“More than four hundred,” he answered, grabbing their luggage from the bed of the truck. “It’s a nice spread. Big enough to give enough space and small enough to manage.”
“Four hundred acres is not small by any stretch of the imagination,” she corrected him with a small smile. “And the air is so clean. Reminds me of my dad’s country home in Italy. So pretty and peaceful.”
“Yep. Well, until you meet Warren’s fossil of a dog, Dundee. I don’t even know how he’s still alive. Watch out if he stakes a claim at your feet. That dog has gas that could kill an elephant.”
She laughed. “Thanks for the warning. Does your brother know we’re coming?”
“He will once he listens to his voice mail. He and Laci are in Montana for a few weeks and the cell service is spotty. But he already offered up his place so we’re good.” He pointed at the beautiful farmhouse-style home to the left of the main house and said, “That’s where we’ll be staying. Laci got it in her head to build a replica of the original farmhouse and so, here you go. Nostalgia and modern convenience married up and created a five-star experience. I think you’ll like it.”
“It’s amazing,” she agreed as they walked toward the house. “And you’re sure they won’t mind?”
“It’s fine.” He plucked the spare key from under the pump where Kane told him it would be and handed it to her. “You go ahead and get situated. I’m going to let Warren know we’re here so he doesn’t come shooting in the dark when he hears us moving around outside.”
She couldn’t tell if he was serious or not and, given the fact that she’d just been shot at, he realized too late that joke was probably too soon, but she lifted her chin and trudged forward like a trouper and a spurt of pride followed. She was a tough cookie. He liked that about her. Hell, if he were being honest, he was starting to like a lot of things about her. Was he on a mission to totally screw up his life? If he kept up with thoughts like that, it would seem so. He headed for the main house and after a quick knock, he entered, immediately assaulted by the smells from the pleasant part of his childhood. Cora had always filled her house with the scent of baking. To this day he couldn’t walk past a bakery without thinking of her and how she’d fattened him and Kane up as if it were her God-given duty to save them from starvation. Maybe it had been. He walked into the house through the kitchen and found Cora’s dearest friend and bridge buddy, Adeline, cleaning up, a warm smile wreathing her plump face when she saw him.
“Well, look at who’s here, Warren. You come here and give me some sugar,” she instructed him with a happy grin. Adeline and Warren had gotten closer after Cora passed and it was a relationship that everyone supported because Adeline, who was a lot like Cora, was a perfect fit for Warren. “Why didn’t you call? I could’ve whipped up something nice.”
“Don’t go to any trouble, Adeline,” he said, wrapping the old gal in a hug. “Just here for a few days. How are you?”
“Can’t complain. The Lord is good to us, for certain. Warren had a bit of a stomach bug last week but he’s right as rain now.” Right on cue, Warren entered the kitchen with a frown but otherwise looked as he always did.
“Woman, don’t go sharing details like that. No one needs to know about my stomach bug,” he groused but Adeline, much like Cora, never took offense at his gruff style and simply waved a dish towel at him with a wink. Warren, still hale and hearty in spite of his age, clasped Rian’s hand in a firm handshake just as he’d taught both Dalton boys. A man had only one chance to make a first impression, he’d told them, and that started with a firm, manly handshake. No one liked a limp handshake. Couldn’t trust a man who shook like that. Surprisingly, Rian had discovered that advice was pretty spot-on. “You look good, son. What brings you home?”
Home. A warm feeling filled his gut and he smiled. It felt good to be loved by this man. If only life had seen fit to give the Dalton boys to the Bradfords from the start. Imagine how their lives would’ve turned out different. Not that he was complaining, but he’d lied to CoCo. Sometimes he thought of the past and the bad memories always knocked the wind from his lungs. “You look pretty good yourself. I see Adeline is keeping you healthy with her Southern cooking.”