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It’s not exactly the old Ben, but it’s a heck of a lot closer.
“You look even better than I imagined,” Finn says with a whistle.
Reid takes my hand and pulls me into one of his world-class hugs, whispering in my ear, “You look like ours.”
My stomach does a summersault, and I kiss under his jaw and the line of his beard. “I feel like yours.”
“Good.” He kisses my forehead. “Now, how about a ride for a knight?”
Reid turns and jogs to an excited Em, scooping her up and letting her ride on his shoulders. Finn grabs the last of the gear and stuffs it into the wagon. He pulls it along behind him, wrapping his other arm around my waist. We join the others walking toward the music. Emmaline asks Reid a million questions about where we’re going, and he answers each one patiently.
I can hear the cheering crowds and bands playing even blocks away. The Summer Porch Fest is an outdoor concert in historical show homes near the town center. I’ve heard about it andheard itfrom the house last year, but I’ve never been.
We make it to the closed-down streets and wait in line to be admitted. There’s a schedule of when bands play in specific areas, and Reid herds us toward the next set of shows. Food trucks close off the end of each block, and people dance and camp out on lawns between those closed streets.
“Look! A bounce house!” Emmaline points toward the inflatable castle set up on a lawn.
“There first, and then we eat?” Finn asks.
“Yes!” Em cheers.
Ben groans but takes his sister while the guys set up some chairs and a blanket farther out on the lawn where we can still keep a clear view of the kids. A band starts a set from the porch. Reid pulls me into his lap, and Finn takes the blanket, leaning against Reid’s legs.
For the next hour, we listen to music while the kids hop between the blanket and jumping in the bounce house. When the band switches to a slower set, Finn pulls me out onto the makeshift dance floor in the street.
He dips his hand under my sweater, tugging me closer and wrapping his arms around my waist. I rest my head on his chest, letting him sway us to the music. His leather and mountain air scent floats sweetly on the summer breeze, and between the twinkling porch lights, the slow music, and the old trees, it feels like we’re in our own romantic bubble. Reid joins us a few minutes later, carting Emmaline and letting her dance on his feet.
I look around for Ben, but he’s playing tag with a group of kids his age, one I recognize as Finn’s sister Payton’s son. Relief floods through me that he’s making friends, and I turn back to our foursome, content to let Finn hold me while I melt over the cuteness that is Reid dancing with my daughter.
“I like that smile on your lips,” Finn whispers.
“This is the best date I’ve ever been on,” I murmur, kissing his chest.
“We plan to hold all the top spots,” he teases.
Finn leans in for a kiss. It’s a soft brush of lips, barely there and then gone, but I feel it down to my toes.
The band finishes the slow set to whistles and announces the next song.
Reid grabs my hand, twirling me to him. “My turn.”
He circles me, lining himself up at my side, and I can’t hide my surprise when he takes hold of my other hand.
“You can dance, dance?” I ask.
“A bit.” He shrugs, giving me one of those sexy grins. He looks the part of a country boy tonight in his jeans and boots, his white T-shirt so tight it should be criminal.
The song starts, and we step in sync, twirling around the street in a traveling cha-cha.
“How did you learn?” he murmurs in my ear.
“I’m from Crawley. There are only two kinds of dancing. Country and country line dancing,” I tease. “I can change my oil too and bait my own hook.”
Reid laughs, rich and deep. Next to us, Finn spins a giggling Emmaline. We dance, switching partners back and forth until the band takes a break.At the intermission, we leave our chairs and wrangle Ben away from the new group of friends to walk with us and grab dinner.
Reid and Finn seem to know everybody, and I’m even recognized by regulars from the diner. We get stopped more than once for introductions, and I swear we must have talked with every first responder in the county.
My belly warms and my heart becomes butter every time one of them calls me their mate. It eases something in my chest, how they claim us so easily. Maybe I shouldn’t be, but I’ve been worried about how people will treat us. Finn’s sister Riley wasn’t exactly thrilled with me yesterday, even if she apologized and played nice. And I was nervous that other folks might look at us the same way. But tonight, everyone has been welcoming. It feels as though I belong in a way I never have before.
