Was that really too much to ask?
Apparently, it was.
10
“You’re getting better every day and that’s the part to focus on,” he said as he set me on my feet.
I wasn’t sure what I was going to say in response; I opened my mouth to saysomethingbut was distracted when I caught sight of something behind him. I touched his arm and peered around him to get a better view… And almost fell over again.
Then I just pointed behind him and trying to make my mouth work.
His soft chuckle hit my ears as he took my hand and led me towards the… Campsite? Yeah, it looked like almost a campsite out of the movies or something.
On my land.
Since when? How?
I had a lot of questions all at once, which was why my mouth wasn’t working for sure.
“So for the record, we checked with Tracey and you said several times something needed to be done here now that so many people were coming,” he said as we reached the edge of it. “We all pitched in, Taylor and his people too. Everyone who’s been getting sessions or gotten theblessingof being able to come here and harvest.”
I bobbed my head as he told me that they took great care taking down the trees they did. That it was the trees of theland that made the picnic benches. They used magic harvested from the land to level the area and then worked extra to afford the concrete. Tracey had agreed that pavers weren’t needed and someone could trip, so it was better for stamped concrete.
I agreed. It fit perfectly. It looked great. It was pretty big even with a dozen nice tables, a large bonfire pit in the middle, what looked like a grilling area off to the side, and… I wasn’t sure.
“Are you building decks?” I hedged, glancing from it to him.
“You know what glamping is, right?” he waited until I nodded. “That’s what we thought this could be. A few huts and—I’d stay here one night a week with Teddy as I could. That’s more eyes here and someone trusted to make sure everything is okay.”
“I love it,” I whispered, touched beyond words he’d pulled this off.
“Don’t cry, little sexy,” he begged. “Your tears kill me.”
I sniffled and quickly wiped under my eyes. “It doesn’t count if they’re happy. This is—he would have loved this. The life back to the land.”
He flinched. “Henry?” He cleared his throat when I nodded. “I’m glad. People talk highly of him, but I did it for you, Bev. We did. We didn’t know him, and we don’t give a shit about the Millens.”
“Or Shaws,” Wes drawled as he used a cart to drag a huge box over. “We did this for you. Clare. Jasmine since she’s helped make this work. Tracey approving our projects and giving us hope. Shit, just having a fucking community that’s not toxic and makes me feel this society isn’t a fucking dumpster fire every fucking day.”
I nodded but then glanced up at Winter asking what that was about.
“We contacted some people we know and the things we learned were terrifying,” Winter said quietly. “We’ll explain. Ithink we’re being joined and with food since what we’re making won’t be ready until dinner.”
He winked at me and brought me over to one of the picnic tables and explained to me what it all was. My eyes went wide when a pickup carefully came close with a trailer that was a grill. A grill trailer?
“That we had to get money for, but we promised we knew what we were doing,” Winter told me as he snapped on disposable gloves. “Now, before you smoke butts, they must be spanked.”
“I’m sorry?” I blinked at the meat and then up at him.
He was focused on what was in front of him, but I saw the smirk. “I don’t make the rules, little sexy. I just follow them.”
“Sincewhen?” Nate drawled, several people there laughing.
Winter’s large hand slapped the even larger cut of meat. “Gotta smack that butt; otherwise the pulled pork won’t turn out well.”
“Oh, Ilovepulled pork.”
“Girl, that’s why he’s making it,” one of Taylor’s people chuckled as she brought over a tray of food. She winked at me when I glanced at her and walked off laughing.
