Within a couple hours, Belville Park would fill with so many of the people she loved most. Mara and Marshall and Sam, who was overjoyed to have Mackenzie for the day. Aunt Lauren and Tony. Kit and Beckett. Paige. Noah and even Lucas’s dad and Nancy.
Dustin Hollis was the only wild card. They’d invited him, but whether he’d show was anyone’s guess.
But the people she loved the most-most were already here, the drifting music of their voices and laughter sweetening the air around her even more than cinnamon.
Lucas bounded into the kitchen, exaggerated impatience in his warm gaze. Violet had been playing with his hair again—it was pulled back with a scrunchie into something halfway between a ponytail and a bun. He took the mug from her hand and plunked it on the counter.
“Hey, we’re playing host to a thousand people later. I need that extra caffeine.”
Wasn’t he cold in just a tee and gym shorts? “But you’re going to miss it.”
“Miss what?”
Apparently he decided it was too much to explain. He gave a huff and swept her off her feet. Her shriek turned to laughter as he carried her into the family room, where all three kids were gathered on the floor.
He plunked them both onto the couch. She landed next to him, arms still around his neck and legs sprawled over his. “Well, I guess when someone wants his wife’s presence, he gets his wife’s presence.” She tried to sound scolding and failed entirely.
Lucas’s stubble scratched her cheek in that way she loved when he kissed her. And for what was surely the millionth time since they’d married in a short and simple courthouse ceremony last weekend, she thanked God they’d decided to copy Marshall and Mara. Forgo some pointlessly lengthy engagement.
Lucas had stayed out in the cottage until the day of the wedding, and Noah had too. They’d found a brotherly closeness as they tossed around the idea of opening a landscaping business together. Of course, Mayor Milt was still trying to talk Lucas into applying for that city parks job. She was glad he didn’t seem in a hurry as he weighed his options, especially considering his upcoming appeal hearing in D.C.
She’d been surprised when he’d decided to move forward with it. But when he’d told her why, she’d only fallen more in love with him. “I was going to let it go. I’m done letting my record define me.” They’d been standing in the hallway upstairs when he’d said it, having just tucked in the kids. “But Dad went to a lot of work making it happen. Besides, I have my heart set on adopting these kids so if getting my discharge downgraded would help—”
She’d interrupted him with an embrace. As for her part, Jenessa’s hours at the paper had dwindled down to almost nothing, with Paige taking on more and more of the daily operation.
“Trust me, you’ll be glad I fetched you,” Lucas said now. “Okay, guys. Let’s see if he does it.”
Tucked against her husband, she watched as Colie coaxed Cade into standing. Thankfully, her injuries from the car accident had healed smoothly. Violet scooted into place several feet away from her older sister.
“He’s only ten months old, guys. That’s awfully early to—” She interrupted herself with a gasp as Cade took one tottering step and then another.
“Told you,” Lucas murmured in her ear.
Violet squealed and clapped, and Colie’s beaming expression was the perfect picture of a proud older sibling. After a few more steps, Cade plopped to the floor, giggled, and clapped for himself.
They repeated the setup several more times, Colie and Violet positioning Cade and holding their arms out as he made his wobbly way back and forth.
“This is exactly what I pictured, Lucas.”
“Hmm?”
“A holiday morning. All of us together. Pajamas.”
His arms tightened around her. “About that last part, though. We might want to consider getting dressed. People could start showing up anytime. My dad has this thing with being ridiculously early to everything.”
She shifted so she could face him. “How are you feeling about him coming?”
“Fine. More than fine, actually. I think things are only going to keep getting brighter and better.” He gave her a quick peck and stood, securing her before she toppled from his lap. He clapped his hands. “All right, crew, we’ve got company coming soon. Time to make ourselves presentable.”
Violet saluted and Colie rolled her eyes. Lucas scooped up Cade, and Jenessa followed her family from the room.
An hour and a half later, the house teemed with people, the front door opening every five or ten minutes with new arrivals. A burly wind whooshed outside the windows and sent curled leaves skittering in the door with each guest.
She was just finishing lighting candles on the dining room table when Lucas peeked into the room. “Hey, you might want to come up to the entryway.”
The creak of the oven door sounded from the kitchen. Hopefully Noah was following her instructions on the pies. “You’re not going to waylay me this time? Sweep me off my feet and carry me to whatever it is you want me to see?”
A flirty glint danced in his eyes as he waltzed toward her. “Well, you have to admit I’m pretty good at sweeping you off your feet.”
“Literally, figuratively, and otherwise.”
The teasing in his eyes sparked into something deeper as he pulled her to him. “Part of me says I should stop giving in to the temptation to kiss you literally every time I’m in the same room as you, especially now that our friends are here. But then I remember what we’ve had to put up with from Mara and Marsh for months.”
“Hey!” Marshall and Mara exclaimed together from the kitchen.
“For the record, some of us would still like to have an appetite for Thanksgiving dinner,” Sam growled.
“Ignore him and kiss me, Lucas Danby.” She wound her arms around his neck. “We’re newlyweds and we can get away with it.”
“Oh, I plan to get away with it long after we’re newlyweds.” He gave her a quick kiss, then tugged her from the room. They passed Lucas’s father lounging in the sitting room, a copy of Iowa History in his lap. Mayor Milt hadn’t stopped raving about the two-page spread featuring Maple Valley for days—nor the photo of the Belville Park gardens on the cover.
They arrived at the entryway in time to see Dustin Hollis walking up the sidewalk.
He’d actually come. What would the kids think? She’d asked Colie and Violet how they felt about a week ago. Dustin had moved down to Des Moines earlier in the month after officially signing away his rights, and they didn’t hear much from him. But both girls had said they were okay with seeing him on the holiday.
And they appeared okay now as Dustin came in. He seemed uneasy and uncertain, but there was no mistaking his soft smile when Colie said she was glad he’d come. She led him farther into the house, showing him around.
“Do you think we did the right thing inviting him?” Jenessa whispered as she watched the man interact with the children he’d chosen to give into her—into their—permanent care. Such a gift.
Lucas slipped his arm around her. “We prayed about it.”
“I know. But the whole thing is a little messier than it would be if we’d opted for a clean break.” Cold seeped through the front door, the waning breaths of autumn making themselves heard in the rustle of the trees outside.