Chapter 27
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Summer
The grin on Jonah’s face could almost make me jealous.
He was leaning back against the straining fishing rod.
We were on Tate’s pontoon. This was the first official time Jonah had gotten out on the water since his accident.
I should’ve left today for the guys, but I couldn’t resist seeing Jonah enjoying an activity he used to obsess about.
Autumn and Teller had also joined us. Scarlett was home with the younger kids, while Chance and Tate played tour guides.
We’d dug out a lot of his equipment from the storage room in the garage. Even the tents. I’d even joked about setting one up in the backyard once the construction on the addition started.
Only a month had gone by since we’d reconnected against the back of the barn.
I wasn’t pregnant yet, but that was fine.
I was enjoying my time with Jonah, planning a laid-back wedding at Mama’s house, and finishing my move into his cabin—our cabin.
Teller and Tenor had given me the office in Copper Summit that I had used when I was supposed to be on my honeymoon.
We’d had a talk about hiring another manager for the Bozeman site.
I didn’t want to have to commute as much as was required, especially during the winter and when we expanded our family.
A small bark sounded from my feet. I picked up our black Lab puppy.
He wasn’t a service animal, but we were training him to know Jonah and when he might need help.
That way, when Jonah and Teller camped outside in someplace that wasn’t our backyard, they’d have Stormy for protection.
Jonah didn’t push me to get over my aversion to camping, and I was grateful he and Teller were discovering all the things Jonah could do.
His first choice for an outdoorsy trip was the valley his house overlooked. The land Daddy had gifted me. Our land.
I smooshed the puppy’s soft little face and scratched his ears. “You need a nap.”
Teller’s shadow fell over me as he cheered on Jonah’s catch. He reeled in one of the rainbow trout this lake was stocked with, his smile wide and a jubilant cry leaving his mouth.
“Nice catch.” Chance was right next to Jonah, ready to help. And Jonah let him. Chance made sure Jonah got a picture with the fish.
Teller turned to me, his gaze falling to the puppy in my arms who refused to miss any fun before he blinked too long and fell fast asleep. “I still say Stormy’s a stripper’s name.”
I rolled my eyes. “Then the dog and the stripper should be honored.” The name was more than a thought. Jonah and I had been brought together by winter storms, and we wanted to honor our history. Stormy was a part of our future.
So was this. Being on the lake with family. I’d even heard Tate telling Jonah and Teller about a spot he’d found for fly-fishing that was fairly flat with minimal rocks. The interest on Jonah’s face had told me that there’d be a guys’ fly-fishing trip soon. Good.
Autumn crossed her legs next to me. She’d already caught her limit of fish, always the lucky duck at hunting and fishing, as my brothers would say. “We’re going to be able to feed everyone tonight.”
After our barn reconnection, the first place we’d stopped—well, other than at Curly’s to eat, since our appetites had roared back after our barn sexfest—was at Mama’s.
She’d been worried about me and now she was ecstatic.
Thrilled in a way she’d never been when I’d told her about Boyd’s quick proposal, or with any other guy I’d told her about.
Tenor, Lane, and Cruz were getting the yard ready for the ceremony in two weeks, and Mama already had the house spotless.
Autumn propped her elbows behind her and tilted her face to the sun. “Are you getting excited?”
I didn’t have to ask what she was talking about: the small, casual summer wedding on my family’s land that I had always wanted.
I had a simple white dress that swirled around my legs and fell off my shoulders. A summer dress. My dream dress. My sisters and Scarlett had bought their soft pink dresses—any style they wanted. They could also do their hair how they wanted. My brothers and Adam would stand up with Jonah.
He already had his black jeans and white dress shirt.
We’d both wear cowboy boots and we’d say our vows under the setting sun.
Then we’d celebrate with our family into the wee hours of the night.
Copper Summit bourbon would be served, but everyone was staying over.
None of us were having as much as one sip and driving.
Jonah hadn’t asked, and neither had I, but Tate had spread the word. Everyone accepted the plan.
A wedding that would turn into a giant sleepover—except for the bride and groom. We had plans to be loud, so we’d drink water and punch and return home to our bed. If we made it that far for the first time together as husband and wife. “I’m so damn excited, Autumn.”
She shoulder-bumped me. “Good. You’re for-real happy this time.”
“Next year, I will legit look forward to Valentine’s Day.”
“I have a feeling your gift will be wood of some sort.”
This time I shouldered her and snickered. “I like his wood gifts.”
The guys looked toward us. Jonah was readying his line to cast again, but I only grinned. He gave me a hot look that said he hadn’t heard what we were giggling about and he didn’t care. He liked seeing and hearing me laugh almost as much as when I came.
“God, what I wouldn’t give for a guy to give me that look,” Autumn said wistfully.
I gave her an understanding pat. “I’m glad you’re not settling for less. Trust me. It’s not worth it.”
She shrugged. “There is that. Hey, did I tell you what some of us teachers are doing?” When I shook my head, she twisted in her seat to face me. “We’re going on a trip to Vegas. A girls’ weekend.”
“Fun! When?”
“We have a long weekend in October. Scarlett’s not coming. She and Tate are taking the kids to Disneyland. But there’ll be four of us.”
“Promise me you’re not going to Gideon James’s hotel and casino.” The land sale wasn’t yet final and Gideon was fighting my brothers and interfering with his dad. What should’ve been a one-and-done deal was stretching out and growing more contentious.
“I’m not sure where we’re going yet.” She sat forward and picked at the hem of her shorts. “I doubt he’d want a Bailey in his hotel, and I’m close enough.” She wrinkled her nose. “He might think I actually have power in the company.”
This wasn’t the first time she’d been cryptic about the importance of her role with Copper Summit. “Autumn, have you talked to the guys?”
“The guys,” she echoed, and yes, that was part of the conflict.
I thought my sisters had accepted that the guys would have more of a role in the distillery and the ranch than us.
Mama and Daddy had never treated us like we were lesser Baileys, but we’d naturally stood back and let the brothers take charge.
“They’ll listen.” They might actually appreciate the help, but one didn’t look at Autumn with her arts-and-craft-filled house and think she wanted a manager role.
“I know. I love my job, but I guess it’s just the principle. I’m salty about it, that’s all.”
“That’s not all.”
She waved her hand like she was erasing the conversation. “I’ll be more relaxed after my vacation. It’s been a while since I got away.”
“Be careful there, yeah?”
She rolled her eyes. “What trouble are a bunch of teachers going to get up to in Vegas?”
Jonah carefully walked toward me. If the water got choppy, he had brought a wide-based cane, but so far he hadn’t needed it. He sat next to me.
“She thinks you’re getting me wood for Valentine’s Day,” I said.
He smirked. “Sunshine, I’ll get you whatever you want, but I will always have plenty of wood for you.”
Seven months later . . .
Summer
This year, Valentine’s Day was much different.
I wasn’t in an itchy wedding dress and I wasn’t dreading a church full of family, friends, and future in-laws I couldn’t stand.
I was in a living room with a special present for Jonah.
I’d gotten home from work an hour ago, but I’d made a stop I hadn’t told Jonah about.
I was cuddled on the couch, in the old blanket Vera had made for me when I was a teen.
Jonah was busy in the shop, taking fewer but more complex, customized projects like the collectible epoxy tables to free up his time.
He could charge top dollar for those, which meant he could schedule long gaps between orders to do what he wanted, like make his parents matching nightstands.
He still sold his hobby pieces at the coffee shop, but with Myles’s help, he’d started a foundation in Eli’s name.
People who needed mobility modifications in their homes could get financial aid.
The savory smells of an elk roast Jonah had put in a Crock-Pot before work filled the air. He and my brothers had split the one elk they’d gotten while hunting last fall and then donated another portion of the meat.
I’d made a fresh salad to have with it.
A snowstorm was on the horizon and I’d also brought home my work laptop and a load of groceries. Just in case I got to be stranded with my husband again.
The back door opened. The thumps of Jonah kicking snow off his boots rang through the house. Stormy’s claws clattered against the floor and then the sloppy noise of lapping water filled the silence.
“Hey, sunshine,” he called.
“Hey, mountain man.”
His footsteps and the thump of his cane on the floor grew closer. His leg bothered him more before a weather change. I’d give him a nice long massage tonight. And he’d give me a nice long orgasm or three.
His cool arms wrapped around me. He smelled like fresh-cut pine and impending snowstorm. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
“This had been the best one ever.” We hadn’t done anything different than any other day. With the snow on the way, we hadn’t wanted to go out, and it was a weekday. I’d told Jonah that every normal day with him blew away any other day.
He said his greatest gift was when he went to sleep with me and woke up to me, and being inside me, and when he ate with me. He would’ve kept going if I hadn’t shushed him with a kiss.
He reached behind him and produced a short, flat box wrapped in pink paper with red hearts. “I made this for you.”
Grinning, I ripped the paper off. The box was plain with no logos. When I took the lid off, I squealed. A thick pair of pink-and-cream woolly mittens. When we shoveled, I always complained about ruining my cute pairs working outside.
Usually he let me run the skid steer and stay out of the wind.
I put my hands into the cozy mittens. “I love them, and they’re so cute.” I grabbed a gift bag at my feet that was wrapped in similar wrapping paper. “Here’s yours.”
His face was full of interest when he came around the couch and sat next to me.
He always looked stunned to get a gift. Christmas with him had been interesting.
We’d gone to his parents’ new place for Christmas Eve.
The evening had been cozy and quiet, a way to mellow out before the chaos of Christmas at Mama’s.
He opened the bag and a deep laugh rumbled out of him. His grin stayed broad while he withdrew a black pair of Carhartt winter gloves. “I needed a new pair.”
“Great minds think alike.” I reached behind me where I’d hid the other part of his present. “But that’s not all.”
“Oh shit, you got me more?”
The panic on his face was endearing. I withdrew the baggie. “It’s for both of us.”
Shock stole his expression as he took the pregnancy test from my hands. In block letters was PREGNANT. “You’re pregnant?”
“Yes.” I clapped, my excitement welling over and prompting tears and giggles and more clapping. I didn’t know what to do with myself. “Can you believe it?”
He set the test on the cushion on the other side of him and wrapped me in a huge hug. “I can’t fucking believe how amazing this life is with you.”
A cold nose pushed between us. Laughing, we encompassed a wiggling Stormy in our embrace. He was still a puppy but he was now a big puppy who’d eat the wrapping paper if I didn’t pick it up soon.
First a dog, now a baby. “Our family’s growing,” I murmured.
“Sure is.” He pulled me close to him. “We might get stormed in again.”
“We might. How are we going to pass the time?” I asked coyly.
He took the remote and flipped to a movie. Runaway Bride. He glanced at me, smirking. “It’s tradition.”
I snuggled in closer. “The only place I’m running is closer to you.”