“Our family won’t be complete until Dex comes home.”
“We’ll keep looking for him,” Nolan said. “He’s got to be around here somewhere.”
“What if…” Hannah shook her head. It didn’t bear considering.
“What?”
“What if he doesn’t want to live here anymore and was waiting for his chance to get away?”
“Why in the world would he not want to live here anymore when you’ve basically turned him into a glorified poodle with three hots and a cot, toys and blankets and a cushy bed? Of course he still wants to live here. Any guy would want to be loved by you.”
“He’s not a glorified poodle,” Hannah said on a huff.
“Is that all you heard?”
“I heard the rest, too, and it’s sweet of you to say that.”
“He knows he’s got a good thing going here, Han. He’ll be back. And when he gets here, it won’t do him any good if you’ve made yourself sick worrying about him.” With his arms under her, he lifted her and walked around to her side of the bed, put her down and tucked her in with Homer Junior in her arms. “I want you to sleep for Dex and for Callie and the baby. And for me and Homer. We all need you.”
“I’ll try,” she said, her chin quivering.
Nolan got into bed, shut the light off and snuggled up to her and the dog. “I’m sorry you’re sad. I’d give anything to be able to fix this for you.”
“You’ve done everything you could, and I appreciate the hours you’ve spent looking for him.”
“Anything for you.”
Hannah forced herself to relax and turn off her thoughts to try to get some rest. She was so tired, she could barely keep her eyes open anyway. With Nolan’s arms around her, she eased into sleep while forcing herself not to think about where Dex might be, for a little while, anyway.
She had no idea what was happening when a crash woke her from a sound sleep.
“What the hell?” Nolan muttered as he rolled out of bed to go see what’d happened. A minute later, he called to her. “Uh, Han, you’re going to want to come here.”
She got out of bed, nearly tripping over her own feet and Homer Junior as she went to find Nolan. He was standing in front of the storm door and made room for her to join him so she could see Dexter frolicking in the yard like he’d been there all along.
Hannah let out a cry and rushed into the yard to greet him with a hug. “Where have you been?”
Dexter was so happy to see her, he peed himself.
“Good Lord,” Nolan muttered from the stairs to the porch.
“Where were you? I was so worried about you!”
Dexter nuzzled her neck and kissed her face like an overgrown dog.
A loud moo from the brush next to the driveway alerted them to Fred’s presence. He mooed again.
“Did you take him, Fred?” Hannah stood with her hands on her hips and glared up at him. “He’s not a toy for you to play with.”
“Moo.”
“I hope you boys had a good time, because he’s not allowed to play with you anymore.”
“Moo.”
“No, I don’t want to hear it.”
Fred let out a sound that resembled a whimper.
“Aw, Han, you’re breaking his heart,” Nolan said. “And no, I can’t believe I just said those words. Tell him you forgive him.”
“I’m mad at him! He took Dexter.”
“And he brought him back. Look how sad he is.”
Hannah whirled around to look at Nolan. “What’s happened to you?”
“I feel for the guy. He’s in love with you. I know what that’s like and how much it hurts to disappoint you.”
“You’ve never disappointed me.”
“Not yet, and if I ever do, I hope you’ll forgive me, just like you need to forgive poor Fred. They were just a couple of guys out sowing their wild oats.”
Another pathetic-sounding “moo” came from Fred.
“Fine. I forgive you, Fred, but don’t take him again. I mean it.”
“Moo!” Fred went running off into the vegetation.
“Honestly,” Hannah said. “I can’t believe he thought he’d get away with that. Dex, let’s get you to bed. Tomorrow, you can come in the house for a visit. Daddy said it was okay.”
“I’m going to regret that weak moment,” Nolan said as he opened the door to the pen that he’d repaired after the breakout.
“You can’t take it back now.” Hannah hugged and kissed Dexter and settled him into his pen, closing and latching the gate so he couldn’t get out.
Dex went right to the bowl of food that Nolan had filled for him and ate it all.
“The poor guy is starving. Fred knows nothing about caring for children.”
Nolan nudged her toward the stairs and into the house. “Our little family is back together. All is well in the kingdom.”
“Do you sometimes think you married a complete lunatic? It’s okay, you can tell me the truth.”
“Sometimes?”
“Haha, very funny.”
“You’re a complete lunatic, but you’re my lunatic, and I love you.”
“I know I’m not easy to live with—”
Nolan put his arms around her and silenced her with a kiss. “You’re the most entertaining, wonderful, exasperating, delightful, beautiful, animal-loving lunatic I’ve ever met, and I wouldn’t change a single thing about you.” He paused for a second, seeming to reconsider his words. “Except how you treat full-grown moose like they’re puppies. That I would change.”
“Oh stop. It’s Fred. He’s not going to hurt me.”
“I want you to suspend your moose-whispering while you’re pregnant. That’s nonnegotiable.”
Hannah gave him a calculating look. “And you’ll let Dexter come inside for a visit?”
“A short visit.”
“Fine.”
“Fine.”
“When are we going to tell all the people about the baby?” she asked him.
“In a few months, so he can be all ours for a while.”
“He?”
“God, I hope so. I could use some help around here.”
Hannah laughed all the way back to bed.
Time became Landon’s greatest enemy. Seconds, minutes, hours, days passed in a blur of work and endless obligations that kept him separated from Amanda. They talked every day, sometimes more than once a day, but their conversations were always rushed with one or the other being needed for something.
Kelly’s condition had deteriorated rapidly. Amanda and Stella spent most of every day with her at the hospice facility.
When he talked to her, Amanda sounded drained from trying to support Stella through the difficult ordeal.
On the fifteenth day they’d spent apart, the night before Landon was due to go to New York for a two-day visit, Amanda told him not to come.
“I won’t get to spend any time with you,” she said.
Landon wanted to argue with her, to tell her he’d been living for that visit, but he didn’t say anything.
“I’m so sorry,” she said, sounding tearful. “This is the hardest thing I’ve ever been through, and I just need to give Stella everything I’ve got right now. Please tell me you understand.”