Page 119 of All I Need

Two months later

“THIS IS THE WEIRDEST THING I think you’ve ever done,” Brett jokes.

I look at him and grin. “Weird or romantic?”

“Romantic, definitely. For sure,” Courtney says, hugging Brett around the waist and sighing. I think that’s what swooning looks like but I don’t care if I see it from her. I just need Ellie to see it the same way Courtney is right now.

They just finished helping me get Camilla out of the back of the cattle trailer. After spending a month getting my land ready and having Grayson help me work on the old barn that was already on the property, it’s ready for some livestock. Camilla is the first to come but I have plans for more.

So much more.

“You’re making the rest of us look bad,” Brett grumbles.

“Sounds like you need to step up your game, then, boy.”

Courtney laughs and Brett rolls his eyes.

The weather outside is getting increasingly cold and I’m glad that I was able to get the barn ready. Lord knows that Ellie will probably try bringing her into the house as it is. I’m hoping that having a warm place for her to go at night will alleviate her concerns.

A brisk wind causes me to shiver when I remove my gloves, tying the bright red bow around Camilla’s neck. She looks at me as if to say “are you freaking serious,” which is exactly the words that come out of Brett’s mouth.

“Of course I’m serious,” I mumble around the leather glove dangling from my teeth.

His voice is laced with humor when he says, “It’s like those car commercials where someone is gifted with a brand-new Lexus at Christmas. Only it’s a cow. Boy you really went all out.”

“Shut up, man. You know as well as I do that she’ll love the shit out of this.”

I hope, anyway.

I don’t really have a Plan B and need this to be perfect for her because she deserves nothing less.

As soon as I get it tied on the way I want, I look to make sure it’s secured tightly, then slide my glove back on.

Courtney sighs. “I am just so freaking happy.”

“Let’s hope Ellie is, too.”

“She is. She will be. This is so amazing,” she squeals and hops over to me, giving me a hug.

We talk for a little while longer then they shut the door to the now empty trailer and climb in their pickup and leave.

I make sure that Camilla is set up in the barn and close the door. She’s a lot bigger than she was a few months ago but Ellie still treats her like a baby.

After learning that Ellie couldn’t have children, I asked her what she wanted to do. I wasn’t going to make the decision for her whether or not she would have surgery or go through IVF. She also opened up a lot about her parents, how they were basically absent most her life. Then her dad left for good and her mom blamed Ellie for it. It was no wonder love and trust were hard for Ellie to freely give.

“I think I want to adopt,” she says quietly, her cheek resting against my chest as we lie in our bed. “Maybe from fostering. I don’t really know. I’d like to talk to someone, see what our options are. But you were right when you said there are so many kids who need a family. My parents were terrible and the thought of other kids having that same experience breaks my heart. Surgery and IVF is so expensive. Why wouldn’t we put that money toward helping children in need?”

I squeeze her tightly to me, pleased that’s the route she decided to go. It’s only a mild disappointment to think that we won’t have children of our own which tells me this is the right decision for us.

“I agree.”

“You do?”

“Yup.”

And that was the end of the discussion. I didn’t need to explain my reasons. She didn’t need to explain hers. It was settled.

I’m inside the house when I hear Ellie pull up. She parks her car in the space we made for her in the garage and I shake out the nerves in my body.

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