Once they’d gotten in the truck, and Dawson had pulled away from the house, Caroline tapped on her phone and said, “I think I found the perfect dress for Link and Misty’s wedding.”
“That’s great,” he said. “Do I get to see it?”
“It’s not my wedding dress,” she said, turning her phone toward him. “So of course you can see it.”
Dawson did his best to look at the dress whiledriving, and he managed to get the gist of it. “Pretty,” he said. “You’re always stunning in flowers.”
Caroline smiled and looked at her phone. “I do like floral patterns.”
Dawson liked them on her, that was for certain. She sighed and tucked her phone away, but she didn’t say anything. Dawson let the silence permeate the space between them, because sometimes it said more than words could. Plus, he liked that they could ride along in silence and not have it choke them.
He thought of another meal they’d shared in near-silence, and it hadn’t been nearly this relaxed. This calm. This peaceful. Their breakfast in the diner from months and months ago now made him smile, and it also painted a picture for how far they’d come in their relationship.
Dawson reached over and took her hand in his, once again maintaining the silence. Caroline squeezed his fingers, and Dawson squeezed back, hoping to let her know that he was okay with where they were.
After all, it wasn’t even May yet, and they still had a long way to go to get through a full year—and a road trip.
Dawson watched Caroline walk toward him as he tightened the buckle on his saddle. April came from the other way, leading her saddled and ready horse. “Uncle Dawson, Grandma wants me to go get the food.”
He tore his eyes from his girlfriend. “Okay, just throw the reins over the post there.”
She did, and then April started toward the house. She saw Caroline too, though, and she detoured toward her. Dawson once again couldn’t tear his eyes from the woman who’d crowded into his waking hours, infused herself into his morning running, and followed him into his dreams too.
She smiled at April, said something to her, and listened as Dawson’s niece spoke back to her. Dawson liked watching them, as Caroline had a way with kids and teenagers too, whether she could see it in herself or not.
When Caroline looked over to him, he busied himself with the saddle that was already ready.
“Hey, baby.” Caroline took a couple last steps to him, running her hand down Architect’s nose before switching her attention to him. “You’re going to be gone for three days.”
He grinned at her, a chuckle coming from his throat as something really warm settled in every nook and cranny of his body. “Are you saying you miss me already?”
Caroline’s head bobbled, like she might be saying yes and no at the same time. Dawson laughed, and he moved closer to her. “I miss you like crazy,” he whispered. “So kiss me while we’re alone out here, because my brother and niece are going to be back any minute.”
He snaked his hand up her arm to the back of her head as he guided her mouth to his. He sank into kissing Caroline, as it felt so natural and so good and so right. He sure hoped she felt like this kissing him, and he hated that he’d be gone checking the herd for the next three days.
The warbling of chickens entered his awareness, and Dawson broke the kiss. He stayed close to Caroline, existing inside the comfortable bubble they’d managed to create.
“What’s this one’s name?” Caroline asked, her voice soft, almost muted.
Dawson turned toward his beloved hens. He found Rusty, his big rooster with them, and they made him so happy. “Well, here we’ve got Lulu, Peach, Pearl, and Ruby.” He looked back to her. “My favorites, finally.”
“With Rusty.”
“Seems they’re palling around together.”
“I can’t believe you just let them run around like this.”
“They’re free range,” he said.
“But you don’t eat them.”
Dawson chuckled, as they’d had this conversation before. “They like it, baby.” He pressed another kiss to her forehead. “You’ll babysit the owls for me while I’m gone?”
She leaned into him as she wrapped her arms around him. “Yep.”
“Okay,” he said. “Duke’s kids are going to feed my chickens. I suppose I can survive away from this place for a few days.”
“You’ll be fine.”