Darren walked through the house with her, and sure enough, with only a bed, the dresser, two couches, and her dining set, she wasn’t taking everything.
“What are you doing with the rest of this?” he asked. The spare bedroom held furniture she hadn’t tagged. End tables in the living room. A dish cabinet in the kitchen. Her patio furniture in her beautiful backyard.
“Meredith and Denny said I could leave anything I wanted,” Farrah said. “They’re moving from a condo, so they don’t have rooms of furniture. I'm moving to a condo, so I don’t need rooms of furniture.” She glanced around her house, her expression taking on a wistful quality.
“You’re not having second thoughts about moving, are you?” He lifted two dining chairs and paused.
“No,” she said, yanking her attention back to him. “No, it’s only fifteen minutes from the farm, and miles closer to school. I just…I will miss my yard.” She stepped toward him and he set the chairs down to receive her into his embrace.
“You have the farm,” he whispered. “You can do my yard work any time you want.”
She curled into his chest and sighed. “I do love the farm.”
“You can plant anything you want out there,” he said. “Choose any spot, Farrah. It’s yours.” He couldn’t help the emotion in his words. They had gone slow. He’d been back in town for four days, and he hadn’t texted her until this morning. But he liked this soft, strong, sexy person Farrah had become. He liked that she shared important things with him. That she had dreams and was working to achieve them.
“Thank you, Darren.” She stepped away and met his gaze. Reaching up, she cupped his face in her palm. “Thank you.”
He gazed back at her, and he liked what he saw. “I like you,” he whispered. “Can we go to dinner in Burlington once we get you moved and settled?”
“You like me?”
He could’ve said dozens of things to emphasize how much. Instead, he just said, “Yes.”
Half a smile flirted with her lips. “I like me too.”
“I’m glad.”
“And you too. I like you too.”
Feeling a bit insane and with his heart pressing on the accelerator, he bent down and skated his lips along her cheek. “So let’s get you moved.”
The housewarming partystarted at six o’clock, and Darren arrived several hours early. He’d spent Thursday night at dinner with her and followed her home on Friday after her work in the boutique.
One piece at a time, everything was getting unpacked between them. So on Saturday, he couldn’t stand to wait all day to see her. They’d held hands, and laid together on the couch to watch a movie, and shared meals and stories with each other.
He wanted to kiss her.
And today happened to be New Year’s Eve. Whether she’d planned her housewarming party on this holiday or not, Darren wasn’t sure.
He texted her from the parking lot, so when he knocked on her door, she was laughing when she opened it. She wore yoga pants and a blue T-shirt. Her hair looked like she hadn’t washed it yet, but Darren found her downright beautiful.
“Sorry I’m early.” He stepped past her and entered her condo. “You can do whatever you need to. I’ll just hang out.”
She scoffed and closed the door behind him. “Right. If you’re here, you’re going to work.” She latched onto his hand and pulled him into the kitchen. “I’m doing barbecue chicken tonight, and it needs to marinate.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Then you can take me to lunch. I found a salad bar next to campus I want to try.”
He stood in the kitchen like he didn’t know what any of the tools were. Really, he’d been cooking for himself since he moved to the farm, and he’d become quite adept at putting together a meal.
So he got to work measuring and cutting and putting the chicken in the Crock Pot. Farrah made baked beans and told him about the campus she’d visited while he was in California. He listened and asked her questions. Took her to lunch. Laughed with her when he stepped in an icy puddle and soaked his boots.
Back at her place, he kicked off his shoes and socks so they could dry. They watched a movie in the afternoon, and when six o’clock rolled around, Darren was fast asleep.
chapter
twenty-four
Farrah watched Darren sleep,his face the most handsome thing she’d ever seen. She gently traced her fingers along his hairline, her huge emotions for him engulfing her.
“I love you, Darren,” she whispered.
