Chapter 29
Devan
A s Justin pulls his truck into their driveway and around to the back of the house where the garages and a basketball goal are, I ask, “Does your sister like living in town after living out on the farm her whole life?”
“You can ask her.”
After opening my door, Justin takes my hand and leads me toward the back door near the garage.
“Should we go up front and ring the bell?”
Justin shakes his head. “Family doesn’t ring the bell.”
I think about that, about my parents’ house. The front door is rarely even used. Everyone comes and goes through the kitchen.
At Kandace and Dax’s house, the first door Justin takes me through leads into the garage.
It’s big enough for three cars, but the first stall is filled with a lawn mower, tools, and an array of bikes and riding toys.
Through the next door, we enter a breezeway with windows and a door to the side yard.
Up a few steps is another door. As we approach, I hear the voices inside.
“Are you sure you’re ready?” Justin asks.
A smile comes to my lips. “If I said no, could we play hooky?”
“Without question. The Tastee Freeze is down the street.”
“Hmm.” I pretend to consider his offer. “I say we don’t stand up your family, but” —I add— “I may take you up on the ice cream later.”
“Deal.” He leans close and kisses me. “That’s for luck.”
“Oh no. Do we need luck?”
As soon as Justin opens the door, Kandace and Mrs. Sheers’s conversation stops, and both sets of eyes are on us. “Hello.”
“Welcome.”
Mrs. Sheers comes forward and wraps me in a hug. “Devan. It’s so nice to see you.”
“We’re really glad you could make it,” Kandace says.
“Thank you for inviting us,” I say, stealing a peek at Justin who is grinning my direction. I extend my hand with the strawberries. “I picked these this morning.”
Mrs. Sheers takes the bowl. “Oh, there’s nothing better than fresh-picked strawberries. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Mrs. Sheers.”
“Oh no. That was my mother-in-law, God rest her soul. I’m Bridget, and Justin’s father is Randy.”
“I’m Molly.”
We all turn toward a swinging door at the end of the kitchen, still moving from Molly’s entrance. I would know Molly Richards anyway. She has the same shade of hair as her mom and uncle and her dad’s golden eyes.
“Who are you?” she asks, straight to the point.
“Molly,” Justin says, crouching down. “Come here.”
The little girl squeals as she runs into his arms, and he lifts her off the ground. Still holding her, he says, “This is my friend Devan.”
“You have friends?”
Everyone laughs.
With a chuckle in my voice, I reply, “He does. I’m his friend. May I be your friend too?”
Molly glances toward her mother for permission. From the corner of my eye, I see Kandace nod. Molly sticks out her hand. “Hi, Devan, I’m Molly, and we can be friends.”
Shaking her little hand, I grin. “It’s official.”
Justin sets her feet back on the ground and she reaches for his hand. “Uncle Justin, come see what Dad made.”
“Dax made something?” he says to Kandace.
“It is a time of miracles.” Her gaze goes to me. “Devan, please make yourself at home. You can stay with Mom and me or go with Justin. Whatever you’d like.”
“I’m curious about Mr. Richards’s creation.”
“Dax,” Kandace says.
“What Dax made.”
Following a step behind Justin and Molly, I pass through the swinging door to the dining room.
Off to the right is a large living room with windows looking out on a stunningly green lawn with a large swing set.
Taking another right, we pass through glass doors to a sunroom.
It’s outside the sunroom that I see where Molly is taking Justin.
Dax and Mr. Sheers—Randy—are already outside. Built into the tree overhead is a small house. A tree house.
“Is that for you?” Justin asks Molly.
She nods her head quickly. “It has a rope ladder, but” —her little nose scrunches— “I’m not good at that yet. So, Dad put up the real ladder.”
“Can I see inside?” Justin asks after a casual greeting to Dax and Randy.
“Do you want to?”
“I do.”
Molly turns to me. “Devan, do you want to see inside my tree house, too?”
“Very much.”
“Dad,” Molly asks, “can I take them up there?”
Dax’s voice is deep like Justin’s. “I think that will fill it to capacity, but you should make it.”
“Capacity?” Molly asks.
Justin crouches to her level. “It means we might fill it up, but we’ll all fit.” When Justin stands, he wraps his arm around my lower back. “Dad, Dax, this is Devan.” He looks at me. “My dad and brother-in-law.”
“Welcome, Devan.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Randy by the way.”
“Nice to meet you,” I say.
Dax moves the ladder and watches closely as Molly makes her way to the top. The tree house is probably at least eight feet off the ground. I can’t imagine using a rope ladder. Justin motions for me to go next. I do, bending at the top to fit through the doorway. Justin is not far behind me.
“How do you like it?” Molly asks.
The inside walls are painted bright yellow, the ceiling white, and the flooring is actual flooring, the vinyl that’s meant to look like wood. There is a beanbag chair and a small table with two chairs. The windows even have flowy white curtains.
“Molly,” I say, “this is beautiful.”
She sticks her hand out one of the windows. “There isn’t glass, but if I pull this string a door closes. It keeps the rain and snow out.”
Justin sticks his head out the doorway. “Nice job, Richards. Your carpentry skills are improving.”
From where I am, I can see Dax’s middle finger. It makes both Justin and me laugh.
After a more detailed tour, we all take turns climbing down the ladder.
Whatever nerves I might have had about today’s gathering are totally gone by the time we all sit down to eat.
Instead of eating at the big dining room table, Kandace and Bridget bring the food to the sunroom.
Currently, the glass doors are open and it’s like a big screen porch.
“Tell us, Devan,” Kandace begins, “how you convinced this confirmed bachelor that there is more to life than farming and being awful at softball.”
“I’m not awful,” Justin says.
“He did hit the only home run last week,” I add.
Kandace rolls her eyes.
Before I can answer, Justin does. “She kissed me.”
I choke on my iced tea as Bridget’s eyes widen.
“There’s a little more to it,” I say.
“We’re all ears,” Kandace says.
Swallowing my tea, I say, “He didn’t know who I was. It was at the Gordons’ hog roast.”
Dax leans back. “That was you?”
Justin nods.
“Man, he was talking about you for weeks. No one else saw you.”
I reply, “I didn’t tell anyone I was in town.”
Justin chimes in. “I later learned she was here for her interview with Cory.”
“Even Cory didn’t know who you were talking about,” Dax says.
Justin turns my way with a sexy grin. “I couldn’t believe no one else saw her. I couldn’t forget her.”
“Okay,” Kandace says. “Now get to the good part. When did he figure out who you were? Or are, I should say.”
I go on to tell them the story of Marilyn’s dad being called into work. Justin taking his place. How he pretended not to recognize me. Even Randy is laughing when I tell them about the open windows and slamming doors. I leave out the part about the fortuitous moving tote.
“I guess,” Justin says, “you can say the rest is history.”
“That reminds me,” I say. “Since Justin and Ricky have known one another their whole lives, I’m going to need some dirt to hold over his head, things he did as a child.”
Kandace laughs. “Oh, I have hours of material. We may need wine.” She pouts. “No wine for me.”
There is that rumor.
“Congratulations,” I say.
Her smile beams. “Thank you. We weren’t exactly trying.”
“We weren’t not trying,” Dax adds.
It’s Randy Sheers who holds up his hands. “Not a conversation for a dad to hear.” He clutches his chest with a grin. “Remember, your old man has a bad heart.”
“Your heart is the best,” Bridget says. She stands. “Devan brought fresh strawberries, and I found vanilla ice cream in the freezer. Who wants some?”
Everyone says yes.
I stand up to help with clearing the table when Justin reaches for my arm. “You don’t have to help.”
“You help at my house. I want to.”
It feels right to help Kandace and Bridget. They’re fun and keep the conversation light. After the ice cream and strawberries, I worry I will need to undo the button on my shorts. Justin and I stay a while, talking, watching Molly, and having a nice afternoon.
As we’re driving toward my house, Justin asks, “How do you feel about a weekend getaway?”