We near Holt’s truck, and he gets out in all of his cowboy glory when he sees us approaching.
Ginny looks over at Carson. “Yeah, I’m gonna need you to buy a cowboy hat.”
He barks out a laugh, and I catch Holt’s grin. I wink at him, blatantly checking him out. I’ll never get tired of the way his jeans showcase his best attributes.
“We can get him outfitted once we get to the farm,” Holt says as he shakes hands with Ginny and Carson.
“Since Carson knows how to ride a horse, you’ll get the whole cowboy package,” I tell Ginny.
“I’m not sure my ovaries are going to be able to take it.”
“Hey, I’m ready for another niece or nephew. How cool would it be if you conceived on the farm?”
“You sure you’re ready for the full twin experience?” Carson asks Holt as they get the suitcases loaded into the truck bed. “They’re hell on wheels when they’re together.”
“Hey, we’re not that bad,” I argue.
“We’re probably worse,” Ginny says, making me laugh.
“Did Gia tell you guys about the time she kicked a grown man in the shins because she thought he was kidnapping her?”
“Noooo,” I whine, covering my beet-red face from the scrutiny of Holt’s family. We’re sitting at the big table with crumbs left on our dessert plates, and Ginny and Carson decided to start sharing embarrassing stories about me.
“She was maybe eight?” Carson looks at Ginny for confirmation. She nods, giggling at the memory.
“Why are you ganging up on me?”
“Because the Basil family needs to know what they’re getting into with you.” Carson grins.
I stick my tongue out at my best friend.
“Anyway, we were at the park one afternoon, and a guy had started making balloon animals. He had signs and was clearly a professional, but Gia must not have noticed because when he asked her if she wanted a hat or a dog, she screamed, ‘I don’t take things from strangers!’ and then kicked him straight in the shin.”
Holt’s brothers burst out laughing as my face gets even redder. Holt hugs me to his side, despite laughing just as hard as everyone else.
“Our parents were mortified. Luckily, he was understanding and told Gia to keep being a ballbuster,” Ginny says.
“He made me a balloon sword,” I add with a reluctant chuckle.
Today has been amazing. Ginny and Carson have fallen into Holt’s family as if they’ve always been here. Nina loved the horses and is currently snuggled in Stan’s lap, dead asleep. I wish the rest of my friends had been able to come too, but we’ve made plans for them to visit this summer.
Muriel takes pity on me. “Holt used to make me the cutest flower crownsto wear.”
I turn to him. “Aw. That’s so sweet.”
He rolls his eyes, a blush staining his cheeks.
“He made them for all of us,” his brother Nix adds. “And if you didn’t put it on immediately, he’d get this sad look on his face.”
Camden groans. “He was so freaking good at making that face.”
“Those blue eyes could be used as weapons.” Muriel laughs. Holt bats said eyes at his mom.
“And his girls know how to use them the same way,” I say, raising an eyebrow at Lauren, who grins at me.
Holt’s brothers groan in unison. “They’re so dang good at it,” Gage grouses.
More stories are shared about our childhoods—some are embarrassing, others are hysterical—until the girls start to fade. We say goodbye to Holt’s brothers, who aren’t staying on the farm this weekend, and then Holt and I get the girls settled in for bed.
