Chapter 7 #3
“Can you stay? I’d really like to talk to you.” Gina shot Kyle a look that told him she was a bit alarmed, and he almost laughed.
“Uh, sure. Okay.” Briley took a seat in the chair adjacent to the sofa where Kyle and Gina were sitting. He desperately wanted to scoot over to her and wrap her up in his arms, but not with Briley sitting there.
“I’ve been watching you all evening. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders, and you’re mature too.”
“Uh, thanks. I appreciate that,” Briley said, his cheeks reddening just a little.
“Thing is, we all need to be looking ahead. We don’t know where this is going yet, but if it does work out, and I hope it does”—Gina reached over and took his hand—“then changes will have to take place. I’m stuck.
I work the farm and I can’t leave. That would require some lifestyle changes for everyone, mostly on your end.
I’m not saying that has to happen soon, or that it even will happen.
But what I am saying is that we need to be thinking how that could be accomplished with the least amount of upheaval for everybody. Does that makes sense?”
“Yeah. So you couldn’t move?”
Kyle shook his head. “No. That farm’s been in my family for generations.
Selling it and moving isn’t an option. That means if I’m going to be with somebody, I’m either going to have to stay there and they’ll have to move to be with us, or I’ll have to actually find a job and leave the farm fallow and just walk away.
Honestly, I don’t know how to do anything else, so me finding another job would be pretty hard to impossible.
” Gina squeezed his hand, and he knew she was on the same page with him.
“It would also mean building a new house. Mine isn’t big enough. So we’d have to think about that too.”
“But it could be done,” Briley pointed out.
“Yes. It could be. But it’ll take some work.
So please, be thinking about it, and if you have any ideas, talk to your mother.
In the meantime, she and I are going to be spending time together to make sure we’re compatible.
That means we’ll be going back and forth between the two houses.
We’re grownups. I need to know that if I come over here and spend the night, it’s not going to completely freak you and your sister out. ”
“Oh, it’ll freak Hadley out, but she’ll get over it!” Briley said, laughing.
“I’m thinking that too.” He stopped and turned to the woman beside him. “Babe, you’ve been really quiet. Got anything to say?”
“Nothing, except I’m really proud of both of you, sitting here and discussing this. And I’m excited, because I want to see where this goes.”
“Good. So we’re all on the same page?” Briley and Gina nodded.
“Mom told me about the picnic. Is that still on?”
Kyle looked to Gina, and she smiled and nodded. “Yep. Looks like it’s a go.”
It was getting late and all the kids had school the next day. “Myla, we need to get going.”
“Oh, but Daddy, can’t we spend the night? I want to play with Hadley!” His sweet little daughter looked like she might cry.
“No, honey. We’ve got to go home. Tell Hadley goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Hadley. Thank you for letting me play with your kitten, and for drawing with me. I had fun.”
“You’re welcome. Come back and see me, okay?” the older girl said with a smile, and suddenly Kyle was grateful for her. She was really trying.
“I will. Bye. Bye, Miss Gina.” Myla walked straight up to Gina and looked up at her. “Can I give you a hug?”
“Of course.” Gina squatted in front of the little girl and opened her arms. Myla walked right into them with no hesitation. “You be good for Daddy, okay? And I’ll see you soon.”
“Okay. I will. Thank you for the good dinner. It was yummy.”
“You’re quite welcome.” She rose and waited until Kyle took her hand. “I’m so glad you were here.”
“I’m glad I was too. We know where we stand with everybody now, at least these three, and they’re the ones who matter most. Thanks for dinner and everything.” Without thinking about it, he took her face in his hands and kissed her. She clapped her hands over his and kissed him back.
When he pulled back, he nipped her lip and grinned. “Gotta go. Goodnight, beautiful.”
“Goodnight. Call me and let me know when you get home so I know you’re safe.”
“Will do. Come on, cookie. Gotta go. Bye!”
“Bye. Bye, Myla!”
“Bye! Come see us!” the little girl called back toward the house, and Gina waved back.
When she stepped back into the house, she was greeted by both of her kids standing right there in the foyer. In the brief second she had to watch their faces, she couldn’t read them. “Uh, what’s up?”
Briley pointed toward the den. “We need to talk.”
“Okay.” As soon as they were seated, Gina looked back and forth between them. “So, again, what’s up?”
“I’ve got something I’ve got to say,” her son said, and Gina steeled herself for whatever was coming. “I really like Kyle. He seems like a great guy. Give him a chance and see where this goes.”
“Yeah, I like him too. And Myla’s so cute!” Hadley added. “I think he could be a good person to be in our lives, Mom. He’s so nice. I mean really, really nice. Like a real dad.”
Gina was shocked. She’d been prepared to hear them tell her every reason why she should run the other way. “I’m glad you like him! Think the rest of the family will?”
Briley nodded. “I don’t see why not. There’s nothing to not like about him. I think we all fit together pretty well.”
“Good. Then it’s settled. I’ll keep seeing him and we’ll see where this goes. And both of you,” she said with a smile, “I love you. Remember that, no matter what happens.”