The tractor puttered up the drive and stopped before them. Teagan hopped down and hurried the rest of the way. She ripped off a glove and held her hand out to his mom. “You must be Drew’s mom. I’m Teagan.”
His mom grabbed Teagan’s hand and gave it a firm shake. “Ellen Collier. Pleased to meet you.”
“And you too, Mrs. Collier,” Teagan said. “Sorry I wasn’t at the house to greet you. I got a late start on my chores and thought I could get them done before you arrived.”
“Please call me Ellen.” His mom gave Teagan a welcoming smile before letting go of her hand. “And we should be the ones apologizing for being early. We thought traffic would be heavy due to the holidays, but it wasn’t.”
Teagan nodded and turned her full attention to Drew. It felt like the sun had come out brighter and shined warmly on him.
“Hi,” she said almost shyly.
“Hi,” he said back to her, sounding like a teenager with a crush.
“Oh, my,” his mother said. “You are smitten, aren’t you, son?”
He felt his face color. “I’ll get your bags, Mom.”
“I’ll help.” Teagan offered.
He went to the trunk, and she came around the back. Once he’d raised the trunk and reached for his mother’s overnight bag, Teagan bent in and kissed him on the cheek.
He turned and planted a fast but hard kiss on her lips, then waggled his eyebrows at her. “I like seeing my farm girl at work.”
She giggled. “Then maybe you can help me finish my chores before we go out tree hunting.”
“Sure thing.”
He lifted out his mom’s and his bag. “Nothing for you to carry but you can close the trunk.”
“This way.” She closed the trunk and hurried toward the house as if she couldn’t wait to get alone with him.
Or at least he hoped that was her plan. They’d seen each other every day until the dinner, and the past few days he’d missed her drastically.
They went in through the front entrance, the screen door snapping behind them. Teagan’s mom came to meet them, and she introduced herself to Drew’s mother.
“Let me take you to your room so you can settle in before the big tree hunt.” Ruby took his mom’s bag from Drew. “Do you have some boots to wear?”
“In my bag.” His mom looked a little flustered. “After seeing what Teagan’s wearing though, I’m afraid you’ll laugh at them. Not very practical for the woods, I guess. But it’s all I had.”
Ruby waved her hand. “Not to worry. We have about every size of boot you could want here if you want to trek all over the woods, but I was hoping you would stay back with the rest of us old folks to judge.”
His mom let out a thankful breath. “That sounds good.”
“I’m going to take Drew out to help me finish my chores,” Teagan called after her mother.
“Breaking him in right.” Ruby crinkled her nose, and Drew could see Teagan in her mom’s face.
Ruby had aged very gracefully, and he suddenly wanted to know Teagan when she was the same age.
She grabbed his hand, and he dropped his bag to let her lead him out the door.
“What’s the rush?” he asked.
The moment it snapped closed, she slid her arms around his neck and pulled his head down. “This.”
She kissed him long and hard, and he forgot about time and place again. Forgot to wonder where her dad might be. Or her siblings. Until he heard a car rumble down the drive. He lifted his head and looked over her shoulder. An early fifties classic Chevy pickup lovingly restored to all its former glory rolled down the drive and stopped in front of the house.
“Oh, man. She’s beautiful.” He left Teagan behind and jogged down the steps as her dad climbed out of the driver’s side.
