Page 76 of Nashville Lights

More screaming, gasping, clutching and swooning.

Ainsley Beal hasn’t said a word this whole time. She almost seems like she’s in shock.

“Ms. Beal?” Vaughn says. “What do you say?”

Ainsley Beal is gazing at Kade. “You’re theTuckerBrothers? You’re really…Kade Tucker? The bass player?The…Magic Man?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Kade answers.

Travis and Vaughn try to muffle their laughter but can’t.

So she’s not immune. Even buttoned-up welfare officers have their types, I guess.

So, since it looks like our meeting will resume when we get to the warehouse because Jenny has decided to close up the office early for the day, I scoop Roxie into my arms and follow the Tuckers, Jenny, the office girls and a starstruck Ainsley Beal into the limo.

30

Two weeks later…

I setthe little stick on top of its box on the marble bathroom counter. As I wash my hands, I watch the small plus sign vibrantly ink itself onto the little screen.

I really am.

I’m pregnant with Nate Boone’s baby.

Not surprisingly, considering what we’ve spent the past few weeks doing. Alot.

I already knew but I wanted to wait until I was sure. Letting myself adjust to the the newness of my unfolding, surreal, enchanted new reality.

I’m almost a week late.

Our babies will grow up here on the farm and we’ll give them the same golden summers we had, running free and living their best lives.

After spending the past few days in Nashville, I drove back last night. I wanted to wait until I gothometo take the test. And this place already feels like it’s that. The farm has always felt like home, and Nate’s—our,he keeps reminding me—house feels like a luxurious haven, with my dreamscape of a little family so excited to see me after a few days away.

Daisy has become my little shadow. She is the gentlest, sweetest child. We already share a surprisingly profound bond, because we both know what huge, tragic loss feels like and we also adore our Nate. We justlovehim, with our whole hearts. And he loves us.

He brings us presents and cooks for us. The three of us read Daisy’s stories together and we laugh at the voices Nate uses for the different characters. He plays his—pink, which makes it even better—guitar for us. If we beg, he sings to us. And I fall in love with him all over again.

With Dakota and Tobias’s help, we’re beginning to plan our wedding. It’ll take place at the lodge, of course, with our families around us. Daisy has an important role as the flower girl. We have plenty of musicians on hand to provide the music. We’re even going to stay in the cottage with the pink door on our wedding night.

It’s been a whirlwind three weeks, no doubt about that. But then again, we had eight years to prepare for it. To pine for each other and to miss out on what could have been. Once we found each other again, we let ourselves fall as fast and as hard as we’d always wanted to.

I’d never thought much about having babies.Orgetting married. A month ago, I wasn’t sure I wanted either. I can now see that, somewhere behind my subconscious, it’s because he left that August day and never came back. I wanted to marryhimand havehisbabies.Hewas the one I loved.

I still can’t believe he’s mine and that I get tokeephim. I sometimes wake up and wonder if finding him again was all just a beautiful dream.

Standing in front of the mirror, I place my hands on my flat belly. “Hey, little one,” I whisper. “I love you.”I already do, so much it hurts.The tiny seed of our wild love, planted inside me.

I put on a sundress and brush my hair.

Then I make my way down the curving wooden staircase designed by Jed, Nate told me, taking in the spectacular view of the river and the dappled sunlight outside the wall of windows.

I’ve set up the home office Nate built for me, and I’ve hired Kristie Anderson to take on some of my workload. She’s fun, organized, whip-smart and she’s not easily intimidated. Which makes her perfect for the job. She also has several contacts in the music industry she used to work with—all women who took time off to have babies but are experienced—who might also be able to join our team.

It could work out well since I’ve suddenly got a full list of clients but I’ve also promised Nate I’d spend more time at home.

And Nate hired Kristie’s husband Shane to help manage his business. Because Shane’s so eager to prove himself, and he’s a quick learner and is extremely good at what he does, Nate’s been able to cut way back on his hours.

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