Page 83 of The Vineyard Crush

“Go slow, Lily,” I cautioned, my hand resting on Melly’s flank. “Don’t scare Emma off.”

As I watched Emma gradually relax, her death grip on Melly’s neck easing into a more natural posture, I felt a surge of emotion. This woman, who’d grown up so far from this life, was willing to step out of her comfort zone for my kids, for me.

The sight of Emma on horseback, my hat perched on her head, with Lily beaming in front of her, painted a picture of a future I hadn’t dared to dream of until now. It was a future filled with laughter, love, and family – a future I wanted more than anything.

After the riding lesson, Lily dragged Emma off to show her a new painting, with Emma scooping up a sleeping Avery to tuck her in. Cody stayed behind to help me with the horses, a welcome change from his recent obsession with cricket and time spent with Ethan.

“Hey Dad,” Cody said, his voice tentative.

“Yeah, bud?”

“Can I go to Cricket camp?” The hope in his eyes was unmistakable.

“Of course, bud. When is it?”

“It’s supposed to be during summer.” He shifted from one foot to another, nervousness radiating off him in waves. “But… it’s in Dallas.”

“Dallas, Texas?” The words came out more sharply than I intended, surprise coloring my tone.

Cody nodded, his eyes never leaving my face, silently pleading.

“Oh.” The word hung in the air between us. Texas was a world away from our little corner of Maine, and Cody was only ten. But the hope shining in his eyes… how could I extinguish that?

I took a deep breath. “I’ll think about it, bud. Dallas is far away, and you’ll be on your own. If I see that you can handle yourself, you can go.”

The joy that lit up his face was worth every ounce of worry gnawing at my gut. “Yay!” he exclaimed, bouncing on his feet before wrapping his arms around me in a tight hug.

“I can take care of myself, Dad. I’m almost 11 years old,” he declared proudly.

I chuckled, ruffling his hair. “Come on, let’s go in, get some food in y’all.”

As we entered the house, I called out for Lily and Emma. Their voices guided us to the kitchen, where a sight that simultaneously warmed my heart and sent a chill down my spine greeted me.

Emma’s eyes met mine, brimming with unshed tears she was clearly trying to hide. A frown creased my brow. “Hey girls, what’s up?”

Before I could probe further, Lily’s excited voice cut through the tension. “Look, Daddy! I made this painting for Emma. She thinks it’s perfect!”

Lily proudly held up her artwork – a charming depiction of her and Emma in the kitchen, baking together as they often did on Sundays. It was messy but I could clearly tell how much of her heart she put into it.

As I looked from the painting to Emma’s tear-filled eyes, a realization hit me. Emma saw exactly what I saw in this picture - a glimpse of our future, a family, a home, a place where she truly belonged.

The depth of emotion in Emma’s eyes, the way she looked at Lily’s painting like it was the most precious thing in the world, it all came together in that moment. Emma wasn’t just stepping into our lives; she was finding her home here, with us.

The kitchen suddenly felt too small, too warm, as if the very air was charged with electricity. I took the painting from Lily’s hand, my eyes never leaving Emma’s face.

“It’s beautiful, Lily,” I said, my voice rougher than I intended. “How about we put it up on the fridge?”

As I moved to do just that, Emma’s hand on my arm stopped me. “Actually, I was thinking of having it on my refrigerator,” she said softly.

An idea, wild and wonderful and terrifying all at once, burst into my mind. “What if it was on both our fridges?” I suggested, my heart hammering so hard I was sure everyone could hear it.

Emma’s brow furrowed in confusion. “You suggesting we tear it, Ridge? No.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle, even as nervousness threatened to choke me. “No, I was suggesting we share a fridge.”

I watched as understanding dawned in Emma’s eyes, her lips parting in surprise. “Ridge, are you…?” she trailed off, unable to finish the question.

Taking a deep breath, I turned to Cody and Lily. “Guys, I have something I need to tell you.” I could feel Emma stiffen beside me, but I pressed on. “Um… I really like Emma.”

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