Page 63 of Pick Your Spot

A shadow passed over her happy face, but she blinked and cleared it. “I’ve already put in my notice at the job and for my apartment. I only have a week left and I’ll be on my way. After this tour, I’m even more excited than I was. I love everything about the property, and I can’t wait to dig in and help out.”

Thea found herself grinning along with the others. She would bet Jolie made things better wherever she was. Her enthusiasm was infectious. She only hoped the rest of the family would come aboard with the same joy.

It would be great to see Amber’s face. The woman was quiet and generally let the others lead the discussion. Part of that was probably the fact that she was missing out on the visuals.

Both Lawson and Burke appeared intrigued, or at least willing to go along with the plan for now. She’d bet they would both be more of a challenge for Knox to convince to join them.

They drove to the pond next, and Jolie’s enthusiasm only ramped up. Knox panned the area slowly for her and she visibly bounced in her seat. “This is great. I can’t wait to join you.”

After they disconnected the call, Knox pocketed his phone and then picked Thea up and swung her around in a circle. “It’s going to work. We’re going to bring them all here eventually.”

She didn’t doubt it. “And you’ll have your family together again.”

“See, they weren’t scary.”

“They were all great. I wish Amber could have seen the tour, though.”

His joy dimmed. “Me too. She’s always tough to read, but not having her face on-screen makes it even more difficult. I hope she’s okay and the phone thing isn’t a ruse.”

“Why would it be?”

He sighed. “Amber doesn’t like to worry anyone. But I’m probably imagining trouble where it doesn’t exist. She sounded like she wasn’t against the idea anyway.”

“Maybe once she has a new phone, we can do another tour for her.”

“I like the way you think.” Then he grinned and waggled his eyebrows. “How do you feel about checking sex by the pond off the bucket list?”

She was all in.

Chapter19

Apple Pie Order

As the days passed, Knox found himself more comfortable with the rhythm of the farm. Like military life, running a farm meant early hours and hard work. It was a bit of a surprise to find he enjoyed both.

He and Thea did a lot of the chores together, but they also spent time doing their own things. While she tended the compost, he worked at cleaning out the bedrooms on the top floors of the farmhouse.

It appeared that Jay hadn’t bothered with the rooms at all. Dust was thick everywhere. He found buckets, mops, and cleaning supplies in the laundry area off the kitchen.

He’d already taken care of the room he’d chosen, but that left six more, not counting Jay’s bedroom. Not a room he was ready to face. After he had the place sparkling, he’d give it a look. Or not. Maybe that would be something he could face when the whole family was here together.

That was a better plan. Everything was easier with a team at your back. He knew Thea would help them. She was the only one of them who knew Jay and would be able to share stories with them. And they’d share Fox stories with her.

He’d had texts from all of his siblings since the tour of the farm. They all approved of Thea and the obvious relationship between them.

Burke, of course, had added a warning.Be careful.

Knox knew it was always sound advice, but over the years, his instincts had become finely tuned. The army had refined them further, as had his bodyguard training and jobs.

Thea wasn’t only an amazing person, she was the right person for him. They fit in unexpected ways. Physically, the chemistry was solid. Actually, it was explosive. But not the kind of explosion that would burn hot and then evaporate. This was more like a constant simmer that ebbed and flowed. He could easily imagine the two of them sharing that same chemistry in the years and decades to come.

He’d never been so certain of anyone who wasn’t a family member. Fox would love her, too. He’d appreciate her work ethic and determination. She’d see right past his cranky exterior to the mushy heart beneath.

Figuring it was easier to tackle one task at a time, Knox concentrated on cleaning the bathrooms first. No one wanted to live with a bathroom that hadn’t been cleaned in over a decade.

His army discipline came in handy again. He’d learned to do tedious chores with thoroughness and without whining. Letting his mind wander to more pleasant subjects helped, too.

He made a list on his phone as he worked, adding things to both the To Do and the shopping lists. Environmentally-friendly cleaning products topped the list. He’d use up what Jay had stocked, but they’d move to better, fragrance-free products. Amber had always insisted on those while growing up.

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