That just about finishes me.
I bend forward, laughing again while Moose trots into the kitchen behind us like he personally supervised the entire operation. Daisy circles my legs hopefully, and Cricket zips across the floor like a tiny rocket before skidding into the cabinet.
Cole pulls his boots off by the door, shaking a little hay loose as he steps inside.
“I’ve fought men bigger than that thing,” he mutters.
“Kevin?”
He points a finger at me.
“Kevin tried to square up.”
I lean against the counter, grinning at him. “Kevin squares up with everybody.”
“He lowered his head at me.”
“That’s because you looked suspicious.”
Cole stares at me for a second like he’s trying to decide if I’m serious.
“You introduced me to him,” he says slowly. “You said,‘This is Kevin, he’s mostly nice.’”
I shrug.
“He is mostly nice.”
“Then why did he try to headbutt me?”
I wipe at my eyes, still laughing.
“You were standing in front of his bucket.”
Cole blinks once.
“…that was his bucket?”
“Very much his bucket.”
Cole runs a hand down his face and exhales slowly like he’s trying to recalibrate his entire understanding of the morning.
Behind him Moose plops down in the middle of the kitchen floor with a satisfied grunt.
I push away from the counter and move toward the coffee pot, grabbing two mugs from the cabinet. The smell of fresh coffee fills the kitchen again as I pour.
When I turn around, Cole is leaning back against the counter watching me, arms crossed loosely over his chest.
His expression has softened a little.
There’s still a trace of disbelief there, but something else too.
Something warmer.
I hand him one of the mugs.
“Congratulations,” I say brightly. “You survived farm chores.”
Cole takes the coffee, his fingers brushing mine briefly.
