Page 103 of The Cowboy Who Came Home
Their eyes met, and Edith blinked before she started to laugh. Doctor Bull joined her, and Edith felt truly free for the first time since Levi’s diagnosis so long ago. Truly and utterly free.
“This says kitchen on it,” Edith said as she entered the farmhouse where Finn would live from here on out. And in six or seven more months, she’d be here with him. “But it looks like bedroom stuff.”
She hefted the box onto the countertop anyway, where Finn’s momma and grandmother worked to get his dishes, pots, and pans unboxed and put away. Kelly looked into the box. “Oh, this is his nightstand. He just threw it in whatever he had.” She looked up and smiled at Edith. “It does go in his bedroom.”
Edith smiled and nodded back. “Okay, I’ll take it that way.” She left the kitchen, though she did want to have more opportunities to spend time with Kelly and get to know her better. After all, as soon as Finn got through this move and they could get to a jeweler, he planned to propose. Edith would be marrying Kelly’s son.
At least she still had that in her plan. No, she wasn’t wearing a diamond, but she and Finn talked about their life on this ranch every single day. He had not decided on a name for this place, nor had they chosen a date, and Edith’s impatience threaded through her as she walked down the hall to the master’s suite that took up the back half of the cabin.
“Finn?” she asked as she neared, because this was his bedroom.
“Yeah,” he called, and Edith’s stride didn’t break as she entered the room.
“Your mom says this stuff goes in here.”
She found him holding a cordless drill while Link stood back and eyed the shelf they were clearly hanging. “Hey, baby.” He grinned at her and lowered the power tool.
“Looks good,” Link said. “Nice and straight, and I don’t see how anyone would know it hasn’t been here as long as all the other wood in this house.” He smiled at Edith and tipped his hat at her. “Edith.”
“Hey, Link.” She took Finn’s hand in hers. “I heard you were seeing someone.” She raised her eyebrows and got her answer in the quick flush of his face.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said. “I mean, sort of.”
“Sort of?” Finn asked, glancing from Link to Edith and back. “Is it new?”
“It’s…casual,” Link said, his face clearing of his embarrassment. “And yes, it’s new too.”
“What’s her name?” Edith asked.
“Misty,” Link said. “She didn’t grow up here.”
“Dresser incoming,” someone yelled, and the three of them had to move.
Finn pulled Edith further into the room, and Link separated from them and moved to the other wall as Squire and Pete brought in a clearly homemade piece of furniture. It stood six drawers tall and had been stained a beautiful golden color to match the rest of the wood in the house.
“Where, Finny?” Squire asked.
“Where Link is,” he said.
“I’m movin’.” Link ducked out of the room and out of the way, and Finn’s daddy and uncle got the dresser in place. They both released their breath simultaneously, and they gazed at the dresser and then looked over to Finn as if they’d rehearsed their movement.
“When y’all get married,” Pete said. “I’ll make one for you, Edith.”
“Really?” she asked.
“Sure, if you want.” He grinned at them and then left the bedroom, Squire on his heels.
Edith continued to look at the dresser, and she did like it. When she switched her gaze back to Finn, he still held the drill and looked a little lost. “Okay, give me the power tool.” She took it from him and set it on the dresser, hoping that wasn’t a punishable offense. “Come talk to me.”
She took his hand and led him to his bed. It was a bare mattress that hadn’t been made up with sheets and a comforter yet, but Edith didn’t think for a moment his momma would leave this cabin without her little boy ready for the night. Or the next week, or month, or year of his life.
“What are we talkin’ about?” Finn asked as he sat beside her.
“I want to pick a date,” she said. “So my parents can get it on their calendar.”
“You mean so Alex won’t take all the good weekends in April.” Finn grinned at her and chuckled.
“He’s moving really fast with Nicki,” Edith said. “It’s surprising to me is all.”
