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“You make it easy. And Addy’s a sweetheart. As are you.”
“I hope you always think that.” Ever since Gary left, I wondered if I wasn’t enough. If Addy wasn’t either. I didn’t want her to feel that way, but sometimes those negative thoughts came up. And if I let them, they festered and derailed my confidence.
“I don’t see that changing, but this is about us getting to know each other. Our lives and our families. Things are bound to come up. It’s how we choose to deal with those issues that will define us.”
“I like the idea of dealing with it together.” It had been a long time since I’d been considered someone else’s other half, and it was an attractive idea.
“I’m feeling hopeful about us.”
I grinned in response, my cheeks hurting from all the smiling I’d done today between Knox and his family. They were a lot of fun, and I was excited to get to know him even better.
We heard the din of his family’s conversation before they were in sight. I wasn’t ready to lose this private moment with him. He must have felt the same way because he paused and faced me.
His hands went to my cheeks and held my face as he lowered his lips to mine. It was slow and sweet.
When he finally lifted his head, he asked, “Are you ready to deal with my family?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I said as he intertwined his fingers with mine.
“Do you want to wait on the PDA until you talk to Addy?”
As much as I wanted to walk toward the bonfire as more than friends, it was probably the right thing to do. “I should talk to her first.”
“I respect your decisions when it comes to Addy. She comes first.”
His words sent a tingle down my spine. Not even her own father put her first. He lifted our joined hands and kissed the back of mine before letting it go. My heart swelled inside my chest. As we walked toward the bonfire, Addy spotted us and ran toward me for a hug. “Are you having fun?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Are you getting tired?” I asked her.
“I want to stay.”
“I know, but you have school tomorrow, and you need to take a bath.”
“We’re leaving, too, Addy,” Sebastian said as he gathered Ember’s things.
“When are you going to build your house on the property so you can be here more often?” Lori asked.
“I think it’s time. Ember wants to be here with her cool uncles and grandmother. I can work remotely if I have to.”
“Yay,” Ember said.
“Let’s take a look at the plans and make sure you still want the same things,” Heath said.
“Why are you working for Morrison Brothers? Shouldn’t you be out on your own?” Sebastian asked.
“One day. I figured it would be better to start with the best and learn all I can before I do that. But in the meantime, we can do your house. I want you here with us.”
“Me, too,” Knox said.
“I want all my babies home,” Lori said, her eyes shiny with unshed tears.
I couldn’t imagine what it was like to lose your husband of so many years, but her children had rallied around her in support. I thought she was incredibly lucky. But then again, maybe it had everything to do with the love she raised them with.
“I’ll walk you to your car,” Knox said as the group started breaking apart. “Emmett will handle the fire.”
I led a reluctant Addy toward the car. The only thing that worked was that Sebastian and Ember went with us. I suspected she would have stayed all night if she could.
