“Coming right up.”
“I’ll take a couple of those, too,” a woman called, coming up behind him. She nodded to Hunter. “Sorry—I’m in a hurry.” She was dressed in a Revolutionary War–era gown and looked hot and flushed.
“Everything all right, Maya?” the woman behind the counter called. Hunter thought her name was Camila. She was one of the owners of Fila’s.
“This whole day has been crazy. I need a bite to eat before the re-enactment gets going.”
“I haven’t seen it before,” Hunter said companionably. “The costumes people are wearing are terrific, though.” He gestured to her dress.
“Thanks. You’re Hunter Powell, right? From Two Willows? Alice has helped sew a lot of the men’s costumes for the re-enactments over the years. Some of the women’s, too.”
“Maya, here you go,” Camila called. “You don’t mind if I serve her first, do you?” she asked Hunter.
“Not at all. Can’t wait to see the battle. I’ve heard it’s supposed to be something special this year.”
Maya made a face. “It’s going to be something, that’s for sure.” She took the food from her friend and hurried off.
“Here you go.” Camila handed him his baskets of nachos. “Make sure you get a good seat for the re-enactment. I’m sure it will be great, even if Maya is nervous. She’s part of the crew switching things up this year, and there’s a lot of pressure on them to get it right.”
“Will do.” Mostly he just wanted to get back to Jo. He didn’t care if the re-enactment became a riot, as long as he got to spend the day with the woman he loved.
“I’m not having this baby anytime soon,” Jo announced out loud, still thinking about what Hunter had said. She figured she’d be more than happy when her pregnancy was over and her baby was in her arms, but she wasn’t in any hurry. Babies took time and came when they were ready. This one wasn’t ready yet.
“Of course not,” Cass said, bending to put Emily down on a baby blanket and then setting down everything else she’d been carrying in her arms.
A boy, Jo thought. Soon she’d bring her little baby boy home to her brand-new house, and she couldn’t wait. He’d love her McNabs, of course. Isobel would have a litter in the next few weeks, and her child would start life with a puppy companion. What else could a baby want?
Sadie snagged a chair nearby and sat down, looking a little pale. Jo straightened, concerned, and handed her sister a bottle of water. “You all right?”
“The sun’s getting to me.” Sadie took the bottle gratefully, opened it and took a long swig. “That’s better. I’m hungry, though.”
“Here’s a sandwich.” Cass reached into her backpack-style baby bag and drew out a small cooler. “I’ve got chips, too.”
Sadie took both gratefully, but Jo declined her offer. “Hunter’s bringing back nachos.”
Cass shrugged, not offended. “It’ll all get eaten eventually. I know this crew.”
That was the thing about having so many men around, Jo reflected. Nothing went to waste.
“What’s it like living in your own big house?” Sadie asked her. “Do you miss the tiny house?”
“I think eventually I’ll feel nostalgic for it because Hunter and I were so happy there,” Jo said, “but even though it’s not finished, I love my new home. It suits me just right.”
“You and Hunter did a good job on it,” Lena put in, pulling up a chair to join them. “Got right to it and made a lot of progress.”
“We’ve had a lot of help,” Jo reminded her.
“I have to admit I didn’t think you moving out was a good idea,” Cass said, settling down with Emily on her lap. “I thought you’d always need me to mother you, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.”
“I think people always underestimate the youngest,” Jo said. It didn’t bother her anymore because she’d proven to herself how capable she was.
“Everything has turned out so well. Come sit by me,” Cass added to Wye and pointed to a chair. Wye sat with Elise on her lap. The little girl was holding apple slices in each hand and had taken a single bite out of each.
“Sometimes I wake up and for a minute I’m afraid I’m back in the past, the five of us living alone, everything going wrong,” Sadie admitted. “Then I remember I’ve got Connor and everyone’s safe and the General’s home—” She cut off as the General and Emerson approached. Lena stood up to bring them chairs and grab them bottles of water.
“What’s that about me being home?” the General asked.
“I was just saying I’m glad you are,” Sadie told him. “I’m glad we’re all here.”
A murmur of assent ran through the group. Emerson got to work adjusting the pop-up sunshades to shelter as many of them as possible. Cass handed him two sandwiches and baggies of chips. “Share with the General. Brian and Connor will be back with the coolers in a minute.”
“Want anything from the food booths?” Emerson asked the General, passing him a sandwich and bag of chips.
“I’m fine with this.”
“Wye? Want anything?”
“You know what I like.”
He nodded, made sure the General was comfortable and headed off into the crowds.
“A hamburger and fries?” Cass asked Wye.
“You know it.”
Jo smiled at the banter going on around her. This was the family her child would be born into. Every one of them could teach him something. He’d learn to care for the horses and cattle. How to ride. How to build a house. How to repair the machinery on the ranch. And most importantly, how to get along with family and work together for the betterment of them all.
When Hunter returned with their nachos and dropped into a seat beside her, she leaned over to give him a kiss.
“What’s that for?” he drawled, smiling.
“For being you. For coming here. I’m really happy,” she told him.
“Me, too.”
Later that afternoon, after they’d eaten and spent more time wandering among the
