And the way she lived, it seemed that she had decided she wasn’t for anyone. She hadn’t been out once since he’d come—not a date, not even a lunch with friends. Ella seemed to have dedicated herself one-hundred percent to what was left of her family.
She had already had her one great love. And if Dalton told himself anything different, he was only setting himself up for pain.
The desire to run rose up in his chest as it had done so many times before.
I have to get out.
I can’t stay here.
I have to get out before I ruin this.
But he had more to do here in Trinity Falls before he could go. All of this was for Andy, and he would never do anything halfway when it came to his best friend.
So he took a few deep breaths, and somehow, in the quiet warmth of the kitchen, with the scrape and clink of Ella working beside him, he was able to hold himself together.
Before long, the kitchen was sparkling clean again, and Dalton was feeling steadier.
Ella started some coffee while he cut impossibly thin slices of pumpkin and apple and peanut butter and pecan pies.
When everyone sat down again and ooh’d and ahh’d over the delicious treats, it all felt too good to be true.And even though he was sure that everyone would be too full, they all dug into the pies with gusto.
“Idideat four slices, Dalton,” Dove said, scrambling up on his lap and patting her tummy in satisfaction when she was finished. “I can’t believe it.”
Little Dove grabbed his hand all the time, but this was the first time she had sat in his lap. She was as light as a feather, and she smelled like pumpkin pie and the wood fire she and her cousins had been playing in front of.
“Great job, sweetheart,” he told her. “I believed in you the whole time.”
“That’s because you love me,” she said lightly.
The table suddenly got quiet, and Dalton felt his own surprise like it was a palpable thing, spreading out to the edges of the room and snapping back tightly around him.
“Everyone loves you, Dove,” he told her gruffly.
“I love you too, Dalton,” she told him, leaning her little head against his chest. “I’m glad you live here now.”
His eyes were burning, so he bent and pressed a light kiss to the crown of her hair so no one would see.
11
ELLA
Ella was curled up on the loveseat the night after Thanksgiving, sewing mother-of-pearl buttons on the lavender and green cardigan she had crocheted for Dove for Christmas. It had taken forever, since she could only work on it after her daughter was already tucked in, and with all the early mornings on the farm, Ella didn’t like to stay up particularly late herself.
“That’s looking lovely,” her mom said over the top of her book.
“Thank you,” Ella replied. “I’m hoping these colors are still her favorites when Christmas comes.”
“She’s going to love it,” Mom said firmly.
The creaky stair groaned, and Ella shoved her project under a throw pillow so she wouldn’t ruin Dove’s surprise.
But it was Dalton who appeared on the landing.
Her mouth tried to lift into a happy smile, but she firmly kept her features under control.
It had been harder and harder to ignore her feelingsfor the gentle soldier. Seeing Dove express her love for him so casually last night had tugged on Ella’s heart, and she’d had to look out the window for a minute to avoid letting anyone see the tears she was fighting.
“Shall I put the kettle on?” Ella’s mom offered warmly.
