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Yes, he had. He nodded, not sure why he’d said it out loud too. “Maybe I’m just trying to reassure both of us that we want to move over to the new place.”
“I sold this farm,” she said. “We have to move even if we don’t want to.”
“But we want to.” Keith picked up her plate and stacked it on his. “Because it’ll be our place, and we’ll be living there together.” He actually couldn’t wait for that; he was tired of going to bed alone, and tired of dealing with three other men in his cabin.
“Right,” she agreed. “I can’t wait.”
“You’ll be there alone tonight, but that’s it.”
“I’ll be fine,” she said. “I have Hamlet.”
Keith nodded and moved into the kitchen to clean up breakfast. Lindsay said, “I’m going to go finish in the bedroom and bathroom, and then we can start loading.”
“My dad and Lars will be here in thirty minutes.”
“I’ll be ready.”
Twenty minutes later, Keith had the kitchen clean and boxed up, labeled, and waiting with the other things that needed to be taken out. Only a couple of minutes later, the front door opened, and his daddy called, “We’re here.”
Keith went out into the living room, relief flowing through him. “Hey,” he said, glad when his uncle’s broad shoulders came through the door next. Then Lars, his sister’s husband, and Hunter Hammond.
“Thanks for coming to help,” he said, easing into his father’s arms. “Everything is pretty much ready to get loaded.” He stepped back and looked at the couch and love seat. The coffee table, the entertainment center, the TV—with cords and remote taped to the back of it—and all the boxes they’d packed, labeled, and stacked against the wall.
“There’s a lot.” Keith reached to hug Uncle Boone and then Lars. Finally, Hunter grinned as he shook his hand and pulled him into his chest.
“Ryder’s outside,” he said. “He was talking to Molly for a sec.”
“My kids are around back,” Uncle Boone said. “We won’t have a problem with any of this.”
“You got the truck?” Keith asked his father.
“Parked out front, the ramp down and ready.”
Gratitude flowed up through Keith and out the top of his head. “Thank you, everyone.”
“Hey.” Lindsay grinned as she went by him. “Thanks for coming to help.” She hugged Keith’s daddy too, and the front door opened, and more people entered. His cousins, his mom, Ryder, and Mission Redbay—one of Keith’s best friends from the Hammond Family Farm.
“All right,” Keith said. He drew in a deep breath. “Hon, do you want them to…? Where do you want them to start?”
“I think the bigger furniture items,” she said. “We’ve got everything in here. A big bed and dresser in the master. My dining room table and chairs. A few bookshelves and cabinets.” She exchanged a glance with Keith. “It’s a lot.”
“We’ve got a twenty-four-foot truck,” Dad said. “And a few pick-ups.”
“Let’s get the house done,” Keith said. “Then we’ll work on the animals.” The enormity of moving her horses, chickens, the big mama pig…. If he let himself dwell on it for too long, he just wanted to sag to the ground and give up.
He couldn’t do that, so he went with Hunter down the hall to the master bedroom. Together, they got the mattress and box springs out, then returned for the headboard and frame. Item by item, and with strong, willing men, the house emptied and the truck filled.
“I’m ordering lunch,” Lindsay said. “Then people can eat whenever at the other house.”
“Okay,” Keith said. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. “It’s hot today.”
“Good weather for the wedding tomorrow.” She gave him a quick smile, and they got back to work.
An hour later, Keith pulled up to the house and property he and Lindsay had purchased. The place they’d start their new life together. It was only twenty-two acres instead of over eighty. The barns and stables and other outbuildings Lindsay needed for her animals stood ready for them, and while the house needed some work, it would be a safe haven and sanctuary for them right from the beginning.
Keith could paint walls and install new appliances. He could rip out carpet and put down newer, better flooring. Lindsay could sew and hang curtains and stain a deck and fix up the barn the way she wanted it.
They’d work hard here, and for the first time, Keith didn’t get overwhelmed by that prospect.
