Betting the Farm (17 page)

Fritz was in no mood to go joyriding with his brother, not
even to scope out new trucks.

It was nearing seven and still no sign of Kai. No phone call
or text either. The more time dragged on, the more miserable he grew.

Eli took a right instead of a left at the red light that
would take them to the Ford dealership. “Thought you said you wanted to look at
a new truck?”

“Got a quick stop to make first,” Eli said, without elaborating
on where that stop might be.

Fritz kept his mouth shut and stared out the window of Eli’s
pickup, watching buildings pass by in a blur. When Eli made another turn, Fritz
took notice of where they were, near the historic district of town. He frowned,
sat up straighter in the seat and glanced over at his brother, who wore a smug
grin.

Then the truck slowed as Eli pulled them to a stop next to
the curb in front of Kai and Ruby’s new business.

Kai stood on the sidewalk beneath the striped awning, wearing
one of those sexy sundresses that were going to be the death of him. The deep
orange glow of the late afternoon sun turned her skin golden and made her eyes
sparkle. Or was that the sheen of tears? She gave them a little nervous wave
and Fritz felt something inside his chest loosen.

“Look at her, brother,” Eli said.

All I’ve ever wanted to do is look at her.

From the time he figured out girls were different than boys,
he’d noticed Kai. With her pale hair that looked as if it would feel like corn
silk sliding through his fingers, and eyes the same color as a cloudless
morning sky. Once puberty and hormones kicked in, he began to notice how her
skin looked as if it would feel much softer than his own, and how the sight of
her mouth made his water for a taste. And she’d always smelled so damn good.

All the things he’d imagined from the time he was a kid
paled in comparison to the living, breathing knockout that was Kai Donnelly.
Standing on the sidewalk, her dress clutched in her fists with worry, shining
eyes anxious in the dimming light, she was so beautiful it stole the air from
his lungs.

“She’s been turning herself inside out all afternoon,
fretting about how to make things right with you. I told her a simple talk
would suffice but that wouldn’t do in her mind. She felt like she owed you more
than that. Personally, I think she’s made her penance. What she has in store
for you, I have no idea, but you better not fuck it up or I’ll whip your ass.”
When Fritz glanced over at his brother, he cocked an eyebrow, serious as a
heart attack. “Now get out of my truck.”

Fritz stuck his left hand out and Eli grabbed it, hanging on
just long enough for the affection to sink in and warm his heart. He let go and
opened the truck door, dropping to the ground then slamming it shut behind him.
Eli drove off, leaving Fritz standing three feet away from Kai.

It felt like an acre.

She stepped closer, biting her lip. “I have something to
show you.”

Fritz nodded. “Okay.”

He’d failed to notice the large, paper-covered rectangle
propped against the side of the building until she took his hand and drew him
toward it.

“Open it,” she said.

Withdrawing his knife from his pocket, he flipped it open
and carefully split the layers of tape and paper along the top and sides of the
package. When he made the last cut, the front flap of paper fell to the
sidewalk, revealing a colorful, hand-painted sign.

Fritz’s breath caught as he scanned the wording. It took a
lot to make him cry, but for the first time in years, his eyes blurred and
stung.

Homegrown at Carters’ Corner
it read.

The words encircled a cartoonish drawing of a man driving a
green tractor that looked an awful lot like the new 8360, his arm flung out the
window in a wave, rows of yellow-tasseled cornstalks in the background. A fat sun
smiled from the corner while a crow perched on a nearby fencepost.

It was the single most selfless, heartfelt thing he’d ever
seen. Also, the sweetest.

He couldn’t find words, so he reached for her hand, pulling
her close. She buried her face in his chest, breath warming his skin through
his T-shirt, as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

“Is that me?” he managed to ask after clearing his throat
and blinking a few times.

“Who else would it be?”

“I love the name.”

She sighed, resting her cheek on his chest. “Good.”

“Am I the only person who’s seen the design?”

“Yep. The name too. I wanted you to be the first.”

“Mom’s gonna cry like a baby.”

“I hope so.”

Fritz laughed and hugged her tight.

They stood there for a full minute, holding on to each other
before she said, “There’s more, but this part won’t be as fun.”

He pulled back, frowning. “No?”

Her smile dimmed as she shook her head. “Let’s go inside.”

The lights were on and the door was unlocked. He held it
open for her to precede him into the building. Once Fritz’s eyes adjusted to
the brighter lighting and the surprise over how tidy and different the place
looked, he came to a full stop when he spotted her parents sitting at a small
table in the corner. His mouth went dry.

He hesitated, ran his palm down his jeans, then stepped
forward to shake Mr. Donnelly’s hand. Dipping his head at Kai’s mother, he
said, “Ma’am.”

It looked as though she tried to smile but had forgotten
how.

“Elizabeth,” Kai’s father said. “You have something you want
to say to Fritz?”

Fritz swallowed his shock, although he felt his eyes widen.

Elizabeth Donnelly stood, smoothing her hands over her hips.
Her chin lifted just a fraction. “I…I owe you…and Kai an apology for what
happened today at the diner. What I did was…wrong and…and petty, and I hope you
both can find it in your hearts to forgive me.”

A part of Fritz was enjoying seeing Mrs. Donnelly humbled
and contrite, but a larger part of him recognized that something significant
had just happened. A path had been cleared. Despite the number of times Fritz
told himself he didn’t care what Kai’s parents thought of him or his
relationship with their daughter, the enormous weight that lifted from his
shoulders said differently. It mattered. And Mr. Donnelly’s prompting of his
wife spoke volumes too.

Kai stepped forward and wrapped her mother in a hug. “Of
course I forgive you, Mom.” She held on a long time, her mother’s face
crumpling before she buried it in her daughter’s shoulder.

When Kai pulled away, Fritz held out his arms, daring Mrs.
Donnelly to hug him too. Her hesitation was brief, then to his surprise, she
embraced him. She was stiff as a poker at first, but after a second, he felt
her relax and lean her weight into him. Fritz patted her back warmly, catching
Kai’s gaze above her head and winking. She smiled back, her eyes watery and
bright.

Mrs. Donnelly withdrew from his arms, swiping beneath her
eyes with trembling hands.

“That wasn’t so bad, now was it?” Fritz asked with a teasing
grin.

Kai’s mother laughed lightly and shook her head. “No, it
wasn’t. Thanks for being so kind to me, Fritz. You had every right
not
to accept my apology and I wouldn’t have blamed you if you hadn’t.”

“Mrs. Donnelly, I plan on being in your daughter’s life for the
rest of mine. That means we’re gonna have to put up with each other for a long
time, God willing. Things will go much smoother if we don’t hold grudges, don’t
you imagine?”

She sniffed. “Yes, it will.”

Mr. Donnelly draped an arm across Kai’s shoulders. “So this
is the new place, huh?”

“Yes, sir.”

Fritz gathered there’d been a long, honest discussion over
several things before he got there, not just the issue of him and Kai.

Her dad pursed his lips as he surveyed the interior of the
building. “I’m impressed with what you’ve done so far. Did you go over the
lease agreement with a fine-tooth comb?”

“Yes, Dad.”

“And did you have the building inspected?”

“Yes, Dad.”

“Including the electrical and plumbing?”

“Including the electrical and plumbing. Everything passed
inspection.”

“That’s my smart girl.”

Kai leaned her head against her father’s shoulder and Fritz
realized there would always be a small part of her that remained a daddy’s
girl, and that was okay. If they were lucky enough to have a tiny version of Kai—towheaded,
long-limbed and funny—he’d want her to always know she had him to lean on. That
no matter what she did or whom she chose to date, he would always love her.

“I want you to be proud of me, Daddy.”

“Oh honey.” He kissed her forehead. “I’ve always been proud
of you.”

When Kai hugged her dad’s neck, Fritz meandered over to the
front window, needing a moment to get his emotions in check. Damn, when had he
become so softhearted? Oh right, when a blue-eyed blonde walked back into his
life and turned it upside down in the best way possible.

Behind him, Kai and her mother started talking about paint
colors and decorating ideas. Her father sidled up beside him. Fritz glanced
over and Mr. Donnelly rolled his eyes.

Fritz grinned. “All is right with the world again.”

“It appears so.” Mr. Donnelly cleared his throat. “Think you
might call me Mitch?”

“I can do that,” Fritz said with a somber nod.

“Good. I’d like us to be friends.”

“I’d like that too, Mitch.”

Kai’s father offered his hand again and they shook on it. He
even went so far as to pat Fritz on the arm, before he called over his
shoulder, “Elizabeth, there’s a Braves game on!” His gaze swung back to Fritz
and he smiled. “And I could use a whiskey.”

They might just have a few things in common after all, besides
his daughter.

Once Mr. and Mrs. Donnelly left, Fritz helped Kai carry the
new sign inside, propping it against a wall until it could be mounted on the
front of the building. As soon as she locked the door, he pulled her into his
arms, cupping her face in his palms. He kissed her until they had to come up
for air or suffocate.

“I guess you have questions about how the thing with my
parents came about,” she said.

He nodded. “Must’ve been one hell of a serious
conversation.”

“One I hated every second of. When I confronted my mom about
what happened in the diner today, my dad was furious with her. It sort of
leveled the playing field in a way, though. After that it was easier for me to
be honest with them about you and me, and the job at my dad’s company. He was
disappointed when I told him I was quitting, but he accepted it once I
explained my plans for this place.”

Fritz brushed her hair back off her shoulders. “I’m proud of
you too, ya know.”

“Yeah, I do, and that means more to me than anything else. I
hope you understand I couldn’t just come to you with a token explanation about
what happened today. You might’ve been okay with it but it wouldn’t have been
enough. You deserved more than my words. I needed to show you how much you mean
to me. Prove to you that I’m never going to turn my back on us again.”

“You did a damn good job, honey.” He began walking her
backward, dropping tiny kisses to her mouth and throat as they went. When Kai’s
backside bumped into the counter, he grasped her around the waist and perched
her atop it with his hips between her knees. He cast a quick glance toward the
large windows at the front of the store, but they were covered with brown
paper, so he gathered the hem of her dress in his hands and pushed it up her
thighs. “Have I told you how much I like you in a dress?”

She kicked off her sandals, then wrapped her legs around
him, snugging him close. Fritz buried his face in her throat, nipped at her
warm skin. “Mmm, ease of access?”

“That too.” Kai lifted her bottom for him to shove the dress
out of the way. Damn shame she was wearing panties. The sharp blade of his
pocketknife made quick work of the tiny strips of lace at her hips. “Have I
told you lately how crazy I am about you?”

“As a matter of fact you haven’t.” Her fingertips grazed his
jaw before curling around the back of his neck. The teasing smile on her mouth
made more blood rush to his groin. He pressed closer, gratified by the heat
that greeted him through his jeans and the way her eyes grew smoky with
arousal.

“When I look at you, I’m home, Kai. I’ve had a crush on you
since we were kids. Then once I sat down next to you in eighth-grade science
class, I was done for. Totally ruined for all other girls.”

She giggled as she undid his belt buckle. “I’m glad.”

It was hard to concentrate while her eager fingers lowered
his zipper and dove inside his briefs, but he needed to know one more thing.
“What did you tell your folks today about us?”

Her gaze met his, soft and sincere. “I told them I loved
you. And if they ever expected to have grandchildren around to spoil, they were
going to have to accept it.”

Fritz grinned so hard his face hurt. “How soon you reckon we
can start workin’ on those rugrats?”

When her cheeks flushed pink, Fritz couldn’t resist kissing
them. He was only half teasing about the kids. He wanted everything with
Kai—marriage, home, family—and soon, but not tomorrow. He could be patient and
wait until she was ready.

“Let me get this business venture off and running first,
then we’ll talk, okay?”

“Baby, I’m not going anywhere.”

She fumbled around in the pocket of her dress, then held up
a foil packet with a cute smirk. “Until then, we can get in lots and lots of
practice.”

“And you can move in with me.” He tore the condom open and
rolled it on while she scooted to the edge of the counter.

“And give up my coffin-sized shower?”

“Smartass.”

Kai took his sheathed cock in hand, aligned him with her
center, and Fritz pushed inside in one heartstopping thrust. He pressed his
forehead to hers, feeling her panting breaths warm his mouth before she
laughed. “I’ll never be able to stand at this counter and not think of this
moment.”