Page 36 of Love Finds Home

Once we’ve gotten to the house, I greet everyone and Tiny pulls me in for a hug. I’ve missed my brother. And while I have him, I find myself missing my other brothers. And my mom. She’s been to town to visit a few times, mostly at Tiny’s, where she can spoil both Nat and Lottie. They need it. She’s seen the studio and met Ranger, who she’s shipping me with hard. I’ve tried to tell her there’s nothing there and she just winks andsmiles. She’s seen Barbie and brought her some pastries from Diamond Cove after Barbie told her that’s the one thing she misses about the city. Everyone loves my mom.

“Elle,” Nat calls my name and runs into my arms from the backyard.

“Nattie!”

“When can we go get pizza again?”

“We’ll have to ask your mommy.”

“Tiny Big Guy says you can take me whenever you want.”

“I bet he does,” I laugh.

I have no doubt what my brother and Lottie are getting up to the minute Nat is out of the house. And I’ve actually seen enough to know I don’t need to know. But I don’t mind. Nat is fun to hang out with, and she loves the good pizza over in Rockton.

“Hey, Nat, can you do me a favor?” I ask, pulling her into my side.

“Uh-huh. What do you need?”

“I’m wondering if you can take this note to Ranger for me, but don’t tell him it’s from me?”

“What’s it say?” she asks, always the little investigator.

“It’s just got some times on it for my studio inspection.”

“Oh.” Her face falls. “I was hoping it was an invitation to a date.”

I laugh. “I’m not dating Ranger.”

“You should be. Harper tells me he’s cute and I love him and I love you, so you two should love each other.”

“Out of the mouth of babes,” Trish laughs, coming up next to me as Nat skips off with my note to Ranger. That is, in actuality, a request for a date. Just not the kind of date she wants us to go on.

“How are you feeling?” I ask her, smiling at the bump that’s growing more and more each day.

“I finally don’t feel like sleeping all the time or throwing up.”

“That’s good. Any good cravings?”

“Not really. But, man, I’m horny,” she whispers, rolling her eyes. “It’s like I can’t get enough.”

Laughing, I shake my head. Have I mentioned that I’m one of them now?

“Okay, okay, I’ll change the subject. Are you settling in? Finding your new routine?”

“You know, I really am.” We make our way to a table set up with chairs and have a seat. “Everything seems, I don’t know, slower here? The pressure I felt is the city is gone. Don’t get me wrong, there are certain parts of living in Diamond Cove I miss but not as bad as I thought I would.”

“I know what you mean. I lived down in Briar Mountain for school, and it was like a different planet. I didn’t know anyone until I met Abigail, and she didn’t judge me based on my family, or make snide comments, or talk about me behind my back like they did here. It was different.”

“That’s what it is. The expectations here are different. I kind of love it.”

“I’m glad. We love that you’re here. What are you working on?” she excitedly asks.

“Last week was a small sculpture that I was commissioned to make in the shape of a dove for an anniversary gift for someone in Rock Hill. This week I’ve been working on canvas for a new show we’re putting on at the studio in Diamond Cove. I’ll have to go back for a few days leading up to the opening in a few weeks, and if I’m honest, I’m dreading it.”

“In a few weeks, huh?” Trish smiles, a glint in her eye.

“Yeah. What’s going on in a few weeks?”

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