“I think she can handle it,” Bella whispered back.
Sharon turned and walked back over with James at her side. They both sat on the sofa again. “I’m sorry, the idea of grandkids just got me a little excited,” she said.
James laughed. “Not gonna lie, me too.”
“As I was saying,” Bella said, “I’d move the bees to the farm. And I’ve already spoken to Candace, and she’s totally on board with running the café while I help out with the storefront. She’s actually really excited, since this is a dream of hers.”
Sharon’s smile grew even wider. “I knew that girl had a passion for all things baking and cooking. I could just tell by the way she moved around in that little kitchen up at the store.”
Bella and I both laughed.
“I’d also like to look into expanding the picnic baskets I’ve been making,” Bella said. “With Candace running the café, it means I won’t have to be at the store all the time, and I think it could be something I’d really like to do.”
“What about the apiary tours?” her mom asked. “Would you still do them? You know how much your grandmother and grandfather loved to teach folks about bees.”
“Yes, of course, I still would. The bees will always be my top priority. My dream is to teach our kids about the bees.”
I could see that the idea of grandkids had James and Sharon about to bounce out of their seats. I felt the same way.
Her parents exchanged a look, then turned back to us. “Well then, it looks like we’ve got some bees to move and a wedding to plan,” Sharon said.
Bella jumped up and ran over to her parents. She hugged them both, and then she and Sharon started to laugh and cry at the same time.
James walked over to me and hit me on the back. “It’s about damn time.”
I stood and looked out the window of our new house, watching as Bella, Willa, and Ben all walked down the freshly shoveled pathway to check on the apiary. It was mid-March and we had been in the house now for almost a week. Clearing a spot for all the hives and moving them had been a hell of a lot more work than any of us had anticipated, but seeing how happy Bella was made it all worthwhile.
Moving our little friends hadn’t been the only thing occupying our time. Bella and I drove into Boston last weekend and picked out an engagement ring, deciding on the way back to Boggy Creek that we wanted to get married on the farm, in the gazebo. That meant we needed to wait a few more months for warmer weather. If it made Bella happy, then I was all for it. But a small part of me just wanted to make her my wife immediately.
Bella and Candace both signed the rental agreement for the storefront on Main Street, and the contractor would start working on it next week. They needed to add a kitchen, and the contractor was optimistic it would only take a month since things were slow and he could get a double crew on it. There was so much going on—and I fucking loved seeing Bella thrive.
“How’s the therapy going?” Aiden asked as he walked up and handed me the beer I’d set down in the kitchen.
“Good. Bella goes once a week by herself, and I join her for a second session.”
Aiden looked out the window and gently rubbed Ciara’s back where she slept in some weird sack thing that was strapped onto the front of him. It was like a backpack for babies. “Everything been good?”
I could hear the concern in Aiden’s voice. “She’s woken up maybe twice from nightmares. Will she ever stop having them?”
He nodded. “I think so. I still have them occasionally. Not sure what triggers them. The best thing you can do is simply be there for her.”
“Yeah. I know. I just hate that she’d dealt with this on her own for so long. She told me the other day she felt like she was alive again. That she could finally breathe. Every time I think about it, I want to kill that motherfucker.”
Aiden placed his hand on my shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze. “I know, dude. I know. Tell me how the wedding plans are coming.”
I smiled. That was clearly Aiden’s way of deflecting my anger into something he knew would make me happy.
“They’re good. We’re hoping for a late April or early May wedding.”
“I like that you guys are doing it in the gazebo.”
I took a drink of my beer. “Me too. It just feels like a dream sometimes, Aiden. I’d wanted Bella back in my life for so long and sometimes I have to pinch myself. I know it looks like we’re moving fast, but—”
“Dude, you don’t have to explain shit to me. You and Bella know how fast or slow you want to go. It’s not like you just met each other. You love her, she loves you, and you want to marry each other. Why wait?”
“Exactly,” I said, lifting my beer to tap his. The sound caused Ciara to jump a little, then let out a little sigh.
“This kid could sleep through a gun battle,” Aiden said, kissing the top of his daughter’s head. “How soon do you guys want to start a family?”
When I didn’t answer right away, I felt Aiden’s eyes on me. “Holy shit. Hunter?”
Turning, I looked at him and smiled.
“Bella’s pregnant?”
“She was supposed to start her period but hasn’t yet. Honestly, I’m not surprised. Every chance we get, we’re all over each other.”
Aiden grinned.
“We haven’t taken a test or anything. I’m not sure why. I think deep down, Bella’s a little scared.”
His grin turned to a frown. “Scared of what?”
I shrugged. “Maybe having what happened to Abby and Bishop happen to us? I think she’s just so happy that she’s waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under her. Like maybe deep down, she can’t believe we finally found our way back to each other.”
Rubbing the back of his neck, Aiden said, “I’m not going to lie to you, I was a nervous wreck those first few months. Every time Willa made a face, I asked what was wrong. I think by the time she finally had the baby, Willa was ready to rip my balls off and shove them down my throat.”
I laughed. “We have an appointment in a couple of weeks.”
“Well, I don’t want to jump the gun, but I’m happy for you, Hunter.”
Our eyes met, and I felt tears prick the back of mine. “Thanks, Aiden. To be honest, deep inside, I never gave up hope…but there were times I wanted to. I wanted to forget and move on. I never could, though.”
“A love like that doesn’t fade away easily. Trust me, I know. I was in love with Willa for as long as I can remember.” He smiled and glanced at his baby before looking back up. “Now we just have to get Kyle settled.”
“And Adam.”
Aiden rolled his eyes. “He’s in Boston and married to his damn job.”
Laughing, I turned and saw Bella and Willa heading back in. Ben was in Bella’s arms, and I felt the strangest warmth spread across my chest as I watched her talking to him while they walked. Ben was bundled up in his winter coat, laughing at something Bella said.
“Wait until it’s your own child in her arms. It does something weird to you. Like a fire racing through your entire body while your heart feels like it’s about to combust in your chest.”