Page 22 of Autumn Wishes and Pumpkin Kisses

Keefer moves a stray strand of hair back behind my ear. “It’s no trouble. Besides, it’s late. I’d feel better knowing y’all are safe and sound. I don’t have the extra bedrooms set up yet or we could put the kids to bed in them.”

“The loveseat will be fine.”

He moves away and turns on the kitchen light. His house is beautiful. It has a log cabin feel to it, but it’s low on personal touches. There’s nothing to show he lives here. Nothing hangs on the walls or sits on the tables. There’s no sign of life aside from the furniture and coffee maker. “I’ll grab the pillows and blankets from upstairs if you want to set up the loveseat and couch then I’ll start the fire.”

I nod my head. Keefer disappears upstairs as nerves settle in my stomach. Are we moving too quickly? What if he wakes up and regrets all this tomorrow? I don’t know how to process all of this and before I can even try he returns with everything. I busy myself with setting up the sleeping areas while he starts the fire. Together, we head outside. Keefer takes Silas carefully into his arms, trying his best not to wake him. I gather Seraphina and somehow, we manage to get both of them into the house, out of their shoes and jackets, and under the blankets without waking them up. Keefer heads back out to make sure the fire is out. When he returns we get comfortable on the couch. Between the crackle of the fire, my children's snores and Keefer’s arms, I fall fast asleep before I can ask any of the burning questions on my mind.

NINETEEN

Teaganne

The rising sun wakes me in the morning. It cascades through the house like a prism. Beauty isn’t the right word for it. I look over my shoulder and see Silas and Seraphina are still sound asleep. Keefer pulls me closer to him and presses his lips to my forehead. Waking up in his arms feels absolutely amazing, but it's also terrifying. There are so many questions still unanswered between us and it only took one night for me to become completely attached to him again. I’m not sure I can walk away again if he’s changed his mind. “You’re thinking way too much this early in the morning darlin’.”

“How did you know I was thinking?”

He chuckles quietly, his chest shaking us both. “Because I know you. Are you going to go back to sleep or continue to think?”

I sigh. “What do you think?”

One of his blue eyes appears from behind his eyelid. He squints and looks down at me. “Well hell, I guess we should talk then.”

“I’m just worried,” I admit,

Keefer nods his head. “About what?” His index finger comes up to lightly trace the skin between my eyebrows. “Every time you worry, you get a line right here,” he explains, as he continues to trace it.

“Did we move too fast last night?”

He moves so he’s leaning more over me, resting on one elbow. “No, I don’t think so. From the outside looking in, it might look too fast. In all honesty, if you had asked me before last night if it was possible to fall back into old habits this easily, I would have said no, but it just feels right. It always felt right with you, like you are where I’m meant to be. I think all I ever really needed was to understand what happened last time. To know why you ended it.”

I bury my face into his shirt and breathe in his scent. The smell of an open campfire and wood is all I can smell. “I was worried you’d wake up today and think differently.”

“Definitely not. When things are right, they just are. I’m too old to keep fighting things that feel right. Being with you and them,” he says, as his head motions towards the loveseat where Silas and Seraphina are sound asleep. “It just feels like it’s exactly where I’m supposed to be. It’s where I want to be.”

My teeth nibble on my bottom lip. His words make sense, but it doesn’t stop all the worries I have. Hopefully, over time I’ll find a better footing with it all. I do agree with Keefer, this is exactly where I want to be. “So, what’s on your agenda today?”

“You mean, aside from little league football,” he says, with a smirk. I roll my eyes. It’s a good thing Silas didn’t hear me forget about football this afternoon. I would never be able to live that down with him. “Until practice, I guess I’ll start setting up Warbee’s website.”

“Do you need to go to the bakery?”

He nods his head. “I do. I need to go copy the menu and find out her seasonal items that she brings back every year. Are you going there today?”

“Yeah, I have a lot of the new stuff being delivered. Jayse is going to start tomorrow. My goal is to try and get some stuff painted tonight.” I’m trying to figure out if I can at least get half the bakery painted in one night. The odds are not in my favor, but I’m still going to try.

There’s a look in Keefer’s eyes that usually means he has an idea. “Well, I can come help after practice. I’m sure Warbee and Rocker will, too.”

“I haven’t asked, but I'm sure you’re right.” To be honest, I haven’t spoken much to Warbee. I really need to fix that. Especially, now with everything happening between Keefer and me. “So, before we have to go be adults and my two little ones wake up, I have a request.”

Keefer raises his eyebrows. “What’s that?”

“Kiss me.”

The smile that breaks his face is from ear to ear like the Cheshire cat. “Your wish is my command.”

Later, once Silas and Seraphina have woken up, we load into my SUV and drive home. We all shower and get dressed, eat some breakfast and then head back out. Keefer had texted while we were eating breakfast, telling me his mom would be more than happy to babysit for me today if I needed kid free time to get work done. Silas and Seraphina love Dixie. She’s all I had heard about for days so I knew they wouldn’t mind but I did hate to push them off on her. I went back and forth on the decision and when I realized I was going to be unable to make a decision, I decide to text Keefer telling him I need something. Two minutes later the contact information for Dixie appears on the screen.

Teaganne: How did you know that’s what I was going to ask for?

Keefer: Because I know you. Now, go call my mom and I’ll see you in a bit.

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