“I’m pretty sure I hate both of y’all,” I continued even as I grabbed a couple Danish twists for them.
“You have your tools?” Beau asked after he finished turning the music down, eyes narrowed on Sawyer for the interruption. “I can’t get a spigot out back to stop leaking.”
Sawyer looked at me as if gauging what I planned to do with Rae before sighing. “Yeah, give me a second.”
I slid one of the twists toward Rae, then started setting up some of the others exactly how I wanted them in the display case as she slowly started toward me. “So, how long do you think you’ll hate us? Because Emberly said ‘forever.’”
A laugh bubbled free. “Of course she did.” My head shook slowly as I met her worried stare, a soft smile playing on my lips. “I don’t. I am so bummed I didn’t get to see that boy get married, but I’m also incredibly excited for y’all. And I get it,” I added encouragingly. “Emberly does too.”
“This isn’t poisoned then?” she asked as she brought the pastry closer to her, a mischievous glint in her eye.
I gestured to Beau with a jerk of my head. “He’s still standing.”
“Comforting,” she said sarcastically, then offered him a playful grin before looking at me. “Are you guys missing the kids? It’s so quiet in here.”
“Too quiet,” Beau added.
“We miss them so much,” I said. “We’ve been FaceTiming them a couple times a day. They’re having so much fun, and we’re grateful that my parents gave us this time together. We needed it.”
Beau grunted in agreement. “But we’re ready for them to be home.”
“Few more days,” I said with a sigh, then gave him an encouraging smile.
“Well, I’m glad the two of you were able to have some time alone,” Rae said with a nod. “Not that I know what it’s like the other way, but . . . you know.”
“You’ll know soon,” I said, my smile widening in response to the one that stretched across her face.
“That’s true—oh!” she gasped. “Before I forget, Nathan said to tell you ‘hi.’”
I thought for a moment before asking, “Who?”
“Nathan—” She sighed and cut an expectant look at Beau before clarifying, “The vulture.”
“I told her,” he said unapologetically.
“Right, no, I knew he visited. I just didn’t remember his name,” I said quickly. “I think it’s nice that he’s still volunteering to come when he has no intention of doing anything about the ranch.”
She made a humming sound that was pure hesitation, her gaze darting around before falling to where she was picking pieces off the twist.
“Rae . . .”
She put the pieces down and met my stare. “You know your house? Not this one,” she amended quickly, “the one you grew up in—next to the Dixons’?”
I quickly glanced to Beau when her tone had unease settling in my stomach. “Yeah?”
“I don’t know if you knew, but the people who bought it from your parents have always told that developing company that they would sell their property when Hunter sold his land. I think because they knew Hunter wouldn’t, but I’m not sure.”
“I didn’t know that,” I said as my unease grew.
Because if they’d changed their minds and sold, and if that company started building something right next to the Dixon land and orchard, it would already start changing everything about our town.
“Well, Nathan got a call from one of the owners of the company last night.”
“They’re selling it?” Beau ground out.
Rae’s hands lifted as she hurried to go on. “They called the company first to see what they would offer before putting their house on the market, and Nathan was told to go out there before he left. And he did. This morning.”
Beau mumbled a curse as Rae continued.
“But it’s Nathan, so he told them their property was worthless without the Dixon land and made them a horrifically low offer that he knew they wouldn’t accept. But . . .” She released a shaky breath and said, “I want to know if it’d be okay with you if Sawyer and I bought it.”
A shocked laugh punched from my lungs. “What?”
“Sawyer keeps saying it isn’t a big deal, but that’s the house you grew up in, and I don’t know how you’d feel about that,” she rambled quickly. “I don’t know if that’s weird or absolutely not okay—I’m not familiar with these things.”
“Rae,” I said softly and waited until she’d taken another calming breath. “I’d much rather y’all be in that house than anyone else. Especially people who would sell it to a company that would destroy it.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m positive.” I gestured off to the side. “I know my parents will say the same. But you didn’t need to ask, that hasn’t been my house for a long time.”
She looked at me helplessly. “Seeing how protective everyone has been with Hunter’s house and the land is the first family-attachment experience I’ve had with a house. I just didn’t want to do anything that would upset you.”
“You won’t, I promise.”
“I told you,” Sawyer said as he came back into the kitchen, carrying a toolbox. “By the way, we’re buying your old house before someone else can,” he told me with a cheeky grin. With a kiss to Rae’s shoulder, he continued through the kitchen and followed Beau outside.
“So, you’re buying a house,” I said softly as I placed the clear lid on the display case and then carefully carried it over to the other counter. “In Amber, Texas.” Smiling at her once I had the pastries where I wanted them, I added, “And you married a terribly stubborn Dixon.”
“I did,” she said, joy lighting her expression.
“When you showed up here a year ago, I would’ve never guessed any of that would be in the future for y’all. But I’m so glad for it—all of it. You’re perfect for him and this family, Rae.”
The corners of her mouth tipped up shakily, and she looked away, still clearly uncomfortable when anyone mentioned family and her. But it was different than how she’d been a year ago.
Not as haunting.
Not pushing her into fight-or-flight in an instant.
Slowly getting more and more used to the idea of having a family—of letting people love her.
“I have something for you, and I hope it’s okay,” I said as I hurried to the other side of the kitchen and grabbed the small box I’d stashed away, my tone all understanding and encouragement when I faced her again. “I understand if it isn’t.”
She straightened and carefully set her features into her impenetrable mask when I set it on the island beside me. “Okay.”
“When I was growing up, my mom had this necklace that I loved,” I began. “I used to play with it all the time when I was a kid, and I always tried to sneak off with it in the rare times she took it off, as if she wouldn’t know it was missing.” Sorting through the necklaces I wore, I found the chain I was looking for and pulled out the large locket from beneath my shirt. “On my wedding day, she gave it to me.”