Page 126 of Some Like It Scot
I’d barely been back for one day, but my progress showed in each room of the farmhouse. Of course working from before daybreak probably helped.
My addled brain refused the respite of sleep.
And counting sheep never helped.
So I put my plans into motion, a little giddy at the design and the headway I’d already made.
A chair gone here. A set of dishes there. Granny’s china removed. My favorite pieces of furniture carefully curated and removed.
My favorite things. Only my very favorite. All carefully packed and stored in the two-bedroom apartment over the garage I’d stayed in when I came to visit for summers in college.
That place was all I needed anyway. For just me.
The farmhouse deserved a family.
I dusted my hands off on my jeans and gave the living room another look, my smile spreading into a chuckle. I should have done this years ago.
A car door slammed from outside, and I walked to the porch as Levi and Chrissy pummeled into my stomach for double hugs.
“Hey, guys.” I laughed and looked up as Brett and Jessica approached, little Ryan on Jessica’s hip. “I’m so glad you were able to come up for a few days. Thanks for making the trip.”
“It’s good to be here.” Brett’s gaze roamed over the house, nothing hiding his admiration for this place. The memories here held the same sweetness for him as for me.
I barely kept my grin from tipping into the ridiculous category. This gift was long overdue.
“Hey, kids.” Brett turned to Levi and Chrissy. “Run on inside and choose your bedrooms.”
It was a game they always played because the farmhouse had six bedrooms, and each held its own special charm and uniqueness. The kids screamed out their excitement and dashed inside as I turned my attention back to their parents’ sober faces.
All giddiness shifted into cool warning. “What is it? Is something wrong?”
Jess and Brett paused on the porch and exchanged a look. “We have more than afewdays to stay, if you don’t mind, that is.” Jess shook her head, leaning in for a side hug, at which time Ryan took a handful of my hair. “Brett’s job laid him off last week.”
“What?” My gaze swung to my brother. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
He ran a hand over his face. “I didn’t want to cast a shadow over your trip.”
“But we could have brainstormed some ideas together. Made some plans for your family.” I stepped forward.
“I’ve looked into a part-time remote job that I can work around my schedule with the kids,” Jess added, shifting Ryan to her other hip before sending Brett a gentle smile. “We’ll find a way to make it work.”
Somehow, her confidence transferred over to Brett so much that his posture even straightened a little. The tenderness of their willingness to fight for and encourage each other was definitely relationship-goal worthy.
And adding my own special surprise to their lives at this particular juncture only made it ten times better! A little twist intheirstory—a good twist.
“I’ve already had a few businesses near here show interest,” Brett added, his smile much more hopeful than it had been a moment before. “So I think I can at least find something to keep us from increasing our debt.”
They followed me inside as my grin fought for release, the anticipation nearly exploding inside of me. We walked down the hallway and turned into the living room.
Three... two... one...
“Wait.” Brett’s response came first. “What’s going on in here?”
“Are you moving?” Jess asked, her gaze taking in the much less cluttered space. “Did you have a garage sale? I thought you just arrived last night.”
I turned toward them, bringing my palms together like the delighted genius I was. Okay, overdue genius, but didn’t that still count as genius? “I just moved my personal things into the garage apartment, since that’s the only space I really need when I come back to the farm.”
“Oh!” Brett nodded, resting his palms on his hips and surveying the room. “You gonna use this place as an Airbnb, then? Smart way to get extra money.”
