Bennett — Age 22
With all the people gathered for Thanksgiving at my parents’ house, I constantly searched out Maven any time she wasn’t at my side.
I apparently needed to drink in every moment with her so I could make it through the next stretch of drought until she came back.
Not that we had much longer to go. After this current semester ended, there were only three more, and then she’d be back in Autumn Ridge for good.
I could make it through anything with that as my goalpost. Her gaze caught mine from across the room, and she smiled. “I love you,” she mouthed.
My smile grew tenfold, and Jaxon leaned toward me. “Do you think she intended that for me or for you?”
I glanced over at my younger brother. “It’s honestly a toss-up.”
Jaxon’s grin was all sorts of going-into-my-senior-year cocky.
“She did say I was looking handsome earlier.” He flexed and gave a small lift of his chin.
“I’d encourage you to keep your eyes on her, but considering you haven’t taken them off her all afternoon, it seems like you already understand the threat I pose. ”
“That’s a lot of confidence for someone who got his butt whooped at the Turkey Bowl this morning.”
“You, Tate, and Carson all on the same team? How is that even fair?”
“It’s fair because you were the other team’s captain. You could have picked anyone, but you stuck to your football buddies.”
“I couldn’t not pick them.”
“Hey, you.” Maven stepped up to my side and slid her hands around my waist in a way that sent a wave of warmth through me.
I slung an arm over her shoulder and sent Jaxon a pointed look, which only caused him to flex one arm again.
Her gaze was still on me. “Want to take a walk before dessert is served?”
“With how stuffed I am, I’m not sure how far I’ll make it.”
Jaxon sent me a smirk. “I’ll take a walk with you, Maven.”
I pushed him away. “I’ll grab our coats.”
Maven laughed, and I was sure Jaxon was already thinking how to use the fact against me later.
I helped Maven put on her coat and threw on my own before we slipped into the chilly November air.
We started up the dirt road behind our house that divided our property from the neighboring one.
It was stick season in Vermont, so besides the evergreens, the trees were bare.
The white trunks of the birch trees sat stark against the wooded backdrop.
We chatted as we walked, Maven’s hand clasped in mine. When we came to a small clearing that overlooked the farm, Maven led me to a downed log, and we sat there, listening to the wind blowing through the trees and the occasional sound of a bird.
“It’s so beautiful here,” Maven said, a puff of air coming from her mouth. “And peaceful.”
It really was. And more so because Maven was in my arms.
“Are we still on your family’s land?” she asked, mindlessly running her fingers over the callouses on my hands.
“Yeah. My dad considered selling this portion since the terrain isn’t farmable, but I convinced him not to because there’s good lumber up here.”
Maven glanced around. “Maybe we should buy it from him. Then we could build a house with a wraparound porch and a wooden bench swing that looks over this.” She gestured to the view. “And we can fill the whole thing with babies.”
I stilled, trying not to put too much stock into her comment. “Is that what you’d want?”
She glanced up at me. “Yes to the babies. And I guess the house would depend on how much it costs. You could probably do a lot of the work, but it’ll be a long time before we could afford something like that.
What with you working in the shop and me…
possibly teaching music.” As a trained violinist, teaching was really the only career if she didn’t live in a big city.
But Maven would be an amazing teacher, whether she worked at a school or did private lessons.
“Wally wants me to take over for him when he retires.”
“What?” Maven shifted toward me, her eyes widening. “That’s amazing! Why didn’t you tell me?”
“He only just mentioned it, and I wanted to tell you when we were together. Besides, it wouldn’t be for another few years.”
“But you’d want to do it?”
I nodded. “I have some ideas on how to grow the business, and I think it could provide a good life for us. Eventually, I could even build you that house you want.”
Maven lifted her cold fingers to my cheeks, then guided me to her, placing the most tender kiss on my lips that warmed me straight through. Apparently, she liked my offer.