Page 67 of Finding Home

“Yep.” Pete made a sour face. “Sorry.We didn’t know she was stopping by.”

“It’s okay,” Elle said, watching Fitz mark his territory on a third tree. “So, was she coming back? Is that why you took me for a walk?”

“Yeah.She had some photo albums that Janet needs for my birthday.”

“Will Pastor Danny be with her at your party?” Elle asked.

“Yes. He’s a nice man.”

Elle rolled her eyes. Was her mom capable of finding a nice man? There were nice men, Elle knew. The proof lay with the men surrounding her, like Pete, Clayton, Tobey, Jerome, Noah, and Viet. Such a list of wonderful men.

“I wish it wasn’t like this between you two.” Pete’s voice was small. Too small for a man of his size and with such a big heart.

Elle wished it wasn’t like this, but it was. What would life be like if she could have had lunch with her mom and shared her budding romance with Clayton instead of with her aunt? Some moments were made to be shared between mothers and daughters. Her chest tightened with sadness that it wasn’t to be for her.

Pete and Janet deserved to know that their interference was for a reason. That she wasn’t behaving like a toddler having a tantrum.

The unspoken truth lodged in her throat. “Pete…” Elle faltered. She couldn’t just spit out the truth and steal his sister from him. If he knew, he’d choose Elle. The knowledge, a tonicthat she couldn’t drink. She sighed, “Can I get your help with something?”

“Always, kiddo.”

The parts of the unassembled chair Clayton had bought on Sunday for himself were strewn on the floor of Clayton’s office. She’d drafted Pete to put it together. As she guided him through the house, Pete asked how much time she had spent at the farmhouse but then raised his hand, saying, “Wait, don’t answer that.”

As Pete put together the chair, Elle ran over to the Little Red Barn telling him she had to answer some work emails. Best to keep her moving into the farmhouse a secret. After Pete left, she’d bring her stuff over. By half-past six, Pete had finished the chair and was ready to head home.As she walked Pete to his SUV, he let out a long breath and asked her to let him help move her suitcases over to the farmhouse.

“How do you know?” she gaped.

“This was a giveaway.” Pete lifted up one of Clayton’s Post-It love notes welcoming her to staying at the farmhouse. He heaved a concerned sigh, “Are you happy?”

“Blissfully,” Elle said without thinking. And she was. Unaccustomed happiness had bubbled through her since Clayton had crossed that field of goats. “I like him a lot.”

“I do too. He’s a good man.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. “I’m still going to show him my gun collection, though.”

They both laughed.

“Poor Clayton.I am so not worth it.” She shook her head.

“You are worth everything,” he chided with a warm smile. “I have a feeling that man would walk through fire for you.”

“Do you plan on being the fire?” she teased.

“Nah, I think you’ve had enough fire in your life.” He placed his lips to her temple.

Elle swallowed hard.If only you knew.

“I am happy though, that you found someone you feel is worthy of you. I know your aunt has needled you a lot about dating. I knew you wouldn’t waste your time on the Mr. Almosts out there. There’s a reason why he was one of Tobey and Jerome’s best men, because he’s the best man…best man for you.”

“That means a lot coming from the other best man…Don’t scare him off, though. I really like him.”

“As long as he keeps you blissfully happy, he’s okay in my book. I just never want to hear the details of how he’s making you blissfully happy.”

After Pete left, the rest of the evening was quiet as she unpacked. Clayton had made space in the closet, a section of empty hangers waited for her, and the top drawer of the dresser featured a yellow Post-It proclaiming,Elle’s Drawer.

After some light cleaning, dinner, and laundry, she settled with Fitz on her reading seat. Losing herself with Captain Wentworth and Anne Elliot she drifted into the angsty love story waiting for her own leading man to come home.

“I like this view.”His deep voice called her away from the book.

She glanced up to find him leaning against the door frame. Had door frames always been sexy, or was that just a consequence of proximity to Clayton?

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