“She was under a two-bed fifth wheeler I just finished rebuilding. I was going to put it up for sale this fucking weekend, but I could rent it to you fuckers instead. There’s enough room for Rose as well.” He glanced quickly at Daniel before he looked at the gravel again. “Could be handy to be here on-site while you’re rebuilding. That is, if you’re planning to fucking rebuild, I guess.”
I cast my mind back to the day we found Lucy, and my eyes widened when I remembered the massive trailer that had been hidden by a tarp. It was at least twice as wide as my parents’ camper and easily three times as long. Judging by the size alone, there’d definitely be enough room for us and Rose, as well as Bucky and Lucy, without feeling like we were under one another’s feet.
“What do you think, baby?” Daniel murmured in my ear.
I shifted in his arms so I could more easily look at him over my shoulder. “It could work. Kajir’s right. It’d help if we were on-site during the rebuild.”
“Of course I’m fucking right,” Kajir grumbled, kicking at the gravel with a huff.
Daniel rolled his eyes. “I mean, did you evenwantto rebuild? We could move. We don’t have to stay here in Rockdale. I’m sure we’d be welcome back in California if you wanted to move back there.”
The thought was tempting.Verytempting. I thought about the friends I’d left back there, but I had to remind myself that most of them were still college students. There was no guarantee that they’d stay after they graduated. Once they’d moved on, what would be left for me outside of memories?
Daniel had Honey Maize back in California, but he seemed content to remain here in Rockdale, otherwise he and Rose would’ve left after he separated from Jackson. Even with the hardships he’d faced in managing the farm by himself, he’d never wanted to give up and move back, even if his entire family lived there.
I looked over to see Mom and Dad chatting happily with Daniel’s parents. Daniel’s parents laughed at something Mom had said as she waved her hands around in the air like a madwoman. Dad beamed fondly at her antics, just like he had for as long as I could remember. I’d missed seeing the obvious love and affection between them while I’d been away.
Staying in Rockdale meant that they were only a few hours’ drive away. They could visit anytime they wanted, especially with the camper, as had been proven by this emergency visit. Traveling to California meant fewer visits and the added worry about accommodations. They’d never drive that far with the camper due to the time involved and the cost of gas.
And with how quickly enamored Mom had been with Rose, and Rose with Mom, it felt unbearably cruel to take that new relationship away from them.
The sun took that opportunity to break through the patchy clouds and spread its beams over the farm’s ruined paddocks. Off in the distance, the small herd of cattle roamed freely,munching on whatever produce they could find. The twister hadn’t only taken the house; it had destroyed all of Daniel’s crops.
But we were alive. Crops could be replanted, and houses rebuilt. The tornado had given us a blank slate to start again with. Even ruined, the farm was gorgeous.
I didn’t want to leave.
With that decision made, a weight lifted from me. I turned around so I could hold Daniel’s furry jaw, my eyes drilling into his to let him know how serious I was in making this decision. “Let’s rebuild.”
His eyes melted even as I felt him let out a sigh of relief and relax in my hold. “Okay, baby. Whatever you want.”
I grinned and leaned forward enough to give him a quick kiss. Yeah, he said whatever I wanted, but it was obvious what he wanted was to stay here in Rockdale.
“You said you wanted to sell the fifth wheeler, Kajir. Is that option still on the table?” Daniel asked.
Kajir blinked. “It is.” He paused before adding, “But it’ll be fucking expensive. I don’t fuck around on my rebuilds.”
“I wouldn’t imagine you would,” Daniel responded dryly. “There’s a reason why people keep coming back for services, and it’s not your sparkling personality.”
A broad smile spread over Kajir’s face. “Fucking A.”
When he saw the confusion on my face, Daniel explained, “We don’t know how long the rebuild will take, and Rose could use it when she’s a bit older to gain a little more independence before she heads off to college. It’ll be good to have something to use when we visit our folks, too, when we have the time spare.”
Kajir nodded along. “And you’ll need it for your honeymoon next February.”
Both Daniel and I stilled and stared at him. “Fuckingwhat?!”
The following Valentine’s Day…
Epilogue
Marshall
“Onlyyouwouldbeokay with getting married when it’s cold enough to freeze everyone’s balls off.”
As I searched through the display of roadside flowers for the perfect bouquet, I snorted as Jackson continued cursing at the cold weather and rubbing his hands vigorously against his ribs. “I tried to tell you to wear something warmer…,” I said, sending a pointed look to his thin navy blue suit jacket, then down at my own thick cream-colored fleece coat with its cozy high neck. “But, oh no. You’re the local. You insisted you knew better than the newcomer.”
“Yeah, well, I’m usually inside when it’s this fucking freezing.” He stomped from side to side. “Come on. How hard is it to pick some flowers?”
