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Lee stepped past her to go get her daughter, because Rose would probably like a few minutes with her parents and sister. Nat had told him that she hadn’t seen Rose since May, and she’d talked in a near-non-stop stream on the way to Sweet Water Falls about all the things she wanted to do this week while she’d be here.
He slid open the glass door that led into the back yard and found the little girl swinging in the hammock, a song lifting from her mouth. He smiled to himself as he stepped out onto the deck. Someone joined him, and he turned to find Will carrying Thumper in his arms.
“That was dang near perfect, Lee,” Will said with a smile. He bent to put the rabbit on the ground. “She’s perfect for you.”
“Mm.” Lee walked to the edge of the deck and watched Autumn, who still didn’t know he and Will were there. “Maybe, but do you think I’m perfect for her?”
“Absolutely,” Will said without hesitation. “She’s been as miserable without you as you’ve been without her.”
“How do you know?”
Will cut a look at Lee out of the corner of his eye, a smile spreading across his face. “I heard her say it to her mama just now.”
Lee nodded, because he’d heard Rose say she loved him. He felt it in the careful way she held his face and kissed him.
Another set of footsteps came outside, and Lee turned to find Travis leading Daddy onto the back deck. “Good job, Lee,” Travis said. “She’s putting the flowers in water while her mom gets out paper plates. You did it.” He clapped Lee on the back, and Lee finally allowed himself to smile.
“I did it.”
Daddy limped up beside his three sons, and he smiled out at Autumn too. “Mama and I want to trade houses, Lee.”
Lee jerked his attention toward his father. “What?” He expected Will and Trav to protest, to say something. Neither of them did.
“We’ll take the cabin where you and Ford live now,” Daddy said. “You and Rose can have the farmhouse for your family.”
“You don’t need to do that,” Lee said, glancing at Will for help. His brother only nodded, and Lee wondered if they’d practiced this too.
“We can put the swing out on the back patio,” Daddy said. “We’ll be happy there, and we don’t need all the space in the farmhouse. You two will.”
“Ford’s only with me on weekends still,” Lee said. “We don’t need the farmhouse for a while.”
Daddy gave him a disgruntled look. “It’s decided, son. Mama’s already packing.”
“Daddy.”
“Do you not want the farmhouse?”
“Of course I want it,” Lee said, not sure why this had turned into an argument. He curbed the frustration inside him. “Thank you, Daddy.” He turned and stepped into his father’s arms, glad he had his steady, strong influence in his life.
When he stepped back, something niggled his mind. “I don’t have a back patio, Daddy. You’re thinkin’ of Will’s place.” He looked over to his brother again.
This time Will grinned at him. “I’m gettin’ your cabin,” Will said. “It’s bigger than mine, and Gretchen and I can raise a lot of kids there if we decide to stay.”
“Mama and Daddy are moving into Will’s cabin,” Trav said. “And mine will be built before the baby comes.”
“So we’re all good,” Daddy said, and with all of them in agreement, they turned back to the house. All of them except for Lee. He went down the steps while they went inside.
“Autumn,” he called, and the little girl lifted her head. Pink and purple sparkles caught the sunlight, and she launched herself out of the hammock when she saw him coming.
“Mister Lee!” She ran toward him, and Lee laughed as he scooped her up and tossed her high into the air. She squealed and laughed, and Lee caught her and hugged her.
“Come on, baby,” he said. “Your grandma and grandpa and Aunt Nat are here to see you.”
* * *
Later that evening,Lee stood in Rose’s dark kitchen, kissing her. So much had changed in the past six or seven hours, and he’d never been happier for a shift in his life. “I should go,” he whispered just before pressing his lips to the feather-soft skin along her collarbone.
She sat on the island counter, and he stood between her legs, his arms around her back, keeping her as close to him as he could get her.
