Page 25 of Merry With A Milkman
“Of course.”
“Don’t wait. Announce your engagement. Celebrate your love and get married.”
Tegan glances back at me and winks. “To tell you the truth, I was hoping he would have officially proposed and given me a ring when we were with family on Thanksgiving.”
twelve
Rhone
While Tegan entertains Albert, I follow her advice and study the people around me, focusing mostly on my brother. I am out of practice. Steve and his date, Amy move in a slow circle around the room. He, like usual, remains silent while she chats with everyone. Their shoulders or hands brush often and, there, he squeezes her fingers.
Then he strides toward where I’m leaning against a doorframe. He stands at the other side and turns to look into the small crowd. His gaze moves restlessly until he finds Amy. The hint of a smile makes me wonder who this man is. Certainly not my dour brother.
“Rhone, you’ve done well here. I’m impressed. I had no idea you’d accomplished so much in such a short time.”
A compliment from my brother? Mark this day on the calendar. “Thanks. I had a lot of help.”
“Tegan’s a great girl.”
“Yeah, she is. Your help was invaluable as well.”
His eyebrows lift. “My help?”
I chuckle. “Without the milk and cream from your animals I wouldn’t have created my artisan cheeses. Definitely a team effort.”
He remains silent for a long moment. “Mom and Dad would be so proud of you.” There’s a wavering in his voice. More emotion than he’s expressed since they died.
I clasp his shoulder. “You, too, Steve. They’d be proud of you, too.”
With a nod, he returns his focus to Amy. I can’t contain my curiosity. “So Amy is Walt’s sister and she’s working with you?”
“Yep. I didn’t realize I needed help until she started showing up to learn about my goats. Now she’s at the farm every day. Her beliefs mirror mine and she’s passionate about what we…what I do for my animals.”
“You like her a lot, don’t you?”
He turns toward me, his eyes as serious as I’ve ever seen. “Bro, I love her so hard I can’t think straight.”
“I know the feeling,” I mumble. “Just not sure what to do next.”
Steve gives me a long, thoughtful look. “Amy knows how much I care for her. I’ve said the words. So has she. I have a ring wrapped and already under the tree.”
“You’re going to propose?”
An uncharacteristic soft smile eases his expression. If Amy does this for him, I’m welcoming her to the family with open arms. “I am,” he says. Then his normal Steve face returns. “I used to think there wasn’t enough time in my life to start a business and have a personal relationship. I thought if I paid attention to one, the other would fail. That’s not true. You can make time for both. Love will flourish even when you think you’re focused on other things. Don’t let untrue beliefs like that stop you from living your life. Loving who you want.”
He pauses and his lips twitch. “You know, it won’t hurt my feelings at all if your engagement announcement comes before mine. Might be a good thing. Keep some of the spotlight off me.”
A laugh bursts from me. “There’s the brother I know and love.”
He snorts. “Love you, too, little bro. Know I don’t show it enough, but I do.”
In unspoken agreement we move into a hug. Not a ‘bro’ hug, a real brother hug. When he steps back, he’s smiling and cants his head toward where Tegan is talking with the tall woman who runs the business association. “I’ve got my woman and plan to keep her. You need to go get yours.”
Steve returns to Amy and takes her hand. Eyes on me and with arched brows, he lifts her hand to kiss her fingers.
Subtle Steve isn’t.
I circle the issue and the room as the gathering winds down. I’m not planning on opening officially until after the new year but promise to take some special orders for Christmas.