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“Ghost. Treat!” Cameron said, and Ghost shot off down the hall at a gallop.
Rusty laughed.
“See?” Cameron said.
As soon as they gave Ghost the bone, he chomped it and carried it to his bed in the living room.
Cameron and Rusty set the security alarm, then locked up and drove away.
It took less than fifteen minutes to get up the mountain to where Shirley and her sons were living now. Just enough time for Rusty to watch the sun moving down behind the tallest treetops. It would be dark in an hour. She loved night on the mountain, almost as much as she loved the man sitting beside her.
They pulled up into the yard and parked at the end of a line of cars.
“Good thing Shirley doesn’t have but four sons.She’d be running out of parking space with any more,” Cameron said.
They were on their way up the steps when the front door opened.
Aaron was standing in the doorway. “Welcome to this house,” he said, then stepped aside for them to enter.
“Something sure smells good,” Rusty said as they entered.
“Mama’s a good cook,” Aaron said. “We used to say that’s why we grew so tall, but after moving here, I’m thinking it was DNA, not roast and mashed potatoes.”
“You’ve got that right,” Cameron said as Aaron ushered them into the kitchen. Sean and Wiley were already there and carrying the food to the table.
Shirley met them with a hug.
“Welcome! Ooh, Rusty, I love that blue sundress. It’s the perfect foil for your gorgeous hair.”
Rusty smiled. “Thank you. Mom and Dad used to blame my hair color on the postman and then laugh hysterically, because no one in our family had red hair. I had to get older to get the joke.”
“That hair is a country all its own,” Cameron said. “It’s what I saw first across a crowded hotel lobby, and then I saw her, and I was done.”
“What a storybook meeting,” Shirley said.
B.J. walked into the kitchen on that last comment.
“Sorry I kept everyone waiting,” he said, then shook hands with Cameron and gave Rusty an appreciative glance, thinking to himself how pretty she was.
Shirley waved a hand toward the table. “Please be seated.” Then she nodded at Aaron to sit at the head of the table and saw the pleased expression on his face. As soon as everyone was in their place, Shirley gave the blessing, then as the passing of food began around the table, Shirley shifted her attention to Cameron and Rusty.
“You two are the first guests in our new home, and we are so grateful for your company.”
“It’s our pleasure,” Cameron said.
Chatter filled the room as they filled their plates, and the boys poked fun at the size of B.J.’s helpings.
“Still growing into those long legs,” Cameron said.
Shirley laughed and, as she did, realized how long it had been since she’d felt this kind of delight.
As the meal progressed, conversation turned to jobs and work. Cameron heard about Sean’s IT business in their home and B.J. making deliveries for Aunt Annie’s bakery. He already knew through the family grapevine that Wiley had gone to work at the music venue for country music star Reagan Bullard.
“So, Wiley. What do you think of Reagan Bullard? Have you met him yet?”
“Yes, I met him my first day on the job. He seems nice enough. I also heard he bought the campgrounds outside of Jubilee and is turning it into a whole new venue. Waterslides. A big swimming pool, pony rides, and a concession stand to go with the little cabins and the campgrounds and fireworks every Saturday night.”
Cameron glanced at Rusty. That place held anot-so-nice history for them, but they’d been aware of the changes after the previous owner’s arrest.
