"Oh, well then—"
"Let me finish, would ya?As soon as he heard about that, Cash said he was coming to pick me up and gave me the choice of going over to the big house for lunch with the MacFarlands, or taking me out to any steakhouse I wanted to go to."
She smiled at that."So, you're going to the MacFarland place?"
Jim nodded happily."No steakhouse around here can match young Tyler's cooking."
"I'd have to agree with you there.There aren't any in New York that can match him either.He'd make a fortune if he moved there."
Jim scowled, and she had to laugh."I know, I know, I didn't mean it that way."
"I'll be happier when you stop even thinking that way.Don't worry, it'll wear off after you've been here a decade or two."
That made her smile."You think you could see me fitting in and sticking around then?"
"I already do.Now, go on with you.You have somewhere to be.And I'd enjoy a bit of peace before Cash gets here."
"Okay, I'll stop in and see you when I get back.How about that?"
"How about you text me first?And if you don't get an answer, you'll know that I'm having a nap.Sleeping off my steak."
"Okay, I'll do that.And if I don't see you later, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Aye, I reckon you will."
Emmett's place was only a couple of miles up the road, and Harper enjoyed the ride.It was so beautiful here.The mountains were still capped with snow, but the valley was starting to come back to life.
When she turned into Emmett's driveway, she noticed for the first time that the trees that had been nothing but bare sticks all winter now showed the first signs of buds.It made her feel hopeful, but then she immediately rolled her eyes at herself.She was coming over to have Sunday lunch with Emmett and the girls, that was it.She didn't need to go thinking about it as anything more than that.
Even if she and Emmett did possibly start seeing each other, they'd maybe develop the kind of friendship that included a handful of dates.At their age and in their situation, it hardly warranted the blooming of flowers and the bursting forth of a new spring in life.The two of them were in autumn, not spring.
When she pulled up out front, she was surprised when the door opened and Emmett came out.She was used to Tanya rushing out to greet her, but this was new.And he looked pleased to see her.
She let her gaze travel over him as he strode toward the truck—that easy confidence she'd noticed before, unhurried but purposeful.The green shirt stretched across his broad shoulders, and those had to be his Sunday best jeans—bright blue, not faded from work.Without his usual cowboy hat, his mostly gray hair caught her eye.She didn't see him bareheaded often.
As he opened the door for her, she noted that the shirt brought out the green in his eyes.She'd say they were hazel, but the colors seemed to shift like the tide.As she stared into them, she decided that green might be her favorite.
"Hi," she said, suddenly lost for words.
He chuckled."Hey, sorry if you were thinking you could give yourself a minute to gather your thoughts before you came in, and I ruined it."
She laughed at that."I thought you knew me better than that."
He cocked an eyebrow.
"I don't do too well at gathering my thoughts.They tend to spill out of my mouth before I get ahold of them."
He chuckled."Can't say I'd noticed."
She climbed down from the truck and slapped his arm, saying, "If we're going to get along, there's no point in trying to be polite.I have a nasty habit of running my mouth when I shouldn't, and we both know it."
"I wouldn't call it a nasty habit," he said with a shrug."You speak the truth, and that's a trait I value."
"Good, I'm glad."She pointed to the rear door."I just need to get..."
He opened the door and gathered her things."That's okay, I came out to give you a hand."He hesitated."Oh shit, wait, am I okay to do this?I'm not trying to take over, I'm just..."
She laughed."You're fine, I appreciate it.And if the look on my face said otherwise, you have to remember that I tend to be just as self-reliant as you are."
