seats, I back out of the small parking lot.
“They’re not shit slingers, but they made sure I didn’t fall on black ice. I’m so happy to see sunshine. You have no idea.”
“Sunshine? Is that my new nickname?” I tease, and she gives me a sideways glance with a grin.
As I drive us back to the ranch, I’m able to breathe a little easier knowing she’s finally here—home.
“How was the flight?” I ask as we turn onto the old dirt road.
“Sucked. I hate those little planes. They’re horrible. Thought I would need the barf bag, but I saved myself from the embarrassment and held it back,” she admits. “Perks of being pregnant!”
“I can only imagine.” I grab her hand as I park the truck in front of my house. She turns and looks at me with wide eyes.
“Where are we?” she asks.
I look at her and kiss her knuckles before I speak. “We’re home.”
River’s mouth falls open, and I smile. She gets out of the truck, and I interlock my fingers with hers as we walk up the steps that lead to the modest farmhouse. Before we walk in, I stop her at the door.
“You can say no, but first let me just say this. I thought maybe living together would make the most sense for us, seeing that you’re having a baby and all. That way we can raise him or her together and see where things go between us. If that’s moving too fast, just let me know. But I did kick Jackson out, so you can have his room.”
