Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 54852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
“Hello to you too.” He laughed as we broke apart, both of us breathing hard, and me glancing back up toward my place, trying to calculate how late we could be. But before I could suggest a detour to my bed, Harrison headed for the passenger side of the truck. “And, of course, I’m ready to go pick up the ducklings. I’ve been looking forward to this all week.”
“Me too.”
I had. A whole afternoon with Harrison. He had the clerks and his mother minding the store, and I had minestrone in the slow cooker for later. It was going to be a good day. And I could tell from the smile lines around Harrison’s eyes that he wasn’t lying. He truly was happy to be there.
“I even brought my own boots.” He made a cute show of kicking at the gravel next to the truck. His shiny green farm boots were top quality, the kind built to last a few seasons.
“I like them.” I liked the idea of him wearing them out even more. He might have picked them from a fancy catalog, but he’d been thinking ahead. Same with his canvas work pants and jaunty plaid shirt. They made my chest warm. “No more borrowing?”
“Nope. I’m here often enough I figured it was time to invest in the correct wardrobe.”
“Good call.” I’d happily support his purchases if it meant having him around more often.
And he was around a lot these days. The past few weeks he’d slept over more and more, and he’d gone from sneaking in past dark to being around in time to help with some chores. The help made Rachel happy, but it was the way he fit in more and more that made my pulse flutter.
“Speaking of your wardrobe, I have something for you.” I reached inside the truck to retrieve the gift. I handed it to him, and he turned it over in his hands before unfurling it so the late summer breeze caught the gray and black striped yarn.
“A scarf?” He looked more perplexed than excited. Understandable, since the day was warm and sunny. But I hadn’t wanted to wait.
“I know you won’t need it today.” I chuckled as I wrapped it around his neck simply to be funny. “But the cold weather’s coming soon enough, and I saw this the other day in a batch Rachel was setting out in the farm stand. I wanted you to have it.”
“Thank you. Your mom and sisters do such beautiful work.” Unwinding it from his neck, Harrison admired the houndstooth pattern.
“They always make more than we can use as a family, but that’s not why I want you to have it.”
“Oh?” He studied it more closely, as if it might have a secret code.
I laughed again. “This is me saying that you’re going to be here all winter.” I shifted my tone to more serious as I pulled him to me. If he was going to update his wardrobe, the least I could do was help. And show him that I believed in him. “You’re going to need winter wear because you’re going to make it to spring, both here in Vermont and health-wise.”
“And beyond.” He gave me an utterly brilliant smile, the kind that seemed to come easier to him these days.
“And beyond,” I agreed before kissing him again. I believed in him and believed in us too, and I tried to tell him that with my mouth, teasing his lips until racing up the hill to my place was even more tempting.
“We better stop that. The ducks are waiting.” Harrison pulled away and opened the truck door. “Oh, and speaking of being here, I am taking Mom to Manhattan in March for a Broadway reboot of one her favorite musicals. The tickets are going to be her Christmas surprise. But I’ll be back.”
“I believe you.” I watched him climb into the truck before going around to my side. He could go to the city, see his favorite haunts, and still come back. I was working on trusting that. “Bring me some bagels?”
“I can do that.” Smiling at me, he motioned at the road. “Now, let’s go fetch your ducks.”
“Wait till you see how big the ducks are now.” I put the truck in gear and pointed us toward the main road, mindful of the empty trailer.
“You’ll forgive me if I don’t order one for holiday dining?” Harrison settled back into his seat, looking perfectly content to be there for the drive. And, like he’d said, beyond.
“Yeah, Harry,” I teased, knowing he’d let me get away with it. “Not gonna make you eat something you’ve bonded with. Like your mom’s chickens. Those will grow old for sure.”
“They have names. She’s making us install something to keep them warm over the winter.” He sounded almost eager about the winterization project for Audrey’s chicken coop, which was cute. “They’re practically family now.”