She shook her head, her brows pinched. “All good. Fucking Braxton-Hicks. I’m fine. Go have fun. You look hot as hell.”
The ride to the farm was scenic and beautiful. A typical early summer day in Vermont. After being holed up in my house for months, it felt good to breathe in the fresh air. I blasted Lake Paige’s newest album as Vincent and I drove up the winding road toward Lawrence Farm.
When the place came into view, it took my breath away.
Giant red barn, pretty white farmhouse, flowers lining the long driveway, rolling hills and dense maple forest. Exactly as Jasper had described it.
I’d visited several farms in the area for work, doing PR and business relations stuff, but none had been this beautiful. As I rolled toward the house at a snail’s pace, a giant dog trotted alongside my car, wagging its tail.
I parked in front of the house, and before I could even get out, Jasper was opening the door for me.
“You made it.” The joy radiating from him was so genuine it knocked me back. He’d been working, so I hadn’t seen him since the day before yesterday. Since the morning after we shared that soul scorching kiss.
Though kiss was a conservative term. Since I did end up in his lap, I’d probably categorize it as a make-out session.
We’d awkwardly danced around it the next morning before he left for work. Yes, we needed to talk, but I couldn’t bring myself to force this conversation. Not until after this visit, at least.
He scratched the dog’s ears, head tilted up to look at me. “This is Wayne. He looks like a killer horse, but he’s harmless.”
The dog sat and thumped its stumpy tail on the dirt, waiting eagerly for attention, so I bent down and gave him a scratch.
“I’ll grab Vincent.” Jasper practically bounced around me to the back door of my car. “I’m so happy you’re here. Can I give you a tour?”
“Sure.” I leaned into the car and grabbed the wine Etienne had explicitly instructed me to bring, along with a loaf of lemon blueberry sourdough Basil had baked.
With Vincent’s bucket seat in the crook of his elbow, Jasper strode across the grass, talking about trees and chickens, as excited as a little boy on Christmas morning.
“Look,” he said to our son, pointing. “There’s an eagle’s nest in that tree. The mating pair have been there since I was a kid. My mom named them Lucy and Desi. And here are the chickens,” he said, eyes bright.
The property was enormous, with several outbuildings in the distance. He pointed out tractors, equipment, a barn filled with sap barrels, and trees connected by a complex web of tubes and steel tanks.
There were fruit trees and a vegetable garden. Even a massive tire swing. Every detail was idyllic and calming.
As we wandered back to the house,admiring the views and the breeze, he grasped my wrist, stopping me, his face earnest.
“You know how I told you this was just a casual family dinner?”
I nodded. He’d said his sister Jenn and her wife organized family dinners on Sundays.
“So when everyone heard you were coming…” He trailed off, his attention darting to the side. “They wanted to come too.”
A hint of nervousness stirred in my chest, but I gave him a smile. “Okay.”
“So we’ve got kind of a full house in there.” He winced. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to overwhelm you. My family is just.” Head bent, he cuffed the back of his neck. “Kind of intense. Especially about babies and kids.”
His embarrassment was adorable.
“We’re fine,” I said, determined to believe that myself.
I wanted to be social and bubbly and fun. I wanted Jasper’s family to embrace Vincent. But these things didn’t come naturally to me. Maybe it was the resting bitch face or maybe it was because I was a New Yorker. Either way, I rarely hit it off with people during our first encounter. Ruby called me a “slow burn.”
“Vincent is social,” I said. “He loves his walks through town and smiles at everyone.” Maplewood had expanded my horizons. I had to remember that. I hung out in groups pretty often, in fact. This would be no different.
He reached down and squeezed my hand. “Thank you. Let’s get in there.”
He brought us in through the mudroom and led us into the main part of the house, smiling widely.
The home was gorgeous and not at all what I’d expected. It was newly renovated, with pristine wide plank oak floors. All the accents were neutral and soft, giving the place a calming vibe.
