As he walked along the row of booths, he wondered what it would feel like in a few years when his boy was tagging along after him. He had no experiences like that of his own to draw on, never having had a father who was active in his life. Thinking back to his childhood made him remember happy days at Heartfelt Ranch with the Franks, the only place he’d experienced any semblance of normal family life. Hunter realized he’d recreated that with the others at Two Willows. At any given time, it bustled with laughter, friendship and family.
He didn’t need to worry about his child ever feeling alone. Chris would grow up surrounded by aunts and uncles, a grandfather and cousins galore, by the looks of things. If anything, solitude would be the sensation his boy craved, but there was plenty of room for that on a ranch, too.
One day he’d teach his son to ride, to work with the cattle—to build a house, maybe. He had a lot to offer a child, and that felt good.
Most of all, he had love.
Not love like the hidden, compartmentalized passion his mother had cultivated with her married lover. Open-hearted, acknowledged, reciprocated and celebrated love—the kind he’d always craved.
Maybe it was unfair of him to judge his mother. All the players in that triangle had made their choices, after all. Still, secrecy had consequences, and he shuddered to think how he would have turned out if he hadn’t met Marlon Frank, his mother, Sue-Ann, and the rest of their family to stand in for what he was missing at home.
He made it a practice every day to both tell and show Jo how much he loved her. He never wanted her to wonder, the way he had when he was a child. When their son was born, he’d make sure to express his love and pride to him just as often. No child should wonder if he deserved his place in the world.
He wasn’t worried about failing as a father anymore. Expressions of love came easy when you had a wife like Jo. A true partner who sent as much love his way as he sent hers. The days flew by when they were working, playing or just hanging out together.
God, life was good.
He felt no shame when he looked back at all his choices, either. He’d intervened in Marlon’s life out of care for his friend, and while that intervention had cost him, it had also brought him to Two Willows.
He approached the food tent set up by the women who ran Fila’s Familia. “Two butter chicken nacho plates, please,” he said.
“Coming right up.”
“I’ll take a couple of those, too,” a woman called, coming up behind him. She nodded to Hunter. “Sorry—I’m in a hurry.” She was dressed in a Revolutionary War–era gown and looked hot and flushed.
“Everything all right, Maya?” the woman behind the counter called. Hunter thought her name was Camila. She was one of the owners of Fila’s.
“This whole day has been crazy. I need a bite to eat before the re-enactment gets going.”
“I haven’t seen it before,” Hunter said companionably. “The costumes people are wearing are terrific, though.” He gestured to her dress.
“Thanks. You’re Hunter Powell, right? From Two Willows? Alice has helped sew a lot of the men’s costumes for the re-enactments over the years. Some of the women’s, too.”
“Maya, here you go,” Camila called. “You don’t mind if I serve her first, do you?” she asked Hunter.
“Not at all. Can’t wait to see the battle. I’ve heard it’s supposed to be something special this year.”
Maya made a face. “It’s going to be something, that’s for sure.” She took the food from her friend and hurried off.
“Here you go.” Camila handed him his baskets of nachos. “Make sure you get a good seat for the re-enactment. I’m sure it will be great, even if Maya is nervous. She’s part of the crew switching things up this year, and there’s a lot of pressure on them to get it right.”
“Will do.” Mostly he just wanted to get back to Jo. He didn’t care if the re-enactment became a riot, as long as he got to spend the day with the woman he loved.
“I’m not having this baby anytime soon,” Jo announced out loud, still thinking about what Hunter had said. She figured she’d be more than happy when her pregnancy was over and her baby was in her arms, but she wasn’t in any hurry. Babies took time and came when they were ready. This one wasn’t ready yet.
“Of course not,” Cass said, bending to put Emily down on a baby blanket and then setting down everything else she’d been carrying in her arms.
A boy, Jo thought. Soon she’d bring her little baby boy home to her brand-new house, and she couldn’t wait. He’d love her McNabs, of course. Isobel would have a litter in the next few weeks, and her child would start life with a puppy companion. What else could a baby want?
Sadie snagged a chair nearby and sat down, looking a little pale. Jo straightened, concerned, and handed her sister a bottle of water. “You all right?”
“The sun’s getting to me.” Sadie took the bottle gratefully, opened it and took a long swig. “That’s better. I’m hungry, though.”
“Here’s a sandwich.” Cass reached into her backpack-style baby bag and drew out a small cooler. “I’ve got chips, too.”
Sadie took both gratefully, but Jo declined her offer. “Hunter’s bringing back nachos.”
Cass shrugged, not offended. “It’ll all get eaten eventually. I know this crew.”
That was the thing about having so many men around, Jo reflected. Nothing went to waste.
“What’s it like living in your own big house?” Sadie asked her. “Do you miss the tiny house?”
“I think eventually I’ll feel nostalgic for it because Hunter and I were so happy there,” Jo said, “but even though it’s not finished, I love my new home. It suits me just right.”
“You and Hunter did a good job on it,” Lena put in, pulling up a chair to join them. “Got right to it and made a lot of progress.”
“We’ve had a lot of help,” Jo reminded her.
“I have to admit I didn’t think you moving out was a good idea,” Cass said, settling down with Emily on her lap. “I thought you’d always need me to mother you, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.”
“I think people always underestimate the youngest,” Jo said. It didn’t bother her anymore because she’d proven to herself how capable she was.
“Everything has turned out so well. Come sit by me,” Cass added to Wye and pointed to a chair. Wye sat with Elise on her lap. The little girl was holding apple slices in each hand and had taken a single bite out of each.
“Sometimes I wake up and for a minute I’m afraid I’m back in the past, the five of us living alone, everything going wrong,” Sadie admitted. “Then I remember I’ve got Connor and everyone’s safe and the General’s home—” She cut off as the General and Emerson approached. Lena stood up to bring them chairs and grab them bottles of water.
“What’s that about me being home?” the General asked.
“I was just saying I’m glad you are,” Sadie told him. “I’m glad we’re all here.”
A murmur of assent ran through the group. Emerson got to work adjusting the pop-up sunshades to shelter as many of them as possible. Cass handed him two sandwiches and baggies of chips. “Share with the General. Brian and Connor will be back with the coolers in a minute.”