Page 74 of The Path To Us

I start to protest and he holds up a hand. “We’ll be able to see her from here. She knows the place like it’s her own. I wouldn’t do anything to put her in danger.”

I relax and sit back down.

“Okay, Pop!” She takes off running toward the barn and Richard and I watch her the entire way.

“For years Addy’s spoken of you. When she got pregnant, she was devastated. She thought for sure she’d lost you forever. I knew, though. The way she talked of you and how you were to her, that wouldn’t be the case.”

Shame fills me when I recall how I treated her and Chris after Zoey was born.

He shakes his head. “Don’t you think about that. Suzie and me, we knew. The reason you went distant wasn’t because of Addy, it was because you were heartbroken.”

I nod. There’s no use denying it.

“We didn’t tell Addy that. Figured you would need to be the one to explain that to her eventually. Just like I’ll let her be the one who explains her feelings for you when she’s ready. When Suzie got sick, we knew she had your parents. She had Chris and you and Max and me. Then she had Zoey. But Suzie and I, we knew, eventually, she’d mainly need you.”

I watch as Zoey drags the large cardboard box out of the barn, her little butt sticking out as she pulls and tugs with all her might. Once it’s situated where she wants it, she digs out all the kittens and puts them on the ground beside her one by one.

Four in total.

Feisty little stinkers. “I don’t understand.”

He isn’t deterred from what he was about to say. “When Suzie got sicker, she was worried, of course. Not just because she wasn’t prepared to leave this world, but because she hated that she was going to miss the two of you finally getting together.”

I shake my head. “It’s because of me that she missed it. I was too busy being a jerk to her and wallowing in my own pity party.”

“Because you were having a hard time reconciling with the fact that she was having another man’s baby. That man being your brother didn’t help much.”

“Thanks for the reminder,” I mutter. Like a grump.

He grins, an old man grin that shows his wrinkles. “I’m not finished, so relax. Once you got through that hurt and realized that no matter what, your love for her wasn’t going away, Suzie saw. Before she died, she knew it would happen eventually. Though, I have to admit, it did take a lot longer than either of us expected it to take.”

“Yeah. I was scared.”

“I know. But she was, too. Now’s the time, Beau.”

I glance over at Zoey to make sure she’s not within hearing distance and see she’s still playing happily on the ground, kittens all around her and the two dogs lazying under the shade of a tree. Yeah. I can see life here could be just about perfect. Maybe even more perfect than what we experienced this morning.

“We decided that last night.”

Light shines in his eyes and he sits up in his seat. “You did?”

“We did.”

He slaps his knee and whoops. “Hot damn! I knew you’d figure it out eventually!”

I can’t help but smile at his enthusiasm.

“Don’t get any ideas. It happened last night,” I repeat, emphasizing when. “And we haven’t told Zoey yet. We need to talk and figure out exactly what it means but yes, if I have it my way, we’re together now and will be forever. But we’re not rushing.”

“How much slower can you go?”

“Ahh. So you’re a smart ass. Now I see why Addy likes you.”

“Well that, and my good looks.”

Chuckling, I relax in my chair.

“I’m still admittedly a little freaked out by the fact that you’ve known Addy for fifteen years and I never knew it. Not to mention the fact that you contacted me to buy your house because you and Suzie had this idea that Addy and I would one day end up together.”

“I’d like to take this moment to remind you that Zoey informed you just moments ago that I’m always right.”

I bark out a laugh. Holy shit. This guy is too much.

I tip my imaginary hat to him. “Touché.”

“Now that that’s settled, how about we go check on that little girl? See how dirty she’s gotten in the barn.”

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