Page 69 of A Cowboy's Bride
“No. Of course not. Tonight he’s not a therapist,” Petra assured her. “Tonight he’s another hungry guy who will want at least two burgers and three servings of pie.”
“Okay.” Jinx made a face at Aiden. “It’s hard to make enough dessert so I can take extra pieces for me and Sasha the next day at school with the way you guys eat.”
“Sorry?” But Aiden grinned. “Next time bake three pies?”
Jinx rolled her eyes but she went back to peeling apples.
Petra tugged Aiden aside. He pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers for a kiss. She responded, softening against him, and he kind of forgot what he was about to do and just got lost in enjoying her.
She eased back, stroking her fingers over his cheek. “That was not what I wanted to talk about.”
“Too bad. It’s what I wanted to start with,” he teased. “Okay, serious now. What’s up?”
She stroked her fingers over his chest softly, considering. “Just another turn in the road. Wanted to make sure everybody’s thinking it through and hoping things go smoothly as we add Kevin to the mix.” She made a face. “It’s been a month since Jinx arrived, and I’ve grown to like the forward motion. I don’t want to go back to two steps forward one step back.”
“I hear you,” Aiden assured her. “Jake says he’s a good guy. Has a reputation of being there for his coworkers and victims as well.”
“That’s good, but it’s still hard at this point to change our dynamic.” Her smile grew a little heated. “In other news, the new bed frame is supposed to arrive tomorrow.”
“Check the schedule and make sure we can do a test drive,” Aiden whispered softly.
“For the warranty’s sake, of course,”
“Pitter patter let’s get at ‘er,” Jinx called, interrupting their tête-à-tête.
Petra sputtered as she tilted her head against Aiden’s chest and laughed. “I cannot believe that you got her watching Letterkenny.”
“It’s classic Canadian comedy,” Aiden protested. “Although I do have to watch it with subtitles on. The jocks’ and the stoners’ accents are impossible at times.”
When Jake brought Kevin in to be introduced, Jinx nodded politely but stepped aside and deferred to Petra.
“Slight seating rearrangement change at Jinx’s recommendation,” Petra announced to everyone. “Considering we’ll have new people joining us at different times. This way everyone has a spot and the new people will add on to the side. We can adjust again down the road when needed.”
Jinx and Declan were still across from each other but at the edge of the table. Petra faced Jake, and across from Aiden, Kevin nodded his approval.
“Well thought out.” Kevin pointed to the open space at his side. “It gives me a chance to talk to anyone new without turning it into a big deal. And if any new ladies show up, they can sit there at the head of the table, next to Jinx and Declan, who somehow manages to look very safe in spite of his size.”
“I told you,” Petra said to Jinx. “Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.”
Declan hung his head in his hands. “I asked you not to say that in public.”
“Too late, bro. We heard it, and we’re never going to forget,” Jake gloated.
Kevin’s room wasn’t ready yet, but after supper he good-naturedly set up a bedroll in what would be his space. Six of them gathered by the fire that evening, crowding in closer because the temperature dropped rapidly as the sun vanished earlier in the evening.
Aiden played his guitar. Kevin hummed along for a minute then pulled out a harmonica and began playing an accompaniment. Jinx’s eyes grew wide, and Petra smiled, fingers moving steadily on yet another project.
Aiden looked around at the growing family of High Water.
So much still to do, but they were firmly on the right path.
He turned his attention to Petra, admiring the firelight dancing on her skin, the small smile curling her lips. She swayed her head to the music.
One day at a time, he reminded himself. He just needed to keep the bonds between them growing one day at a time.
17
In the middle of a girls’ lunch out at Buns and Roses, Petra was utterly stunned to discover it had been a month and a half since she’d moved into High Water.
