“Do you think Dad knew?” Dare asks, breaking the silence.
“I can’t work that one out,” I reply. “He would never have just asked any man to marry me. Especially not a Cooper, not unless he knew somethin’ we didn’t.”
BJ nods. “That’s true.”
I cross my arms over my chest and look between my brothers. “So,really, y’all came here to gossip. Didn’t you?”
BJ wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me into his side. “In the interest of honesty, Thanksgivin’ dinner was a bit of a disaster. EJ and Ash burnt the outside of the turkey whileundercookin’ the inside.” I smirk over at the two bad cooks in question. “But we did miss you and we’ve been talkin’ about comin’ to visit for a while now. Jude’s a great guy, but we wanted to check your side of the story just in case he was blowin’ smoke about how happy you are.”
My heart melts hearing about my husband talking to my brothers about me and our deepening relationship.
“He told me he’d come back every weekend as long as I wanted him to, but last night he told me he’s not leavin’ this time. It’s gettin’ too hard to be apart now.”
“Because of the Call?” EJ asks.
I nod. “Yeah. I never want to be away from the man I love. Shit, that’s sappy as hell, isn’t it?”
Dare shoots me an ‘I told you so’ look, and I think back to the talk we had in the barn before the ceremony.
“Somethin’ you saw in him–or the way he made you feel–made you say yes. All I’m sayin’ is maybe… just maybe, there might be somethin’ to it?”
“Pfft. Yeah, no. I love that you have this big ol’ romantic heart to go with your big ol’ hulking frame, but no. There’s no way I’m Jude Cooper’s reward or whatever people believe about the Call. There’s no way.”
“OK, Em. But think about this… what if he’s yours?”
“Jude’s a good man, Little Em,” Dare says, breaking me from my thoughts. “He looks at you like you hung the moon and talks about you like you’re the sun in his sky. As your brothers, we couldn’t ask for anythin’ more.”
I shoot my biggest brother a glare to distract myself from the telltale prickling in my eyes. “Just you wait until it’s your turn, Derrick Wilson. Then I’m goin’ to sit back and watchyoutrip over your feet for a woman who’ll drive you crazy in all manner of ways.”
He arches a brow. “You’ll have to be on the mountain to see it happen, Em.”
EJ and BJ burst out laughing at that, Ash smirks and Dare grins as I roll my eyes. Looking out the window, I spot Jude and Wy laughing at something in the front yard. The pure joy on my husband's face melts my heart and I can’t help but smile at the sight.
When Jude turns and just happens to lock eyes with me through the window, his smile turns soft and knowing. Yep, now I’m really feeling love-struck, complete with fluttering butterflies and everything.
“I’m thinkin’ about it,” I say before the words even register in my brain.
“Really?” EJ and BJ say in unison.
I shrug. “I love Timber Falls and I love the ranch.”
“You also love your life in Palmer,” Ash says.
I shift my attention from my handsome husband to my brothers who are all watching me closely. “If these past few months have proven anythin’, it’s that life is all about change. We never know how much time we have and I—for one—am not a woman who wants to live with regrets. You’ve got to make the most of what you’ve got.” I take a slow, deep breath to compose myself. “Before Dad got sick, I was happy here. I still am. Now I’ve got Judeandall of you, but you’re in Timber Falls and I’m the odd one out here in Palmer. It makes sense to at least try and see what things would look like if I–”
“Moved back home?” Dare asks. One look at the hope in his eyes tells me that not only do my brothers want me back home, they’ve been worried about me being so far away too.
“Yeah.”
“Yes!” BJ says, tackle hugging me from the side. An “ooof” escapes me when EJ does the same, putting me in the middle of a Wilson twin sandwich.
“Let her go, guys. She can’t make life-changin’ decisions if she can’tbreathe,” Ash muses before arching his brow. “What does Jude think about this?”
I look away, willing my blush to stay away. News flash, it doesn’t. “He only got here last night.”
“I figure communication might be important in a successful marriage,” Ash adds, making me roll my eyes.
“Yes, Iknow. There’s a lot of things we need to work out. Where would we live? What if hedoesn’twant to live together yet?” That’s when my spidey senses go on high alert because my brothers all exchange a knowing look between themselves. “What?”