Page 16 of Fern's Date with Destiny
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Rose’s kitchen smelled like comfort.Cinnamon from an apple crisp cooled by the window, garlic butter from Chance’s over-the-top garlic knots.The faintest undercurrent of paint and turpentine that always clung to her big sister’s life now.
Fern leaned her hip against the counter, listening to Luke Stone explain some new fencing plan to Chance, while his wife Kelli sat perched on a barstool, one hand absently rubbing her belly.
Seventeen weeks pregnant.Fern still couldn’t wrap her head around it.A baby.Aperson, growing right there inside Kelli.
The concept wasn’t the problem, obviously, it was just that no one in Fern’s immediate family had ever been pregnant.
It was a fascinating thing to think about and observe.
Kelli’s eyes suddenly went wide.Her hand stilled, and her mouth formed a tinyoh.
“You okay?”Fern asked quickly, stepping closer.
Kelli’s smile was pure wonder.“The baby moved.Just once, but—wow.”
Fern squealed under her breath.She squeezed Kelli’s shoulder, and a pang of something soft and greedy twisted low in her belly.Someday.Not now, but someday.Maybe a baby with dark eyes that crinkled like Cody’s did when he smiled.
Fern stuffed the daydream away before she lit up like a neon sign.
Instead, she swiped a slice of cheese off Chance’s charcuterie board, ignoring his fake outrage.
“Oi!Grab a plate, ya heathen.”
“Too slow, big brother,” Fern shot back then popped the cheese in her mouth before beaming at Rose for backup.
Rose rolled her eyes fondly and went back to mixing the salad.
Behind her, Cody’s quiet chuckle shivered straight up Fern’s spine.She risked a peek.He stood near the fridge, beer in hand, nodding at the conversation while his eyes, those traitorous, secret-keeping eyes, kept drifting to her.
Fern crossed her arms, fighting amusement.Behave,she mouthed at him.
He lifted his brows and mouthed back,Make me.
Heaven help her.
Dinner itself was a warm blur.Chance told a half-true story about hiking with Rose and getting lost.Kelli told Luke not to hover so much or she’d wraphimin bubble wrap for the next twenty-three weeks.
Fern found herself laughing so hard she nearly inhaled her water when Rose threatened to ban Pictionary if Chance tried to sneak in made-up words again.
“It’s just not right,” Rose complained.“I love your brogue, don’t get me wrong, but when you deliberately toss in nonsense words and drawl them out, I lose all concentration.”
“Rose hates losing,” Fern pointed out to everyone in the room.
“Being happily distracted by a sexy drawl is still a win, isn’t it?”Kelli asked, which set Chance grinning and Luke curling an arm around her possessively.
Luke cleared his throat then gave it a shot.“If it’s an accent you be craving, missy, look no farther than your lawfully wedded man.”
Fern covered her mouth to stop from snickering, and Rose turned away to hide her smile.
Chance, however, had no mercy.“What the feck was that?You sound like a pirate who swallowed a toad.”
“Very sexy,” Cody agreed before letting out a guffaw.
“Time to get into our teams!”Chance declared, patting Luke on the shoulder as the man grinned good-naturedly.Once the table was cleared and the coffee poured, Chance slapped a big sketch pad down in the center like a proud king revealing a treasure.“Kelli and Luke.Me and Rose.Cody, you’re stuck with the tiny tyrant.”
Fern threw her napkin at him.“I demand a recount.”
