“Trent!” Kenzi called.
The mutt perked up at the sound of her voice and bounded over to her as best he could. He tried to lick her face, but she managed to hold him down and rub his neck at the same time.
“That is the ugliest dog I have ever seen.” Trent was brown and black and white and off-white and yellow. He had rough hair on his back that stuck up like a hyena and a beard like a goatee. Both ears stood straight up, and his tail was so long it brushed the ground.
“I know, right!” Kenzi laughed. “I didn’t think he’d live another winter the last time I was here, and yet he keeps on going.”
Trent plopped himself on the ground and rolled onto his back, waiting for a tummy rub. He looked like an alien having a seizure.
“He’s a demented Energizer bunny.”
“We’re not even sure he’s a dog, but the vet treats him like one, so …” She shrugged. “What do you do? I wasn’t going to argue with him.” She ended the reunion with a couple pats to the dog’s belly and stood up straight, brushing off her hands.
Kenzi took a moment to take in the sights, and Nash took a moment to take in Kenzi. The small stress lines around her eyes had disappeared. He’d thought they were a permanent part of her beauty, but they were gone now, erased by the fading sunlight on her face and the atmosphere blanketing Front Porch Farm. Her back was straight, no sign of the perpetual hunching she did when at home—like she was waiting to be attacked. He hadn’t noticed it until it was gone.
Just as he was about to comment on how good the country looked on Kenzi, the front door to the house flew open and a woman with blue-gray hair and wearing a flowered house dress waved excitedly, sending the flesh on her upper arm bouncing. “Kensington—you quit daydreaming and get yourself on in here.”
Kenzi waved. “We’re coming right now, Gladys.”
“You’d better.” The warning was issued with so much love that there was a promise of a long hug attached at the end.
Kenzi laughed in delight.
“I’ll get the bags if you’ll get Hattie.”
“You’re on.”
They did just that, Hattie coming awake in Kenzi’s arms and burying herself into her aunt’s neck. Kenzi introduced them all, and she did indeed get that long hug. Gladys didn’t stop there; she gave one to Nash, too. Her hug was warm and happy and had so much welcome home involved that he was blinking back tears.
“What on earth?” Gladys asked, noting the moisture in his eyes.
“It’s so dumb.” Nash coughed to clear the emotion from his throat. “But I miss my mom. Your hug …” He trailed off, feeling like a complete fool.
Kenzi rubbed his arm and leaned her head on his shoulder. He soaked in her support. Seeing her holding Hattie in her arms and cuddled up to his side did something funny with his universe—it shifted. He wanted this. He wanted Kenzi, he wanted children with her, and he wanted a home. Of all the things he’d lost, home was the biggest blow of all.
But here, in this old farmhouse with quilts hanging on the walls and draped over couches, and faded family pictures, he finally got a taste of what he’d been missing and he couldn’t let it go.
“Well, aren’t you a regular sweetheart.” Gladys winked at Kenzi. “You picked a good one.”
Kenzi smiled shyly up at him. “I think so.”
He may not deserve Kenzi and he may not deserve to be as happy as he was at the moment, but he was going to hoard every second of this bliss. And he wasn’t going to walk away. After the vote and everything was settled, and Kenzi no longer needed him, he was going to find out if she wanted him. If she did, he’d never leave her side.
“Good thing, too. Since you didn’t invite us to the wedding and all.”
Kenzi’s mouth made a small O. Nash wanted to kiss that O and any other vowels she’d like to form with her pretty lips.
“Weeeell.” Kenzi shifted Hattie in her arms. “We didn’t invite anyone, Gladys. We eloped.”
“Eloped!” She smacked her hands together. “Now that’s a story I gotta hear.”
“It’s not terribly romantic, I’m afraid.” Nash broke in, trying to cover their tracks. “With her father is such poor health, a large wedding would have been in poor taste.”
“Ah.” Gladys nodded sagely. “That’s smart thinking. Although …” She looked them over and sighed heavily. “You two would have made quite the picture in a tux and a gown.” She sighed again, her eyes focused just over Nash’s shoulder as if she could see the wedding march happening.
Kenzi shifted Hattie again. The child clung to her neck as if there were alligators crawling along the floor waiting to snatch her up. “Gladys and her husband ran the dairy when Harrison and I would come for the summer.”
Gladys left her fantasy wedding and came back to the conversation. “Our grandson runs it now. ’Course you already know that, Kenzi. He has a boy just older than this little one and one that’s ten—he’s a real big help around here already.” She patted Hattie’s leg. “I’ll bet they’ll be over tomorrow morning and the three of you can get to know one another.”
