Page 20 of Nashville Lights

“When’s the grand opening?” I ask between bites, in awe of how good this food is.

“The weekend after next,” Dakota says. “We’re already fully booked for almost four months.”

Luke helps himself to a generous portion of fried chicken. “I just hope you control your guests and we don’t find them wandering all over the farm. I like to take a skinny dip in our pond every evening and I don’t want to shock anyone with my?—”

“Don’t even think about continuing that sentence, little brother,” Nate says.

“We’ve already got signs up, telling guests not to wander onto the working farm part of the land,” Tobias tells us. “They’ve got their own area.”

“You could put up a sign that says ‘Beware of Skinny-Dipping Rednecks’,” suggests Leo. “That should scare them away.”

Dakota slaps his arm lightly. “Don’t encourage him.”

“Might need to add a few adjectives to the sign,” jokes Luke.

Leo laughs. “What, like ‘moronic’? ‘Idiotic’? ‘Microscopic’?”

“I was thinking more along the lines of ‘king-sized’,” Luke grins.

“Would you two stop?” Dakota groans.

“Youarepretty tall, Uncle Luke,” Daisy says earnestly.

“Thank you, Daisy.” Luke’s green eyes glint. “That’s exactly what I meant.”

“We’re going to have to kick you two out if you can’t behave in polite company,” Nate says, and the banter continues but the twins obey and barely rein it in. But their respect for their older brother is obvious.

I let the laughter and lively conversation settle around me and enjoy the best meal I’ve had in a very long time, occasionally stealing glances at Nate, who’s cutting up Daisy’s food for her into little pieces.

Tobias spreads some butter onto her biscuit.

I can’t help but think that, even though losing her parents must be profoundly difficult, she’s lucky to have such a loving group of people doting on her.

And it strikes me how much I’ve missed these small everyday interactions that come with being a family in a real place—not on a stage or a tour bus or in a studio or hotel.

Nate’s phone rings in his pocket and he pulls it out, checking the number. “Sorry, everyone, I better take this.” He mumbles something about being back in a few minutes, then heads out the door.

There’s a general murmur of acknowledgement from the rest of the family. They’re clearly used to Nate being interrupted and distracted by all the things he’s dealing with.

I find myself caught off guard by the intensity of my curiosity.

Is he okay?

Is it one of his girlfriends?

He paces across the porch, his figure through the sash windows a blend of strength and weariness. Something tells me he’s not talking to a girlfriend. Unless she’s nagging him about something. He seems pissed off by whatever they’re talking about.

I try to concentrate on the conversation around the table, but my mind is on Nate. It’s clear that he’s shouldering more than just the weight of business deals and a new kind of parenthood. There’s a depth to him now, a complexity that wasn’t there before. Layers of unrelenting stress are clearly a part of his life now.

After a while, he comes back in. His amber eyes are lightly bloodshot, from lack of sleep, maybe. It does nothing to detract from how insanely good-looking he is. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to deal with this. There’s an urgent payroll issue that the manager on call was supposed to have taken care of. But I can’t get a hold of her. I’ll have to go up to the house to use my desktop.”

“You need a hand with anything?” Leo asks.

“No. I got it. Thanks.”

Tobias gets up from the table. “At least take your food with you. And I’ll get you some pie too.”

“Thanks, Tobe. Daze? Come on, sweetheart.”

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