Page 68 of No Bed Of Roses

Hopper bounced with excitement and pranced around the door while Levi pulled on his boots. When Isla bent to grab her rubber boots, he stopped her with one finger. “I’ve got it, Sprite.”

She laughed softly. “I’m not broken, Levi. I can get my wellies.”

He didn’t answer until he had the boots on her feet. As he stood, he ran his hands softly all along her legs and hips and up to cup her face. “You’re definitely not broken, but you’re bruised, and I want to help.”

She studied him with her serious eyes and nodded. “I’m not used to people having my back, but I’m getting used to it.” Then she leaned in to kiss him.

The kiss started to smolder when Hopper jumped up to place his paws on their shoulders, making them laugh. He kissed her nose. “Rain check.”

Isla grinned as they let Hopper out and locked up behind them. The sun peeked between the clouds, and the day promised to be warm. A good day for the farms.

They were heading to Isla’s greenhouse when they spotted movement across the fence in Levi’s fields. The initial panic that someone was messing with them faded as he recognized their friends.

“They’re putting up your trellises.”

Her voice was thick with tears and had him turning to her. “Until I was in the military, the only people who had my back were family. Then, these guys became family. I should have suspected something when they told us to take a few days off. Want to hide before they see us or go ruin their surprise and help?”

Isla grabbed his hand and headed to the fence. She didn’t protest when he lifted her to sit on top, nor when he lifted her down the other side. It didn’t take long for the team to spot them. In fact, he’d guess that Troy and Sean had known the moment they emerged from the cottage.

Piper stood and put her hands on her hips, although the smile on her face belied her posture. “We thought we’d get more done before you showed up.”

Levi checked over what they’d already accomplished. “Looks like you’ve been working on farmer’s hours. This is fantastic. Thanks.”

Some horns beeped, and Reg, along with several people from town and more from Midnight Lake, spilled out of a few cars. Everyone had dressed to help. Levi had to swallow hard at the show of support.

Soon, he was teaching the entire team how to install the trellises and how to gently wind the plants onto them. Flynn had arrived with lawn chairs and pronounced that Isla and Tessa were in charge of winding the plants onto the trellises.

He didn’t mention Isla’s injuries or the fact that Tessa’s legs wouldn’t support a lot of standing. He simply accommodated them both. The women smiled at him and then sank into the chairs to start the process.

By the end of the day, they’d finished the field, a task that would have taken him more than a week.

They set up chairs and benches around a bonfire and ate the pizzas he’d talked Sean into making. He held Isla’s hand where she was curled up in the chair next to him. They were surrounded by good friends, silly dogs, and all kinds of hope.

It reminded him of so many family gatherings at his Kansas farm. Good people tired out from the hard work of helping each other but willing to hang out and share some laughs. He’d felt guilty about abandoning his farmland and his history back in Kansas.

Looking around, he couldn’t imagine his parents and the rest of his ancestors being anything but happy for him. Maybe those traditions, those hopes and dreams, weren’t attached to a specific piece of land. Maybe they were attached to the feelings filling him up.

Home.

Family.

Teamwork.

Contentment.

Love.

Isla hid a yawn behind her hand, and his love for her nearly swamped him. She’d pushed through all of her aches and pains throughout the day and hadn’t complained even once about anything. Instead, she’d laughed and worked right along with everyone else.

But she had to be done in.

Levi stood and swooped her out of the chair into his arms. “Good night, everyone. Thanks for everything.”

A chorus of goodnights followed them as he walked across the field, with Hopper trotting alongside them.

“I can walk, you know.”

He grinned down at her. “You can. And I enjoy watching the sexy sway of those hips when you walk, but you didn’t take a single break today. You must be totally wiped out.”

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