At least he’d been unobtrusive through the process. And my sister only busted my balls marginally. In the end, we’d walked out with something that was far more perfect than I’d ever imagined. Lady Fate was giving me some heavy signals, and I was taking them all and running for the endzone.
It took a while to get back, but I was almost positive Teagan hadn’t even noticed I was gone. She was in the alpaca field, and her red and gold curls were blowing in the breeze as she helped feed some of the babies.
Suddenly, one took her out and she landed on her butt with three babies in her lap. I headed into the enclosure, my heart racing, but she was too busy laughing to notice me.
“All right there, babe?”
She pushed the peachy-brown cria, who was going for her hair, and spit out a bit of hay. “I’m wonderful.” The baby came right back and nuzzled her neck before plopping into the triangle between her crossed legs. “I made friends.”
“So I see.” I crouched down in front of her and gave the little one a scratch. “And who might you be?”
“Your Aggie let me name her. They were only numbers.” She smooshed its face. “You’re not a number, are you?”
I didn’t have the heart to tell her that they numbered them just to make sure they survived. Lucky for Teagan, these little ones were almost ready for the pasture. At least based on the color of the tiny tag on her ear. “And what would her name be?”
“How’d you know it was a her?”
“I gave my mom the startup money for this place.” I planted my ass on the grass across from Teagan. My legs didn’t bend like hers, however. “She likes to give me way too much info.”
“Aww.” She buried her face in the baby’s neck. “That’s awesome. I’m sure she was very appreciative.”
“She tried to hand me my ass, actually. Said she could take care of herself.”
Teagan’s laughter lit the cloudless sky. “You’re surrounded by stubborn women.”
“Tell me about it.” I leaned in and picked a piece of hay out of her hair. “It took some convincing…and possibly a certified check she couldn’t ignore.” I gave her a rueful smile. “But she made it work, just like I knew she would. She and my sister went into business together. My sister does the dyeing and most of the pattern stuff.” I shrugged. “They’re always busy, but they’re happy, secure, and independent. A win all around.”
She gave the baby alpaca a little snuggle then set her aside. “Her name is Marmalade, by the way.”
“Of course it is.”
Teagan crawled to me and straddled my lap. Dear God, don’t let her feel the box in my pocket. But she seemed intent on a different kind of goal. One that left me with an armful of sunshine-soaked Teagan with my favorite peachy scent chaser.
Her arms slid around my shoulders. “I really like your family.”
Relief shot through me like the summer storms that blew through the mountains, swift and fierce. I gripped her hips and caught her mouth in a slow, sweet kiss. “I’m very glad.”
“I didn’t get to talk to your sister for long.” She lightly raked her fingers through the hair at the nape of my neck. “Where did you guys disappear to?”
“I had to get the full report my mom will never give me.”
She nibbled her lower lip. “Is that so?”
“Just making sure they’re okay. Being so far away, I don’t get home as much. And now with all the crap going on, I don’t want to bring any danger here.”
“Yeah, I understand. But maybe we can do Christmas.”
I smiled into her neck. “Maybe we can bring your parents here and do it up blended family style?”
“Really?”
“Really.”
She hugged me tighter. “I didn’t think I could ever be so happy with what’s been happening all around us.” She rested her cheek against my shoulder. “Sometimes I feel a little guilty about it.”
“Don’t.” I eased her back. “We only have one life, and I’m not wasting any part of it with you anymore.”
Her gaze drifted to my lips then back to my eyes. “I…”
My heart thundered so loud, I could barely hear around it.
“Yo! Would you two come up for air? We have to get back on the bus.”
I collapsed into the grass. That part I definitely heard.
Teagan rested her hands on my belly. “Jamie is a serious ruiner.”
I lifted my head. “What were you going to say?”
“It’ll keep.” She climbed off me and got up, and then held her hand out to me. “C’mon, Dallas. We gotta go to work.”
I yanked her down and rolled her over into the sweet grass. “They can wait a few minutes.” Then I kissed my girl in the sunshine with a ring burning a hole in my pocket and my future in my arms.
Twenty-Five
I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen a more beautiful amphitheater in my life. Brooklyn Dawn had last played here right before I’d joined the band, so this was my first time here. The mountains behind the stage were a touch overwhelming. Like they’d carved the bit of stone and wood right into the land and allowed us mere mortals to play for Mother Nature. The Black River flowing behind it was made for tubing, since it had been a dry summer so far.
It was the perfect setting to wind down our summer tour. It still felt a little strange to be finishing up in not too long, but then again, everything attached to this tour had been odd. As if a specter had been hanging out on the fringes, coloring the tone of the shows.
Thank God, it didn’t seem to translate to the crowds. There was nothing but smiles on the faces of the stream of concertgoers. Especially today on this perfect summer day.
I nodded to Cole, who had shadowed me to the side of the stage set-up so I could get a look at the
