“Not that new. I’ve been thinking about it a while.”
Next to me, Saffron’s hand found mine. I squeezed her fingers and glanced over to find Diana smiling as she watched us.
After dinner, everyone headed to bed upstairs.
“We’re in here,” Saffron said, leading me into a guest room with windows that looked out over the vineyard.
“This is nice,” I said, pulling her into my arms. “God, I missed you.”
“I missed you too. So much that I decided if you changed your mind and went back to rodeo, I’d have to become a buckle bunny.”
“You already are. Myonlybuckle bunny.”
“I better be.”
Once we were in bed, she curled into my side and rested her head on my chest above my heart.
“So, is the wine really on schedule?” she asked after a few minutes of silence.
“Cru says it’ll be ready to taste next week.”
She tensed slightly, but I felt it.
“Hey.” I held her closer. “It’s going to be amazing.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because I believe it.”
She didn’t answer, and I held her until her breathing evened out and she fell asleep.
I stayed awake longer, staring up at the darkness in the room, so happy she was in my arms for real rather than me just dreaming she was.
I woke early,like always. The house was still quiet except for the faint sound of a baby crying somewhere down the hall.
“I should check on her,” Saffron said, rolling out the other side of the bed. “I volunteered to take the first shift today since I didn’t know you were coming.”
“What can I do?” I asked, watching as she put on a robe I immediately wanted to take off her just so I could look at her naked body a few minutes longer.
“Coffee, please.” She practically groaned as she opened the door and eased out of the room.
Downstairs, I found Lucas already making a pot in the kitchen. We exchanged morning greetings, then just stood there, two men who’d known each other for years but had to navigate new territory now.
“She seems happy,” he said, pouring coffee into three mugs. “Happier than I’ve seen her in a long time.”
“I hope so.”
“You serious about her?”
The question was direct, so I’d be equally so. “Yes, sir. Very serious.”
“Good. She deserves someone who’s all in.”
“I am. All in. Maybe more than she is.”
Diana appeared then, breaking the moment. “You two bonding?”
“Just talking, sweetheart,” Lucas said, kissing her temple like I so often did with Saffron.
