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Hope gave him a sidelong glare. “You know I am.” No use holding back the truth.
His glance in her direction was brief but potent. "I wish you wouldn't."
Really? How could she not? Basically, she was running away from her personal and professional obligations. Leaving her colleagues to pick up her slack once again. If those weren't reasons enough, what were people going to think about the two of them taking off together for the holidays?
For six freaking weeks.
Hope cringed. No doubt the scuttlebutt was already buzzing among their friends and coworkers. Speculation would be raised and conclusions drawn. Hell, she’d be surprised if pools hadn’t been generated to take bets on everything from whether they were more than friends to Drew’s opting to remain at the equine clinic or leave to join his grandfather’s practice.
"Coming to Virginia with me is not that big a deal."
"That's easy for you to say. You're going home. I'm going somewhere I've never been before. To spend two of the most celebrated holidays in the world with people I've never met." Realizing how ungrateful she sounded, Hope quickly added, "No offense."
"None taken." A grin eased into Drew's whisker-stubbled cheeks. "Trust me when I tell you none of my family will be strangers for very long. The minute your feet hit Lone Oaks soil, you'll be welcomed with open arms and treated like they've known you forever."
"You sound pretty confident about that."
"I am," Drew assured her. "Now, don't get me wrong. They can be quite an overwhelming bunch, but their hearts are in the right place." He grinned again, causing her stomach to dip and dive. "I did ask them to dial their fervor down a notch or six, though."
"Thanks." Despite the tangle of knots twisting inside her belly, Hopewasgrateful. For everything Drew had done and continued to do on her behalf, whether she needed him to or not. "I just don't want to be a disruption to your family's holiday traditions."
Drew shook his head. "You won't be." He looked at her and smiled. "You'll just become a part of them."
Not exactly words to ease her ever-increasing concerns.
Still, worrying about things out of her control wouldn’t change a thing, so Hope decided to channel her angst more constructively by inquiring about Drew's family and where he grew up. With at least ten more hours of driving ahead of them, it would not only pass the time but also help Hope gather more information about Drew and his family before meeting the Blackwood clan.
“Okay.” Hope shifted in her seat to face Drew. “Since you pretty much already know my life story and have seen where I grew up, let’s use our time wisely by you filling me in on yours.”
Drew turned down the radio. “What do you want to know?”
“Tell me about Lone Oaks.”
“Not much to tell really. It’s a horse and cattle farm that sits on about a thousand acres in northern Virginia. The area is a lot like what we have in Kentucky.”
“Including the hills and valleys?”
Drew nodded. “Lone Oaks is located more in the valley region, but we have some spectacular views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.”
That was a definite plus, for sure. Hope preferred seeing trees and farmland when she looked out the window rather than steel and concrete.
“Since we’re only about seventy miles from the nation’s capital, Beaumont and Sheridan have sort of become bedroom communities of DC. Some even consider the area part of the metropolitan suburbs.”
“Doesn’t sound like you’re a big fan of the urban sprawl.” Which was understandable. Hope wouldn’t be either.
“No. Not really.” He shrugged his massive shoulders. “But, aside from the land on Lone Oaks, there really isn’t much we can do about it. Fortunately, things haven’t gotten too out of hand. As you’ll see, the area still has a small-town appeal.”
After agreeing to accompany Drew home to Virginia, Hope had done a quick Google search of the area. She found that both Beaumont and Sheridan were municipalities in Beaumont County, which bordered Maryland and West Virginia. Both towns were a part of the region known as Hickory Ridge. The pictures included on the website were absolutely gorgeous.
Hope couldn’t wait to see everything up close and in person.
“I think you’ll like it,” Drew said as if he’d been reading her mind.
Nodding, Hope settled more comfortably in the passenger seat. “So, what about your family? You’re one of four boys, correct?”
“Yes.” He signaled left to pass a tow truck. “Reese is the oldest. Then me. We’re Irish twins, both born in the same year.”
"And Reese is the one who lost his wife to cancer?" She remembered him going home for her memorial service.
