Page 73 of Pick Your Spot

He laughed and kissed her. “Let’s go.”

She wrapped her arms around him and soaked up his warmth as they drove toward the back. The evening light was soft and romantic, reminding her of their first time together.

Fox met them by the pond, and they dismounted to spend some time with him.

After he’d greeted them, he sniffed at their legs. He gave a happy bark and then sniffed their hands and arms.

Knox grinned. “He knows we made some new doggie friends today.”

Thea sat on the ground while the dog checked out the scents. “Looks like he’s not the jealous type. I wonder if he’s met some of the other dogs on his romps.”

Knox nodded. “It wouldn’t be far to Lorraine’s property to the north. Her dogs are incredibly well-trained and probably don’t leave her space. But if Fox crosses over there, I’d bet they’re buddies.”

She ruffled his fur. “Have you met Squirrel yet? I don’t think Sylvia lets him roam on his own, so maybe not. If you’d go in the truck, we could take you there.”

But he wouldn’t. The dog never even left the orchard to go to the farmhouse. When she and Jay had brought trucks and ATVs around, he never got close enough to sniff. He had no interest in vehicles. The few times they’d tried to coax him in, he’d simply turned away and ignored them.

Knox rubbed Fox’s head. “We’ll have to invite Sylvia and Squirrel over for a playdate one day. She seemed interested in the farm. It would be fun to tour hers as well.”

When Fox loped off, they returned to the ATV and checked out her cabin and the compost area. Nothing had been disturbed, giving her hope that Andy had taken her words to heart and left the area.

Knox was right, though. She’d feel better once they had a security system installed and they could see any disturbances on their phones.

They returned to the front of the property and ensured the barns and the other farmhouse were undisturbed as well.

Inside their farmhouse, she felt better when Knox locked the door behind them. There were ancient bolts they could throw across the doors along with the good deadbolts Jay had installed.

Knox took her hand and tugged her up the stairs. He showed her the progress he’d made in cleaning all the bedrooms and bathrooms earlier.

She laughed at the fixture colors. “Who would choose a pink or a green toilet?”

Knox grinned. “But they made you smile. I’m glad I chose a room with yellow fixtures. They’re almost neutral enough to ignore.”

She laughed. “They’re the best of the choices for sure. At least, they’re all functional.”

“Which is both good and bad news. We won’t have to spend the money to renovate immediately.”

“And the bad news?”

“We have to live with them in the meantime. And whoever is last to arrive will probably get stuck with the pink.”

He grinned at her. “I’m betting it might be Burke.”

She laughed. From what she’d seen so far, the eldest brother took his responsibilities and his family seriously. He would likely hate the pink bathroom, but if it made the others smile, she wondered if he would really mind it. If he was anything like Knox, he might even do it on purpose.

Chapter22

A Bright Spot

Knox scrambled eggs with a smile. Waking up with Thea in his bed was a hell of a good way to start the day. “Do we have time to meet the rest of the neighbors today, or are there things we should be doing here?”

She looked up from where she buttered toast. “I’d like to work on the compost a bit. If you want to go on your own?—”

He cut her off before she finished the sentence. “Not a chance, Thea. We’re sticking together until the security system is installed and Triple-A is in custody or there are confirmed sightings of him in Iowa.”

It took a beat but she nodded. “Good idea. At least for a few days. I’ll feel better if we’re together.”

He plated the eggs, and they sat at the table with the toast and some sliced fruit between them. “So, compost first, then we’ll decide.”

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