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Cars lined the road between Evening Lane Farm and the school house, and probably stretched just as far again on the other side.
“How many people do you think are over there?” Laney peeked out the window, looking toward her mother’s house.
Kyle came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Too many. Let’s stay here and get naked instead.”
“It’s our engagement party. Our absence would probably be noticed.”
“It’ll go all night. We’ve got some time.” He nuzzled her neck and she turned in the circle of his arms. “We’re packing, it’s a decent excuse.”
Most of his clothes were already in Chicago. The furniture was all staying. They were keeping the school house so they’d have a private place to stay when visiting. “No one will believe it. You don’t have that much stuff.”
Claire and Eleanor had wanted to throw a huge party right after they got engaged, but since Kyle and Laney only had two weekends together each month, their mothers agreed to wait until the summer. Evening Lane was the obvious location. The boat was moved out of the barn to make room for a potluck lunch, and it seemed like everyone in the county had been invited.
They decided to walk over, as the closest parking spot was their own driveway, and a shiny black sports car had just blocked in Kyle’s pickup truck anyway.
“You made it, you bastard! I thought you were in France.” Kyle stepped forward and clapped Ty on the shoulder as they shook hands.
“Wouldn’t miss your engagement party, man. This is a big deal.” Their driveway interloper turned and flashed a brilliant smile in her direction. “Laney Calhoun, it’s been a long time. Congratulations.”
She returned the smile. “Thank you. I hear business is booming. Nice ride.”
He clapped his hands together and hooted. “Ain’t she, though? Just picked her up yesterday. A little bonus for selling out our subscription this year.”
The men talked shop on the walk up the road, and Laney listened with one ear. But the rest of her attention drifted to her surroundings, this place of big skies, dusty roads, fields filled with tall stalks of corn and endless rows of soybeans. There were probably two hundred people ahead at the farm, and she could hear them, but she could also hear the scuff of her boot against gravel, the hearty laughs of her fiancé and then right in front of her, a white butterfly fluttered by and she would swear she heard its wings.
Wardham would always be the home in her heart. But her heart had found a home in the man ahead of her, and with the dog loping along at his feet. As if he knew she was thinking about him, Buddy turned as if to tell her to hurry up, and she laughed quietly to herself. Her life before had been good. Nice. Pleasant. But now…it was so much better. It was real and sweet and complicated and precious.
Kyle entwined his fingers into hers as they arrived at the farm. Ted climbed on top of the picnic table and clinked his beer bottle with his keys. Everyone else joined in, making noise with whatever they had in their hands, and Kyle swept Laney into a kiss that would normally make church ladies blush, but today was greeted with cheers. He raised his hand, and the crowd quieted.
“Thank you all, so much. It means a lot to Laney and me that everyone is so happy about our engagement.”
“When’s the wedding?” someone catcalled from the back of the crowd.
Kyle laughed and shook his head. “I’m trying to convince my bride to run away with me to Jamaica for that. If our mothers have anything to say about it, I’m sure it will be right here, next summer.”
A few people murmured about hurrying up, and Laney stiffened. She didn’t want to get into twenty questions about when they were going to have children. Kyle stroked her back and smiled. “There’s no hurry, folks. I’m really enjoying being engaged to this beautiful woman, finally—” cheers sounded loudly to that pronouncement “—and when we exchange vows, it’ll be when it’s right for us.”
Claire was the first to hug the bride-to-be, which started a chain reaction that suspiciously resembled a receiving line. An hour later, Laney had talked to almost everyone there. A few people tucked envelopes of money into her pocket, which she found quite touching, and no one asked the baby question.
She made her way to the barn, her stomach growling. She’d seen people walking around with plates of Mrs. Frid’s secret meatballs, and she hoped there were some left. Ted was there, along with a handsome young man.
“Laney, have you met Liam yet?” She’d just forked a meatball into her mouth, so she shook her head. “My sister’s boy. He’s come to stay with me for the summer. He’s looking to buy property here.”
Liam shook his head and laughed. “Uncle Ted, you gotta stop introducing me as a boy.”
She chuckled and accepted his outstretched hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“Congratulations. I’ve heard a lot about you, and your family.”
“Thanks. Have you met my mom and my sister yet? They’re both around...” Laney swiveled her head in vain. “They’re somewhere. What kind of property are you looking for?”
“I’m not sure. I’ll know when I see it. Maybe a duplex, something I could fix up and rent out.”
She felt Kyle approach before he spoke. “Hey, you must be Ted’s nephew.”
“Word travels fast, eh?” Liam nodded.
“Mr. Wilson told me that the young newcomer was hitting on my woman.”
