Ten minutes later, Kacey and I arrived back at my house. Since she knew I wanted to shower and get ready to go meet up with Riggs, she didn’t hang around long. Before she left, I promised to reach out within the next day or so to let her know that all was well and to follow up on our nonprofit plans.
As soon as Kacey drove off, I got to work. The first thing I did was hop in the shower. I tried to be efficient while I was in there, but I did take some time to just stand there and contemplate a million different scenarios for how tonight would go. On the bright side, none of them had a bad ending.
When I finished in the shower, I did my best to slow myself down so I could consider the best undergarments for the evening. While I couldn’t be guaranteed that Riggs would see them, it was another situation where I felt it was best to be prepared.
After selecting a cute matching set, I pulled on a pair of jeans, an enticing top that showed curves but wasn’t too revealing, and a pair of knee-high boots. Satisfied with my outfit, I moved on to hair and makeup. I took my time to make myself look nice but didn’t overdo it. I typically wore just enough makeup to make me feel good, so I didn’t think it was smart to showcase myself as anyone other than who I was. The last thing I did was take Kacey’s advice and pack a bag.
Before I knew it, I was ready to head back to the Donovan Family Farm, and I was bursting at the seams with excitement. Since I’d taken a little longer than I had originally anticipated and it was slightly past dinner time, I decided to send a text to Riggs.
Me: Hey, I’m about to leave and head over there. Is it too late for us to have dinner together? Should I grab something before I come?
While I waited for Riggs to respond, I walked through my place and began turning out the lights. By the time I reached the kitchen, I had received his reply.
Riggs: Perfect timing. I’m just finishing up a few things here. By the time you get here, I should be done. We’ll eat together.
Riggs: Can’t wait to see you.
Happy that I hadn’t ruined dinner plans, I gathered up my bags, locked my door, and got to my car.
Fifteen minutes later, I had arrived. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought that I was in the wrong place. The farm looked completely different without the hundreds of people there.
Unsure whether I should park in the place I had yesterday or if I should drive a little closer to the buildings, I crept slowly down the dirt lane.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Riggs appeared. He was driving right toward me in a cart. When he was at my door, he stopped and stood up. I lowered my window and looked up at him. Riggs bent, touched his lips to mine, and said, “Hey.”
Smiling up at him, I replied quietly, “Hi.”
“I was worried you’d park all the way back here, so I figured I’d ride out to meet you,” he started. “If you want, turn around and follow me. We’re going to head out this way.”
I didn’t know where we were headed, but I agreed, “Okay.”
Doing as he asked, I turned my car around and followed him. We drove for a few minutes—Riggs making turns up side roads—but never left the farm.
The next thing I knew, a gorgeous farmhouse came into view. It was everything I could have imagined in a farmhouse. The jet-black shutters and roof contrasted against the stark white exterior finish. Pillars lined the front and side of the house where there was a covered porch. The home was perched atop a massive rolling hill with wide-open space for what seemed like miles. I was convinced I’d stand on that porch and find the most breathtaking view I’d ever seen in my life. There was no way it could be anything but beautiful.
Riggs stopped when we reached the house and waited for me to pull up beside him. As soon as I turned off my car, he opened my door for me.
I got out and marveled, “Is this your home?”
“Yeah. Do you like it?” he asked.
Shooting him an incredulous look, I retorted, “Is that a serious question? Riggs, this place is beautiful.”
He gave me a sweet smile and replied, “Thanks.” Then he took me by the hand and said, “Come on. I’ll show you the inside.”
I didn’t worry about the fact that my purse and phone were still in the car. There was no way anyone would ever find us up here unless they knew this house was here.
Ten minutes later, Riggs had given me a tour of his beautiful home. I had to admit I was a little jealous. I would have loved to live in a place like his. Unfortunately, there was no way I could afford it. I’d been renting for a long time and was always happy with that because it gave me the freedom to have a little extra to do little things like add funds to a student’s school meal account. If another child got to eat a hearty meal because I was willing to sacrifice having a house like this, I’d never hold a grudge about that.
“Wow, Riggs. I’m just blown away by your home. It’s absolutely stunning.”
“Thank you, Adele. I’m really glad you like it,” he remarked. After a brief pause, he said, “I hate to leave you right now, but do you mind hanging out for a few minutes so I can grab a quick shower?”
I shook my head. “Not at all,” I assured him.
He took a step toward me and pressed a quick kiss to my lips before he ordered, “Make yourself at home. If you want anything to drink, feel free to grab something out of the fridge. I’ve got everything.”
I dipped my chin. “I will. Thank you.”
At that, Riggs turned and walked away to go take a shower. I stood there for a solid minute just looking around the place, still marveling at how beautiful it was. Then, since I hadn’t really had an opportunity to take in the view when we arrived, I decided to head outside to the wraparound, covered porch.
Within minutes, I found myself feeling an overwhelming sense of peace. I couldn’t describe it. Never had I ever felt such serenity in my mind and body. It was truly phenomenal, even though I couldn’t understand what it meant.
I was so overcome with the harmony I was experiencing that I didn’t realize how long I’d been standing there until Riggs joined me by fitting his body to mine. His front was pressed to my back, his hands at my hips. I leaned my head back and rested it against his chest.
“You smell good,” I shared.
I felt his body vibrate with his laughter. “I imagine I could have the worst-smelling cologne on right now and it’d still be a step up from the smell of working on the farm all day,” he noted.
I tipped my chin up, my head still against his chest, and smiled at him. He touched his mouth to mine.
“So, where are we going to go for dinner?” I asked when he pulled back.
“Here.”
“What?”
“I’m going to cook for you,” he clarified.
Surprised, I felt my body tense as I asked, “You cook?”
Riggs confirmed he did with a downward jerk of his chin. “I can make a few things,” he added.
At that, he took me by the hand and led me back inside.
“Was it busy today?”
Riggs and I had just finished the delicious dinner he made—baked lemon-herb chicken breasts with garlic, herb-roasted potatoes, carrots, and green beans. Now, we were sitting on the couch in his massive living room.
“Yeah. It was a bit more crowded today than yesterday,” he replied.