I aim an irritated look at him. “My car is normal-sized, thank you. We can’t all have giant work trucks, you know? Anyway, it’s still in Georgia.”
“You’ll come to like my trucks,” Beau murmurs, a hint of a tease in his husky voice.Oh. “Here’s the plan. We’re going to get you settled into the guest room, and then we’re going to go tobed separately. I got work tomorrow. I’m up before dawn, and you can join me later at the farm for lunch. If you want.”
“My bag is still in Jackson’s car,” I whisper, breath hitching as Beau presses a line of openmouthed kisses down my neck.
“It can stay there. You can wear one of my shirts tonight.”
“Beau…”
“Shhh.” And then Beau kisses me with so much care my heart cracks at his sweet, undivided attention. I can’t think of anything else but the hot press of his mouth, his strong arms, a tight band around my body, and how maybe, just maybe, home is a person and not a place.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
BEAU
For months, every star in the sky was wished on by me. Thousands of wishes. Maybe even millions. Seeing Trevor come around the corner at Colby’s house yesterday was the fruition of so many heartfelt, full-of-longing wishes. I’ve never experienced joy so deep, so profound, as when his eyes met mine again.
And now he’s here. Staying with me. Indefinitely.
Never before has the future felt so grand. But we’ve both got a lot of work ahead of us. Trevor puts on a brave front, but I know how tender he is deep down. When he’d told me about his parents, I’d seen a pain in him that I wish he didn’t carry. One I ached to take off his shoulders.
Last night I tucked him into bed, gently kissed his forehead, swept his hair from his angelic face, desperately wishing I could’ve kept him from the very start.
But I have him now and that’s what matters most.
“Beau Callahan,” my mama shouts from across the field.
“That’s a mama yell if I’ve ever heard one. You eat the last cookie?” Lee teases as we both warily watch my mom stomp angrily across the blueberry field, hair up in a messy auburn bunand eyes zeroed in on me. I’m definitely about to get it. Crap. But her rage is softened by her messy hair, hole-filled cardigan, and rain boots. Hard to take her seriously when she looks so much like the Mama that lovingly placed Band-Aids on my knees as a kid.
“Yes, ma’am?” I ask sweetly.
“Don’tma’amme.” Mama accusingly points her finger with narrowed, suspicious eyes. “Trevor showed up at the party last night. Then you sweep him away without so much as a peep. Where is he?”
Lee chuckles, tosses up his hands, and disappears towards the other end of the field. Lucky duck.
“He just got back into town,” I hurry to explain to avoid her impending wrath.
“You’ll bring him over for dinner soon, you understand me?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Mama’s eyes soften. She takes a careful step closer to me. “Now, is he alright? Are you alright?”
I can’t help but laugh because for the first time everything finally seems alright. The past few years have been rough, but now that Trevor’s back, maybe I can finally get my own bit of happy.
“I’m doing a lot better now,” I admit.
She grins at me, then tenderly pats my cheek. “Good. Now I’ve got to get back to the office because they’re all fighting about some television show and it’s all very entertaining. I love working with the younger generation.”
With a wink tossed at me, she stomps through the field back towards the office. A few moments later, Lee wanders back over with a teasing grin on his lips. I take my hat off to hit him with it, but he ducks out of the way before I can make contact. Doubtful this will be the last time I’ll get anything from Lee over this.
“I gotta get me someone to date,” Lee says as we kick at the dirt like kids.
“Find someone, then.”
Lee rolls his eyes. “Not as easy for all of us.”
“One day, buddy.”
