“He’s super cool,” Maggie said. “I’m trying to talk him into getting goats for the farm. I think I’ll wear him down soon.”
Chloe’s lips twitched as she took us in. It wasn’t just the new town, the new school, or the farm. My kids were talking and laughing in a way they hadn’t in years, in a way that showed that we were no longer just surviving.
Maybe, just maybe, we’d worked our way out of survival mode and into living. Into thriving and succeeding.
On the walk back to the parking lot, the kids, who’d inhaled too much pizza, groaned, their feet dragging, and I prayed to every known deity that they’d go to bed early tonight so I could crash.
The town green was buzzing now, lanterns glowing and townsfolk darting around with extension cords, full of last-minute chaos. Pride filled me as I watched, because Josh and I weren’t rushing around, stressing like the rest of the town. We had gotten ahead of it. The tractors and trailers were all decorated and ready. The route was cleared and, miracle of miracles, all the places along the way were ready. DespiteJosh’s insistence otherwise, I assumed he had something to do with how efficiently all the decorations went up.
Even Mr. Fletcher had put out a skeleton kicked back in a recliner with a remote in hand. And for him, I was told, that constituted festive enthusiasm.
“Josh,” Julian shouted, taking off down the sidewalk at a high speed.
My heart leaped, and Ellie lunged for him. But Josh intercepted him easily, picking him up and swinging him around before setting him back on his feet.
He kneeled and leaned in close, murmuring something that made Julian giggle as we caught up.
“Maggie,” he said next, “you were right about the chickens.”
She crossed her arms and held her head high. “Told you.”
“Ellie. How was the astronomy test?”
She gave him her patented bored tween stare. “Easy.”
“Good thing you studied then.”
If I’d told her that, she’d have rolled her eyes and argued, but for Josh, all she did was dip her chin.
He stood, wiping his hands on his work pants, and turned my way. When he noticed my sister and her husband, he froze.
“Oh, hi,” he said, his attention drifting to me.
“This is my sister Chloe, my brother-in-law Gus, and my niece Simone,” I said, finally remembering my manners.
Josh shook Gus’s hand and waved at Simone, who was riding on her dad’s shoulders, then turned to Chloe. “I’ve heard a lot about you. The scary one.”
She glared at him, looking him up and down, then turned to me and nodded once. “I like him. Seems smart.”
Wow. That was high praise from Chloe.
Her family headed back to the inn shortly after dinner, and I got the kids into bed. Tomorrow would be a long day.
I was exhausted. And happy.
I’d just finished brushing my teeth when my phone buzzed.
Chloe:we will be discussing your landlord. Very soon.
Celine: I have no idea what you mean.
Chloe: Don’t be cute. We LeBlanc women have a type.
Celine: We do not.
Chloe: Really? So we haven’t both gravitated toward bearded grumps built like linebackers?
I giggled despite myself.Okay, Josh did bear more than a passing resemblance to Gus. But Josh was younger and taller and objectively hotter. With lighter hair, a shorter beard, and a wardrobe that occasionally extended beyond flannel.