Chapter 21
Evie
Pulse pounding, I smoothed down my skirt. This was nerve racking.
Ruby had come by and supplied an outfit for this occasion. She’d also played with Vincent while I did my hair and makeup. Though I did have to help her up off the floor.
“I’m ready to pop,” she whined. “I’ve been eating all the spicy food. Why can’t I just go into spontaneous labor like you did? Should I go get a pizza?”
“You’re almost there,” I said. “Enjoy sleeping.”
“I can’t. My little ninja likes to kick me in the kidneys while I sleep.”
On the playmat, Vincent rocked back and forth, determined to roll over. His persistence was impressive, and I loved how he scrunched up his face in concentration when he was learning a new skill.
“You’re gorgeous,” she said, cradling her belly. “Look at your waist. I miss my waist.”
A light laugh escaped me. “Thank you for helping today.”
She looked down at my little guy in his Oxford shirt and cuffed jeans. Another outfit she’d brought over. “I wanted you both to look great when you meet the family for the first time. These people could be your in-laws.”
My heart lurched. “Stop. It’s not like that.”
She patted my cheek. “Sure thing, gorgeous—” With a harsh breath in, she winced.
“Are you okay?”
She shook her head, her brows pinched. “All good. Fucking Braxton-Hicks. I’m fine. Go have fun. You look hot as hell.”
The ride to the farm was scenic and beautiful. A typical early summer day in Vermont. After being holed up in my house for months, it felt good to breathe in the fresh air. I blasted Lake Paige’s newest album as Vincent and I drove up the winding road toward Lawrence Farm.
When the place came into view, it took my breath away.
Giant red barn, pretty white farmhouse, flowers lining the long driveway, rolling hills and dense maple forest. Exactly as Jasper had described it.
I’d visited several farms in the area for work, doing PR and business relations stuff, but none had been this beautiful. As I rolled toward the house at a snail’s pace, a giant dog trotted alongside my car, wagging its tail.
I parked in front of the house, and before I could even get out, Jasper was opening the door for me.
“You made it.” The joy radiating from him was so genuine it knocked me back. He’d been working, so I hadn’t seen him since the day before yesterday. Since the morning after we shared that soul scorching kiss.
Though kiss was a conservative term. Since I did end up in his lap, I’d probably categorize it as a make-out session.
We’d awkwardly danced around it the next morning before he left for work. Yes, we needed to talk, but I couldn’t bring myself to force this conversation. Not until after this visit, at least.
He scratched the dog’s ears, head tilted up to look at me. “This is Wayne. He looks like a killer horse, but he’s harmless.”
The dog sat and thumped its stumpy tail on the dirt, waiting eagerly for attention, so I bent down and gave him a scratch.
“I’ll grab Vincent.” Jasper practically bounced around me to the back door of my car. “I’m so happy you’re here. Can I give you a tour?”
“Sure.” I leaned into the car and grabbed the wine Etienne had explicitly instructed me to bring, along with a loaf of lemon blueberry sourdough Basil had baked.
With Vincent’s bucket seat in the crook of his elbow, Jasper strode across the grass, talking about trees and chickens, as excited as a little boy on Christmas morning.
“Look,” he said to our son, pointing. “There’s an eagle’s nest in that tree. The mating pair have been there since I was a kid. My mom named them Lucy and Desi. And here are the chickens,” he said, eyes bright.
The property was enormous, with several outbuildings in the distance. He pointed out tractors, equipment, a barn filled with sap barrels, and trees connected by a complex web of tubes and steel tanks.
There were fruit trees and a vegetable garden. Even a massive tire swing. Every detail was idyllic and calming.
As we wandered back to the house, admiring the views and the breeze, he grasped my wrist, stopping me, his face earnest.
“You know how I told you this was just a casual family dinner?”
I nodded. He’d said his sister Jenn and her wife organized family dinners on Sundays.
“So when everyone heard you were coming…” He trailed off, his attention darting to the side. “They wanted to come too.”
A hint of nervousness stirred in my chest, but I gave him a smile. “Okay.”
“So we’ve got kind of a full house in there.” He winced. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to overwhelm you. My family is just.” Head bent, he cuffed the back of his neck. “Kind of intense. Especially about babies and kids.”
His embarrassment was adorable.
“We’re fine,” I said, determined to believe that myself.
I wanted to be social and bubbly and fun.
I wanted Jasper’s family to embrace Vincent.
But these things didn’t come naturally to me.
Maybe it was the resting bitch face or maybe it was because I was a New Yorker.
Either way, I rarely hit it off with people during our first encounter. Ruby called me a “slow burn.”
“Vincent is social,” I said. “He loves his walks through town and smiles at everyone.” Maplewood had expanded my horizons. I had to remember that. I hung out in groups pretty often, in fact. This would be no different.
He reached down and squeezed my hand. “Thank you. Let’s get in there.”
He brought us in through the mudroom and led us into the main part of the house, smiling widely.
The home was gorgeous and not at all what I’d expected. It was newly renovated, with pristine wide plank oak floors. All the accents were neutral and soft, giving the place a calming vibe.
“I’ve got a Pack ’n’ Play upstairs for Vincent,” Jasper said over his shoulder as he led me deeper into the house.
A Pack ‘n’ Play? I hadn’t even considered needing one. Dammit. That single thought brought with it a wave of panic.
What must these people think of me?
At best I was an irresponsible dumbass who hadn’t realized she was pregnant. At worst, I was a conniving, calculating bitch who’d trapped their brother. Neither impression was flattering. Chest tightening, I considered how long I had to stay before I could use Vincent as an excuse to run away.
The kitchen was bustling, the sounds of cooking and chatter floating toward us as we made our way over.
Jenn Lawrence was here. I recognized her since I’d frequented her coffee shop for the last two years. Although most of our interactions had been limited to professional greetings from her and ordering and paying from me, she embraced me warmly.
Josh, who was chopping carrots, nodded. I didn’t see him often. He was a bear of a man, with dark hair and a full beard, though the resemblance to his brother was obvious. He was a thicker, more serious version of Jasper.
A petite blond woman had already approached and was kneeling in front of Vincent’s car seat, cooing. “Oh my God, he’s gorgeous. Girls, get in here and meet your cousin.”
She tipped her head back, smiling radiantly, and made eye contact. “I’m Jess. Older sister.”
“And I’m Brian,” a man with auburn hair said. He had a short beard, and the sleeves of his dress shirt had been rolled to the elbows.
“My aunt and uncle are out back, manning the grill,” Jasper said. “C’mon. I’ll take you to meet them.”
He set the car seat on the floor, and Jess quickly scooped Vincent up, exclaiming how handsome he was.
With a hand on my back, Jasper led me toward the doors that opened onto an expansive back deck. Before we escaped, I turned back, worrying my lip, and checked on Vincent.
“He’s fine,” Jasper urged.
He was right. My little guy was already grinning widely at his aunt.
So I let Jasper lead me through what looked like a magazine spread.
“Two men live here? That’s it?” I asked, marveling at the window treatments, throw pillows, and framed black and white photos on the walls.
“It’s all Josh,” he whispered. “He’s got impeccable taste. And likes to stay busy, so he’s always working on a project. Running two farms and day trading apparently doesn’t keep him busy enough.”
We skirted around the large sofa, our shoes tapping against the wood floors.
“Pretty sure he’s trying to create some kind of middle-aged dad life for himself, except without a wife and kids.” He shrugged. “I let him do his thing.”
The back deck was set up with a rustic set of furniture, and the view of the forest was awe-inspiring. An older man stood in front of the grill with tongs while a woman walked around with a pitcher of lemonade, filling the glasses of kids who were busy playing cornhole in the grass.
“This is Aunt Suzie and Uncle Ed,” Jasper said proudly, “And I think you know my cousin Gabe.”
I eyed the younger man in the group, recognition taking over. “The mayor?”
Gabe jumped out of his chair and offered his hand, his sparkling white smile on display. Gabe Harding was well-liked in Maplewood, and he was handsome. But that was about all I knew about him.
“Great to see you,” he said. “My mom and dad are so excited to meet you and baby Vincent.”
The older woman, Suzie, wrapped me in a hug. “You are gorgeous. Jasper, you were right.” As she pulled back, she winked at him.
Cheeks going pink, he quickly turned toward his uncle, focusing on the grill.
“Hope you don’t mind,” Suzie said, tucking her arm in mine, the gesture maternal and comforting and also strange, at least to me.
“We invited ourselves along. Since my brother and sister-in-law aren’t here anymore…
” She looked briefly at the sky. “We do our best to take care of these kids. we’ve got four of our own, but no grandkids yet.
” Her eyes lit up and she patted my arm. “Ooh, the kids. Let me introduce you.”
She led me down toward the grass. Two lanky teen boys were playing with two slightly smaller girls, the four of them arguing over the rules of the game.
“This is Elijah and Isaac. They’re Jenn and Mel’s,” she said. The older, taller one I recognized as my surly morning coffee delivery guy. He gave me a cool nod and his younger brother shook my hand like he was running for office.
“And this is Kit.”
The older girl with a serious face and glasses gave me a tight smile. “We’re excited to see Vincent. We’ve got extensive baby experience. Don’t worry, we know what to do,” she assured me.
“And I’m Greta,” the smaller one said with a big wave.
Warmth bloomed inside me in response to this family dynamic, and I let my shoulders drop. This wouldn’t be too bad. I could do this.
“They belong to Jess,” Suzie explained.
“We’re from New York,” Greta said proudly. “But our summer house is right over there.” She pointed at what looked like a small barn in the distance. “I have my own goats now.”
Breathing in the fresh air, I took in the scene in front of me. Extended family, kids playing in the grass, the comfortable house. It was nice.
And it tracked. Of course Jasper had grown up surrounded by people who were genuinely kind.
My family members would run screaming from this place. And a slight discomfort rolled through me with each hug. But it was nice. It was normal. Unlike my own childhood.
We ate dinner on the deck, and while the kids regaled us with stories from summer camp, jobs, and sports teams, the adults fussed over Vincent. He loved the attention, giving gummy smiles to anyone and everyone.
“Your home is gorgeous,” I said to Josh. “I can’t believe you did this work yourself.”
“I had help,” he said, his tone low. “And it keeps me busy.”
“The kitchen is incredible.” I sighed, peering through the doors into the house. “I’m not much of a cook, but even I’m jealous.”
Jenn nodded. “That giant farmhouse sink is epic.”
“The copper pots were my idea,” Mel chimed in.
Josh hovered over his plate, shoulders rounded like he was uncomfortable with the attention. “Trust me. The kitchen needed a lot of work. I had to take out walls just to get the burnt maple syrup smell out.”
The table erupted in laughter, but I was confused.
“When Jas was ten, he tried to make breakfast in bed for Mom on Mother’s Day,” Josh explained, his lips twitching. “Jenn and Jess were off at college, and I was out working with my dad.”
His sisters giggled.
“Jasper made pancakes. Then he decided to heat up the syrup on the stove.”
“I wanted to be classy,” Jasper added, his tone a little defensive. “But it started to burn, so I took the pot off the stove—”
“And put it on top of the newspaper.” Josh took over. “It caught fire and melted part of the Formica countertop. The drywall smelled like burnt maple syrup for years after that.”
Everyone was laughing now, including me.
“Jasper’s first fire,” Jess said, ruffling his hair.
“I put it out,” he said. “Even back then, I had good reflexes.”
Jenn picked up her glass of water. “Mom was so mad.”
“Not that mad,” Josh argued. “She never got mad at Jas. He was her favorite.”
A flash of sadness passed over Jasper’s face. He made no secret of how much he missed his mom.
While I hadn’t spoken to mine in a year.
Heart aching, I looked down at Vincent, who was now snoozing in my arms, and vowed I’d always be there for him. That he would be number one in my life forever.
“Have you told her about the time you stole the tractor? And took out a beehive?” Jenn asked.
“That’s how we found out Jasper’s not allergic to bee stings,” Jess deadpanned.
“I was seven. Not my fault the clutch stuck.”
We laughed for hours on the deck, eating pie and sharing stories.
As the evening went on, my nerves eased, and I found myself having a genuinely good time.
They all knew so much about one another.
There were inside jokes and old stories and so much warmth.
I was a stranger, an outsider, but every person here made Vincent and me feel included.
Jasper was so lucky to have these wonderful people in his life, and I couldn’t help but hope that Vincent and I could stick around.