She’d smiled at that. “I guess.”
Now they were on their way, Brian mused as he lifted Emily from her bouncy seat, tucked her into the crook of his arm and took his seat at the table, nodding at the General as the man lowered himself carefully into his own chair. The General was far more limber than he’d been when he’d arrived home, thanks to the exercises Emerson still made him do, but he was tentative when it came to changing position.
“You’re looking happy,” the General said as Cass set a plate full of bacon in front of him.
“I am happy,” Brian said, taking a piece of toast from another platter on the table. “I’ve got everything I ever wanted, thanks to you, and I’m looking forward to a fantastic July Fourth.”
“Someone had to get you back on course.” The General snagged several pieces of bacon with his fork and placed them on his plate.
“You did that and more.” Brian wasn’t reluctant to give the man his due. If the General hadn’t interceded in his life, who knew where he’d have ended up?
“Everybody eat so we can get to the fair.” Cass took a seat next to Brian. She peeked around him to see Emily. “She looks content.”
“I know I am.” Brian leaned down to kiss his wife. “As far as I’m concerned, everything is perfect.”
She beamed back up at him. “I think so, too.”
Perfect. That was the word for her life, Cass thought as she watched her family consume the breakfast she and Wye had prepared. Just a year and a half ago, she’d never have dreamed she’d spend her days so happily, her husband near, her baby in her arms, her best friend in and out of her kitchen all day, and all her sisters happily married and moving on with their lives with so much pride and confidence.
It was a miracle that she and her father could sit at a table together, old hurts and feuds gone. Whenever she passed baby Emily to the General, her heart melted to see the care and wonder with which he held her. He liked nothing more than to take her out on the back porch after dinner and rock in one of the old wicker chairs, watching the sun lower in the sky. It made her smile to hear the murmur of his voice as he pointed out the birds, the weather conditions, the state of Sadie’s garden and more, teaching Emily all she needed to know about the land on which she lived.
If sometimes she felt a pang of sorrow for what could have been if her mother hadn’t passed away so early or her father hadn’t been estranged for so many years, the sorrow passed quickly. She had so much now, she couldn’t remain unhappy for long.
“It’s going to be another hot one,” Logan said.
“You all don’t know the meaning of the word hot,” Hunter drawled.
“Everyone better wear sunscreen,” Sadie said and took a bite of fried egg on toast.
Cass bit back a smile to hear such a Mom statement from her younger sister. They’d all grown up a lot in the past year, she supposed. Sadie’s farm stand and herbal remedy business seemed to be booming, her garden far lusher and happier than it had been last summer before Connor arrived. She often spotted the two of them standing among her plants in the evenings, Sadie leaning against Conner, the two of them holding hands, pointing to one plant or another and discussing it. She had the feeling that Sadie drew strength from the man who’d won her heart, and after the disastrous relationships her sister had had in the past, Cass was relieved.
Lena met her eye across the table and gently traced one of the bullet groves in the old wood with a finger.
“Seems like a long time ago, doesn’t it?” she asked softly. “Sometimes I walk in here and remember, though.”
Cass knew exactly what she meant. The kitchen had been lovingly restored. Besides the scars on the table, there were no reminders of the shootout that awful day, but sometimes when she came up from the basement stairs she remembered the terror in her gut when she’d realized she had to make it from one side of the kitchen to the other, passing in front of the back door as bullets shredded it.
She reminded herself she had made it, and she and Lena had survived that fight. “You were so strong that day.”
“So were you.”
Cass thought that of all her sisters it was Lena’s happiness that had healed her the most. Lena might have always been a fighter, but Cass thought she was the most hurt by the General’s abandonment of them, and there’d been a time when she wondered if Lena would ever be able to trust a man again.
It was clear she trusted Logan. What’s more, they were having so much fun together. They might have had a false start or two when they first met, but now he treated Lena like an equal—and a partner in crime. Cass had never heard Lena laugh so much or so often—and it was wonderful.
Emily let out a little cry in Brian’s arms, and Cass bent to see what was the matter.
“Uh oh. That’s her hungry cry. Little girl, can’t you let your mama finish a single meal without interrupting?” Brian asked Emily fondly.
“Hand her over.” Cass felt the usual tingling and pressure in her breasts as Emily began to wail even louder. Brian was right; she did have an uncanny way of getting hungry just as Cass sat down at the table. Good thing she’d gotten expert at nursing Emily and eating at the same time. Brian tugged her plate closer to him as she fiddled with her shirt and nursing bra and he cut up the rest of her food into bite-size pieces before sliding it back in front of her.
“Thanks.” She smiled at him gratefully as Emily latched on. It was hard to cut up anything single-handedly. As Emily began to nurse, Cass continued eating. She’d been so afraid of falling short as a mother, it continually surprised her how much she knew how to do already. Taking care of Emily mostly made her feel competent, although occasionally, if the baby didn’t settle, she worried that this was the time she’d mess up.
When that happened, Brian was always there to help, as were Wye and her sisters and brothers-in-law. Such a big family could sometimes be a handful but usually was a blessing.
Elise shouted from her highchair, momentarily causing Emily to stop nursing. Wye was quick to hand the little girl more bits of cereal she could pick up and put in her mouth, however, and when the outburst wasn’t repeated, Emily got back to work.
When the meal was over, everyone scattered to pull together the things they needed for the day in town, while Wye joined Cass in cleaning up.
“Looking forward to today?” Wye asked.
“I am,” Cass said. “I think it will be fun.”
“I think we’re bringing enough equipment to set up an encampment,” Wye said as some of the men trooped past laden down with camp chairs, picnic blankets and more.
“That’s all part of the fun.” Cass moved faster, washing up at double-time. “We need to load everything into the picnic basket.”
“You know we’re just going to end up buying food there,” Wye protested.
Cass shrugged. “It’s good to be prepared.”
Wye laughed. “I don’t doubt we’ll be prepared for anything that could happen.”
“Just think, this could have been your wedding day,” Cass teased her.
“I’m glad we did it on New Year’s.” Wye dried a dish and put it away. “I wouldn’t give back the past six months for anything. I really thought I’d never find someone I’d want to spend my life with, and then it all happened so fast.”