Iris didn’t share how the conversation with her kids went when she talked to them about the lake visit, but if the mutinous look on Krista’s face as she sat in Iris’s front seat, pulling into the space next to his Mercedes, was any indication, it hadn’t gone spectacularly. Jamie straightened his shoulders and forced the tension in his face to relax. He refused to let the young woman’s disapproval get to him. Yes, he wanted Iris’s family to like him, just as he wanted Michael to like Iris, but it wasn’t a necessity. Nor would he start a war with Krista. He had every intention of being a part of Iris’s life for a long time, and her daughter would simply have to get used to it. He had no doubt that he could eventually win her over, just like he was Iris.
The man exiting the car behind Iris’s looked a lot like Kirk, but without the surliness Jamie remembered from the older man’s face. Adam wore a smile that reminded Jamie much more of Iris than his father. He was Michael’s age, Jamie knew, and lived in the Pacific Northwest. Iris’s excitement at having her son home for a visit had been familiar. Although Michael lived on the property now, he had gone to college out of state, and Jamie remembered well the days of hoping for a visit from his son. He’d been thankful every day of his life for the close relationship the two of them shared.
Speaking of, Michael came to stand next to Jamie as their guests arrived. A low whistle left his son. “That one isn’t happy to be here, is she?”
Leave it to Michael to say what Jamie was thinking. Jamie chuckled. “Krista has issues with her mother dating,” he said, too quietly to carry to the cars.
Michael grinned. “Maybe I can distract her from her disapproval. Your woman was a real hottie in her younger days if her daughter is any indication.”
“She’s still a hottie,” Jamie protested, using his son’s word.
Michael laughed and clapped him on the back. “I didn’t say she wasn’t.”
Jamie followed Michael to approach Iris’s car. His son continued on to Adam’s vehicle, introduced himself, and started the unloading process. Jamie listened with half an ear as he opened Iris’s door. She was still sitting in her car, her attention on Krista, but whatever she’d been saying cut off as their privacy was ended.
Extending his hand to help her out of the car, Jamie gave Iris a reassuring look. “Welcome back.”
“Hey, Jamie.”
Wanting to set expectations up front but also refusing to embarrass Iris unnecessarily, Jamie directed his lips to her cheek instead of her mouth as he wanted. “I’m so glad you’ve come for the day.”
Iris stepped back to encompass the rest of the crowd. “I was telling Krista about Baby. How is the foal doing?”
“Healthy as the horse she is,” Michael said, joining them. “She’s eating so much I swear she’s trying to double in size every week.”
“Not quite that much, but close,” Jamie agreed. “Welcome to Flying Horse Ranch! I’d love for your family to meet Baby if they’d like.” Maybe the horses would soften Krista up somewhat.
Adam and his girlfriend joined them, and Iris made introductions. “Jamie, Michael, these are my kids, Krista and Adam, and Adam’s fiancée, Chloe.”
“Fiancée?” Jamie reached for Adam’s hand to shake. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” Adam said, his voice filled with pride. “She said yes just last night.”
Chloe’s light laugh filled the air between them. “Not that he had to be nervous about it or anything. He knew I’d say yes.” She, too, shook Jamie’s hand, then Michael’s.
“I don’t think a man is ever not nervous about asking a woman to marry him,” Jamie said, adding, “A day on the lake is a great way to celebrate.” He gestured toward the ATVs parked nearer the house. “Why don’t we load up and we can stop at the barn on our way down to the dock. I’ll come back up for the food when it gets closer to lunchtime.”
A wave of enthusiastic replies came from everyone but Krista, who remained silent. Jamie, Michael, and Adam transferred supplies to the ATVs, Adam raving over the chance to drive one of them in the process. Jamie enjoyed the practicality of the vehicles on such a big farm, though he was too cautious to ride them recreationally. Fatal accidents with ATVs were far too common in the country. His one rule was that Michael wear a helmet if he went mudding with one—he refused to lose his son to a rollover accident. Adam had done a few tourist activities with similar vehicles, so Jamie felt confident in letting him drive himself and Chloe down to the dock. Michael took Krista, and Jamie practically purred as Iris snuggled up to his back, her lean, bare legs firm against his as she settled behind him. He let the others go a little ahead of them, waiting to turn the key until he’d had a private moment to turn and steal a kiss from the woman whose touch sizzled through his veins.
“Hi,” he whispered roughly against her mouth.
Iris smiled, and he was pleased to note her voice was slightly breathless. “Hi, yourself.”
“You look fabulous in shorts, by the way.” Though her skirts definitely did her figure justice, he appreciated the extended view he was getting today. Very much, if the lack of room in his own shorts was anything to go by. He was beginning to wonder if Iris coming into his life was reversing the aging process, the way his body so frequently responded to hers. Not that he was complaining, though he did hope the evidence of his arousal would relax before they met the others at the barn. If Krista was upset with him now, sporting a stiff dick in front of her would make things ten times worse.
Iris dipped her head, her lips almost brushing his skin where his tank left his shoulder bare. He caught a glimpse of her smile before the fall of her bangs hid her face from view. “You too.”
Surprise flashed through him. Iris never backed away from his affection, but there was something about her response today that had his heart speeding up. As if she’d turned a corner—or made a decision.
God, he hoped so.
He let one hand drop to her knee as he used the other to start the ATV and begin the short drive down to the barn. The others had walked through the long central area and out the back by the time they arrived, allowing Jamie a few more minutes with Iris alone. “Baby is out back in a secure pasture. Keeps the other horses away from the foal, but gives them room to run,” he explained.
“What did you name her?”
He smirked. “In honor of the guest at her birth, her name is Daddy’s Blossom.”
Iris stopped, her hand going up to cover her open mouth. “You named her after me?”