Upon closer look, the little fairylike woman wasn’t as young as Stella had first thought. From the short distance, she seemed to be in her thirties, but now Stella wasn’t quite sure.
“Nice to meet you, Tammy. Goodness. Your daughter is adorable. Is she your first?”
“Bless your heart. No, she’s my fifth.” She set the toddler down and pointed in the direction Jace was with April. “Cricket, look over there. Do you see your brother?” The blonde pigtails bounced as she nodded. “Go say hi to him.”
“Jacey!” Cricket shrieked and then toddled off.
Eden and Stella looked at each other in complete disbelief.
“You’re Jace’s mother?” Stella blurted out in surprise.
“Oh, you’ve met my son?” Tammy asked while batting her eyes in what she obviously thought was an innocent manner but Stella had a feeling there was nothing innocent about it. “Isn’t he such a nice man?”
“Yes, very,” Stella said as they all turned to look at him crouched down introducing Cricket to April.
“So, dear, tell me all about yourself and this beautiful place before we get overrun by everyone else in town.”
“I don’t think I’ll be overrun. But so far it’s going well.”
“I passed them. They’re coming. They’re all coming. John Wolfe is driving and holding everyone up since he won’t drive above twenty miles per hour.”
“Then you’d better hurry,” Ari said. “We all want to know about our newest resident. You’re staying here in Keeneston, right?”
Stella nodded, then took a deep breath and began to answer the firing squad of questions that came at her from every direction. Strangely enough, none of them had to do with her garden center.
5
The second Jace heard his baby sister scream his name, he knew they were in trouble. He was almost too afraid to look, but when he saw Cricket toddling toward him, he saw that his mother was already interrogating Stella. Was it any wonder he didn’t have a personal life?
When April and Cricket were pretend fishing he glanced over and Colton caught his eye. He gestured toward the road and it was then he saw the giant cloud of dust from a line of vehicles. Everyone had arrived.
The whole group that had been at his place the night before shot him a thumbs up as they frantically looked behind them. Dammit. He’d promised to ask her out the second they gave the thumbs up. Colton broke apart from the group and jogged over to him.
“Cuz, she’s freaking perfect. You better hurry before she’s snapped up. You know Taylor Everett is on the lookout for her sons in Lexington. You also know she plays dirty and will steal her right out from under you,” Colton warned.
“I think she’s perfect, too,” Jace admitted.
“Who’s pewfect?” April asked.
“Your Aunt Stell,” Jace said to the little girl. “Do you think I should ask her out on a date?”
“Yes!” She screamed so loud that everyone looked over at them. April grabbed Cricket’s hand. “Come on, Cwicket.”
April and Cricket ran as fast as their little legs could take them with April yelling the entire way. “Aunt Stell! Aunt Stell!”
“What is it?” Jace heard Stella ask.
“Dr. Davies wants to ask you out on a date!”
Stella’s head, along with everyone else’s, turned to look right at him. No embarrassment asking out a woman with your mom and friends watching. “I thought I’d invite you out to dinner one night this week.”
“If you haven’t been to the Blossom Café, then you must eat there. The food is delicious,” Ari told Stella as if she’d already said yes to the date.
“I’d love to. Thank you,” Stella told him with the same amount of embarrassment as he was currently feeling.
“You should go tonight,” Eden said as she grinned at her sister-in-law.
“But aren’t we—?” Stella started to say but Eden cut her off.
“That’s tomorrow. Tonight you’re free. Six would be good, right, Stell?” Eden didn’t seem to be asking, but Jace took the hint.
“I have patients until a little before six. I can pick you up after that if you’re up to it.”
“Tonight sounds lovely, but I’ll meet you there. I heard there’s a feed store downtown, and I need to grab some things there anyway.”
Jace wanted to fist-pump the air, but he couldn’t show too much excitement or his mother would be booking the church for next month. “Sounds good. I’ll see you there. The place looks fantastic, Stella. It’ll be a huge success. I’m sorry to leave so soon, but I have to get back to the clinic.”
“Of course. Thank you for coming.”
“I look forward to seeing you tonight.” Jace had dropped his voice and hoped that it had been shared only between him and Stella, but Eden’s sigh and his mother’s growing smile told him they’d both heard it.
“I’ll stay here and introduce Stella around,” his mother said as if she had a new best friend.
“I’ll help,” Ari added.
“Thank you,” Jace mouthed to his friend. Ari would be a buffer between his mom and Stella. And a buffer for everyone else who was headed their way.
“I need to get back to court.” Addison held out her hand and shook Stella’s. “It was such a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to getting to know you better.” She turned to Draven who had reached out and stopped Jace from walking by him. “Do you need a ride back into town or are you going back to the farm with Zain?”
“I’m going to back to the farm. I’ll see you after court.” Jace waited as Draven kissed Addison sweetly on the lips. “Love you.”
“I love you, too. Bye, y’all!”
Draven walked with Jace to his car and then looked around to make sure no one was paying any attention to them. “Can you give me a ride to the law firm?”
“Of course.”
Draven got into the front seat and took a deep breath as Jace drove out of the parking lot, passing the invasion from Keeneston as he went. “I’m going to propose. I want to ask Addison’s parents’ permission before I do it. They’re going to give permission, right?”
“Henry already acts as if you’re family, so I wouldn’t worry.”
Draven’s leg was bouncing the entire way to the law firm. A sheen of sweat had broken out across his brow the closer they got. When they arrived, Draven just stared at the building.
“You know Henry and Neely Grace. You know they know you love Addison. You wanting to marry her will not be a surprise to them. They’re going to give you permission and you can’t ask Addison until you ask her parents. You can do it. I’m right down the street if you need me.” Jace tried to give his best pep talk.
Draven nodded and got out of the SUV. He walked stiffly around the front of the SUV and Jace wasn’t sure if his friend had taken a breath yet. Draven turned and Jace gave him a thumbs up before Draven opened the door and entered the office.
Draven reminded himself that he was a king. Not just any king, but a king who had turned his ailing country around in just a few short years. His country was now growing and thriving. The tabloids expected a marriage between him and Ariana. They’d laughed about it, but it wasn’t Ariana he hoped to bring back to his country as their new queen. It was Addison Rooney. If only she would say yes.