Page 109 of One Kind Soul

Christian’s mouth dropped open. “You want to get married here?”

She bit her lip as she looked up at him. “Yeah, it’s so pretty here, but if you don’t want to—” Her words got cut off when Christian picked her up and spun them around.

“I’ve always thought this place would be nice for a wedding.” He put her down. “In fact, you can ask Rada, Ben, and Jared about how I considered offering the farm as a wedding venue last summer. We have so much space here. I know there are possibilities for expansion. I haven’t had the time or the manpower to explore everything.”

Nicole turned in a slow circle, taking in her surroundings, but seeing it now as more than a home and a business. As she faced the store where a few customers were heading into and out of the shop, she spotted Shelly, hugging a bag that probably contained one of Rada’s muffins to her chest, and the best idea came to her.

“Would you accept some womanpower to explore everything?”

A slow grin turned up the corners of Christian’s mouth. “Of course. You know I want you to be involved in this place.”

“Good. I’ll get you a proposal.” She kissed his cheek.

“Not until we celebrate your proposal,” Tessa said. “C’mon. We brought a feast to kick off the Nicole and Christian Engagement Season.”

Christian slung his arm around Tessa’s shoulders. “So you’re not going to warn Nicole that she shouldn’t marry me?”

Tessa punched him lightly in the stomach, making Nicole laugh. “No, but I will warn you that if you aren’t the best husband on the planet to my bestie, I will hurt you.”

“And she can hurt you,” Donovan said.

“You know that goes for you too, Donovan.” Nicole pointed at him. “I didn’t think I’d be local after you became my bestie’s husband, but guess what? I am.” She held up a fist then smacked it into her other palm in warning.

Christian looked at his brother. “We’d better behave ourselves.” He motioned to Landon. “And who’s going to kick his ass if he screws up?”

“My cousin, Miller, has that covered,” Aliza said.

“We need to start a support group,” Landon said. “The Don’t Be a Bad Husband support group. That way we can keep each other on the right path.”

“Deal,” Christian said. “I’ll make the T-shirts.”

Laughing, they all toted food from Landon’s and Donovan’s vehicles into the farmhouse and Nicole took a few moments to watch these wonderful people fill her new home. She loved them all and realized family didn’t have to be about genetics.

It only had to be about love.

Epilogue

One week later...

Nicole drew in a deep breath, the scent of milkweed strong on the summer breeze. Shelly sat beside her on the same log by the small pond down at Shepherd Orchard and Farm. Over the past week she’d made a point to interact with Shelly each morning when she stopped into the store for one of Rada’s muffins. They’d engaged in a bit of chitchat and Nicole became more convinced Shelly had suffered abuse similar to her own.

Yesterday, she’d invited Shelly to join her for a walk on the farm’s grounds today. She’d thought it was a long shot, but was pleasantly surprised when Shelly agreed. Rada had supplied them with muffins and coffee which they’d taken out to the pond—one of Nicole’s favorite spots on the property.

“This is nice.” Shelly’s gaze focused on the water. “It’s so peaceful here.”

“I’m glad to hear you say that,” Nicole said. “I’ve been wanting to ask you something. You don’t have to answer if you’re not comfortable, but I’m going to throw it out there anyway.”

Shelly shifted her gaze to Nicole, her eyes wary, but she nodded.

“My sister,” Nicole began, not sure she had the strength to say what she’d planned to say. Since being back in Vermont and knowing Lynda was locked up again, she and Christian hadn’t talked much about her. And though Lynda apparently wasn’t her actual sister, Nicole still thought of her that way because they’d been raised as siblings. Maybe that would fade over time or as she processed everything she’d been through with Lynda. “My sister verbally abused me for most of our time growing up together. She called me horrible things on a daily—sometimes hourly—basis.”

Shelly’s shoulders stiffened and she wrapped her sweater tighter around her in a move Nicole recognized all too well.

“She cut me down every chance she got and made me feel like I was worthless,” Nicole continued. “I guess I didn’t realize at the time that treatment such as that wasn’t normal sister stuff, you know? I thought that’s how it was, but then it hit me that it was bullying. Hardcore. She chipped away at my self-esteem until there was little left.”

Shelly sipped her coffee as she looked over the water again.

“I used to hide myself away in big sweaters and was never comfortable about my body because Lynda had ripped it to shreds so many times. I believed I was gross and insignificant and that no one would ever love me.” Nicole drew in another deep breath then she shifted on the log to face Shelly. “I was wondering, Shelly, if you had something you’d like to talk about? Something similar. If you do, I’ll be happy to listen.”