“Good.”
Ron steps up. “We’re doing one final round of poker tonight in celebration. You coming?”
My gaze darts to Rowe, who now rests her elbow on my shoulder. “Why are you looking at me?”
“Because I want to make sure it’s okay with you to say yes.”
She narrows her eyes playfully. “Will you be back at a reasonable hour?”
“And if I say no?”
She leans in and whispers so that no one else can hear, “Then you’ll be getting a spanking.”
“Oh, I’ll definitely be home late, then.”
Her eyes flare, probably because I referred to the farm ashome. It is home. It’s become my home more than any other place that I’ve ever lived.
A small smile plays on her full lips. “See youhomelater, then.”
I press a kiss to her cheek and whisper, “Wait up.”
“Oh, I will,” she replies with a giggle, leaving me to walk up the steps of the house with Cristina. When Rowe reaches the door, she glances over her shoulder and smiles.
The wind whips through her hair, and when I glance into the sky, steel-gray clouds scroll past.
“Looks like a storm’s coming,” Isaac murmurs.
No storm could stop the sensation in my heart, because from where I’m standing, it feels like a ray of sunshine is erupting from my chest, filling me with boundless joy.
I am home.
“I was going to do this tomorrow, but it’s going to be so busy that there won’t be time,” I say.
“Do what?” Ron asks between bites of potato chips.
“This.”
I pull my wallet from my back pocket and pull out three checks—one for Isaac, one for Ron, and one for McCauley. One by one, I slap the checks on the table and slide them over to each man.
“For all your hard work. Thank you.”
Ron flips over the check in front of him, does a double take, and reels back in his chair. Isaac’s hand shoots out and grabs the chair, pushing it forward until the front legs hit the floor.
“Is this a joke?” Ron asks. “I thought you didn’t have access to any of your money.”
I quash the grin that starts spreading across my face. “I was able to get this for you. Sorry it’s not more.”
“Not more? It’s twenty grand,” Ron sputters.
“What?” Isaac flips over his check. His eyes nearly pop from his skull. “Isthis a joke?”
“Not a joke. I told the three of you before you started that you’d be compensated.”
“I figured the hot dogs were compensation.” McCauley scratches the dark scruff on his chin. “I never thought you’d pay us like this.”
“This is small thanks to the three of you for believing in the farm and for giving your time and energy—and for working two jobs.” I nod toward Isaac and McCauley. “For sacrificing.”
“Hey, man,” the bartender says, “in Mystic Meadows, people are more than people. We’re each other’s family. Rowe is family. We’d do anything to help her.”
