25. DEAN
Chapter twenty-five
DEAN
ALL IN THE NAME OF LOVE
“Hi, Dean,” Poppy says, climbing the rail into the cuddle cove.
“Happy birthday,” I reply, and she smiles, and I see so much of Preston there.
“Thank you. Mom, I’m playing until everyone comes.”
I turn and find Isabel walking down with an armful of bags.
“Sky, can you give Isabel a hand, please?” I call. Skye jogs over and takes her things, and she joins me at the rail. Poppy’s sitting on fresh hay, a mini highland in her lap, and Cuddles jumping around her, trying to steal her attention.
“Did the good Doc tell you what he’s giving Poppy for her birthday?” I ask, careful to keep my voice low. I’ve learned that Poppy has surprisingly good hearing, and I would hate to spoil the surprise.
“He did. It’s really very sweet of you.”
“Please, it’s nothing. We’d be keeping her here, regardless.”
“Pres showed me photos; her color looks just like her momma.”
“Mostly, but there’s a soft rose coming through that I’m excited to see if it develops more.”
Isabel is quiet. I watch Poppy play and boss around Connor and Skye, who are setting up the drinks and snacks her mother brought along.
“She’s got them all wrapped around her little finger.” I chuckle.
Isabel turns to me.
“I know the feeling. Well, I suppose Pres told you about Savannah.”
I nod. “Sounds like an amazing opportunity. Well overdue, I hear, too.”
“It is, but…” She sighs. “I can’t take her away from all this. Look how happy she is.”
“I’m sure whatever you choose, you’ll figure out a way to make it work. Savannah isn’t that far away; it’s a few hours, really. I’ve traveled up for a few of my brother’s games and to see Gramps and Kelly. Sure, you won’t want to do it every day, but you’ll figure out what works.”
“I’ve been talking with my parents, you know, about having her for a few nights.” I don’t know why she’s having this conversation with me. She needs to have it with Preston.
“You already live there, so I’m sure they’d manage okay, plus, she has her father now, too.”
“Preston asked me to let her stay with him,” she says softly, like she’s unsure if she should say anything.
“Yeah, we talked about that, too. He’s got her room partway set up for her. We cleared out the boxes a few days ago.”
Isabel glances down at my leg. It’s still strapped into the giant boot that’s supposed to ensure it heals right, and she raises a brow.
“You helped?”
“I had Nial bring over a big bit of wood to lay down the side of the stairs, then I just slid the boxes down.” I laugh.
“That’s really clever.”
“Why is everyone always so surprised that I can come up with good ideas?”
Nial slaps a hand down on my shoulder and leans in between us.
“Because, brother, in this partnership, I’m both the brains and the beauty.”
“What am I then?” I ask.
“The beefcake. Now, hurry up and go get Pres. Connor’s gone to collect Miss Milky and her little one.”
“Ahh, yes, okay, back in a minute.”
I shuffle up to the house, still using the walking stick for support, more because I can go faster with it than without, and I shove open the back door.
“You ready?” I call, and Preston pops his head around the corner of the kitchen.
“We’ll be out in one minute. Sally-May is just finishing off the pies, and I have the snack cups all ready to go.”
“Good, because Connor’s bringing round Miss Milky and little no-name.”
“You’ll have to stop calling her that after today.” He chuckles, and I hold the door open for him to pass with a tray of cups filled with cut fruit and veggie sticks inside. I pull a carrot stick and take a bite. They’re from the Royal’s garden next door. Sally-May traded a few bottles of milk for a basket of vegetables after the goats got into hers and ate it almost clean. Perry has started on her greenhouse enclosure to protect the new growth.
The carrot has a perfect crunch and a sweet, earthy taste. I’m glad the Royals are getting the land next door back into a working farm and not stripping it down to put up some big retreat things like they did with the Millers last year. Sure, I like the increase in guests to the cuddle cove, but it still sucks when a generational farm is just gone.
“Isabel was talking about Savannah,” I say, and Preston pauses.
“Did she say what she’s decided?” I want to tell him that she sounded like she was leaning towards letting Poppy stay, but then he’ll get his hopes up and if she changed her mind, he’d be even more crushed than he already will be if they leave.
I shake my head, and his smile falters.
“But she is seeing how much Poppy loves it here. Look, whatever she decides, we’ll make it work.”
“Even if it means road trips up to Savannah every other day?”
“I’ll get to see Gramps more often, and Alan and Kelly, I’m sure they’d love it. We can take Poppy to a Banana Ball game.”
“Thanks. Yeah, that would be fun. I guess I shouldn’t worry about anything yet. She’ll decide what she’s doing, and then we’ll deal.”
“Exactly. I go to reach for another carrot stick, but he pulls the tray away.
“Not for you.” He smirks, then leans forward and kisses me softly. “But you can have me later.”
“I can’t wait,” I reply and kiss him back, then we make our way down with the others.
Poppy’s friends will start arriving soon, and we thought it was probably better to give her the present from Preston right at the start, then she can tell all her guests about her new cow.
“Dad!” Poppy calls when she sees him, and he damn near drops the tray. “Come see what I taught Cuddles.”
“She just called me dad,” he whispers.
“I know. Do you need me to take the tray?”
“No. I’m good. I’m…I’m her dad.”
“Yeah,” I say, watching his smile grow, and his eyes begin to go glassy. “You are.”
He puts down the tray on one of the tables and then gives her his full attention.
“Okay, show me, and then I’ll give you your present.”
“Watch this,” she beams, holding her arms out in a circle at her side and kneeling on the soft hay. “Come on, Cuddles, jump.”
Cuddles hops around her and then leaps through her circled arms. Preston cheers, clapping as do Isabel and I, and then I hear the bell they put on Miss Milky.
“Okay, close your eyes,” Preston says, and she stands up and covers them with her hands. “On three, you can open.”
“Okay,” she yells, like covering her eyes somehow affected how well we can hear her. Kids are odd. Preston counts down as Connor and Skye open the gate to the cuddle cove and guide Miss Milky into a separate section set up for her. She lies down and her new calf, the yet-to-be-named beauty, snuggles up beside her, a pink bow tied around her neck.
“One, two, three,” Preston says, and Poppy throws down her hands and then looks around.
“Where is it?” she asks, and I laugh.
“Hey, kid, it’s the one with the pink bow on it.” Her eyes dart around and then she spots Miss Milky’s calf and squeals.
“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, are you for real? Is she mine? Is she really really mine?” Poppy asks, rushing over to the side and crawling between the rails to get into Miss Milky’s section.
“She’s all yours, and Dean’s offered for her to stay here on the ranch until you’re old enough to have your own place for her,” Preston says, and Poppy lightly pets the top of the calf’s head and then cuddles tightly around Miss Milky’s neck.
“Thank you. Your little baby is beautiful, Miss Milky. Good job.”
Her mother laughs.
“So what are you going to name her?” Isabel asks.
“How about, Miss Moo?” Poppy says, returning to her calf to pet it. It nuzzles her with its head and makes a soft sound.
“I think she likes it,” Preston says, and I shake my head.
“I guess it’s better than Seefer and Emfer.”
“I’ll come over every day and see her and I’ll brush her, wash her, and give her treats. You won’t have to do anything, can’t I, Mom?” Poppy asks, and Isabel nods, looking at Preston and me.
“Sure, you can. We’ll sort it all out, darling. Promise.”
***
“And you are sure you have everything?” Isabel asks for the third time in five minutes.
“Yes, Mom,” Poppy replies, hugging her mother again. It’s her first night staying at Preston’s and while Isabel won’t be starting art school for another month, Poppy didn’t want to wait until then to start staying at her dad’s. In fact, the second we showed her the room Preston was setting up for her, she was all too excited to start helping there, too. She painted it a deep green because she wanted it to look like the meadow grass where her own little cow, Miss Moo, grazes. A color her grandparents would never have let her have her room at their place, she told us.
“I’m sure if she’s forgotten anything, we can run on over to grab it,” Preston reasons and I snuggle at his side.
“Well, you have fun, and don’t stay up too late and-”
“Mom, you can leave. I’ll be fine. I’m just staying at Dad’s place, not going to Africa.”
Isabel laughs.
“Okay, okay. I’ll go.” She gives her one last squeeze and kisses her head, then Poppy runs up the stairs to Preston’s loft before she can grab her again.
“I guess she’s good then,” Isabel says, and she walks back through the clinic to leave.
“I should be going, too,” I say, and Preston grabs my hand.
“You don’t have to.”
“I know. But it’s her first night here. It should be just you two. I’ll see you both at the ranch in the morning.”
“Okay. If you’re sure.”
“I’m positive. Now, go have fun with your daughter.” I lean towards the stairs and yell, “See you tomorrow, Poppy.”
“Bye, Dean, say good night to Miss Moo for me and tell her I’m bringing her a treat. Dad, I’m putting strawberries in the freezer. Don’t take them out or eat them, they’re for Miss Moo, not you.”
“Okay,” we call back.
“I guess I’ll see you in the morning,” he says, and I kiss him one more time.
“Yep, love you. Bye.” I’m stuck. Frozen. My mind is begging my legs to move, but they just stand there like pigs stuck in mud with Preston Knight looking at me with a gaping mouth and wide surprised eyes.
Holy shit. I just said I love you to Preston Knight. I mean, I knew I loved him. I’ve known for ages. But I didn’t think we were at the saying it stage yet and clearly by the overwhelmed shock on his face, he didn’t think we were there yet either. If only my legs would fucking move, then I could run away and pretend it didn’t happen. Cause that has always worked out so well for me in the past. Oh my god, stop being a shit. “I…umm, you know I’m always falling over my words around you, I didn’t—”
“You didn’t?”
“I mean, I did, I do—”
“You do?”
“I do if you do.”
“I do.”
“Do you?”
“Yeah. I do. I love you, too,” he says, and he kisses me again, only this time it’s deeper. His lips press hard against mine, and his tongue finds its way into my mouth as his hand slips around my lower back and pulls me tight.
“Dad, what are we having for dinner?” Poppy calls, and he pulls away. The kiss is over way too fast, but it’s no less perfect.
“Just a minute,” he calls back and then cups the side of my face in his hand and kisses me twice more, quickly. “I really should go, but we’ll see you in the morning, and then we’ll continue this conversation tomorrow night.”
“There’s more to the conversation?” I ask, and he smirks.
“Oh yes, lots more.”
“Really?”
He leans in close to whisper in my ear, his hand slipping behind my neck and sending a shiver down my spine.
“We’ve said the words, but now I want to show every inch of your body with my tongue just how much I love you.”
“Urgh, can’t it be tomorrow already?”
“Don’t worry, the wait will be worth it. Promise,” he says, kissing me one last time and jogging up the stairs.
I climb into my truck, my pants uncomfortably tight after Preston’s little tease. But it’s okay. I can wait. I’ve been crushing on Preston since high school. What’s one night?