Josh
I’d been waiting all day, my nerves fraying with every minute that passed. She’d texted back, but her responses had been quick, terse.
I’d barely gotten any farmwork done. Instead, I stressed and paced and stressed some more, Wayne following me the whole time.
When Stella’s car pulled down the driveway, I’d headed to the cottage to greet the kids. I sat with the girls while they did homework, and then we’d played street hockey until it started to get dark.
Now that we were all back inside, I was waiting again. And I didn’t bother trying to hide it.
It was dinnertime when the headlights of the minivan swept over the land.
Before she’d shut off the engine, I was down the porch steps, but I pulled up short when she got out, looking unfamiliar in formal clothes.
Bracing myself for who knew what kind of emotion, I walked toward her slowly.
With a sigh, she darted straight for my arms.
I held her close, closing my eyes and breathing in the scent of her shampoo. “You don’t have to tell me anything?—”
“Denied,” she blurted. “Parole denied. He’s in for another nine months. Maybe longer. The DA is going to charge him with the violations of the restraining order.”
“You did it,” I said, noting the way the tension uncoiled from her shoulders as I held her. “I’m so proud of you.”
“Have you been here all afternoon?”
“No. Okay, yes,” I admitted. “Hung out with the kids, played street hockey.”
“Thank you.”
I buried my face in her hair. “You could have asked me.”
“Stella offered,” she countered.
I ran my hands along her arms and shoulders, needing to touch her, needing to know she was real. “You can let me in.”
Head tilted, she sighed. “I know. And I think I’d like to. Can we talk? After bedtime?”
“Of course,” I said. “Go inside and see the kids.”
“Thank you. For everything.”
I hadn’t expectedher to find me so early. I had planned to head home and shower, but I figured I had time to inventory our tubing before winter, so when she showed up, I was in the barn.
“They can’t be asleep yet,” I said, looking at my watch.
“Stella’s watching a movie with the girls and Juliancrashed early.” She walked toward me, clad in her usual leggings and fleece. “And I wanted to see you.”
“I’m right here.”
She was so beautiful, and she looked more unburdened than I’d ever seen her.
“I need to thank you. Today was…” She trailed off, tucking her hair behind her ears. “It was a lot. And I couldn’t have done what I needed to without you.”
My chest constricted. “I didn’t do anything, Celine. You did.”
She shook her head, her hair an auburn color beneath the dim barn lights. “You don’t get it, do you? You’ve done so much for me. You’ve encouraged me to be brave. You make me feel strong and sexy.”
I pulled her against my chest. “You are all of those things.”