Page 124 of Perfect Pairing
“Out west,” he said with a laugh. “I figure I’ll venture through South Dakota, Wyoming, and Idaho on my way to Portland for my brother’s wedding.”
“That sounds like a hell of adventure,” I said.
“I’ve never done anything like it, but I’ve always wanted to.”
“I imagine it’ll be the trip of a lifetime,” I said. “I did a backpacking and cooking trip through Europe right after I graduated high school, and it was the best thing I’ve ever done.” On my right, Brie cleared her throat, and I glanced down at her, smiling softly. “Except for you, of course.”
“And Hansen,” she added.
“And my boy.”
“Hey!” Owen said suddenly from the other end of the table. “If you’re heading through Idaho, you should swing through Dusk Valley. My brothers are in charge of the ranch these days, and West runs a dude ranch. I’m sure he’d be happy to put you up for a few nights.”
“I just might take you up on that,” Liam said, taking a breath to continue, but Brie cut him off.
“Sorry to break up this little bromance brewing here,” she said, gesturing between Liam and Owen, “but can we please get back to the matter at hand?”
“Right,” I said, mentally smacking myself.
“I’m not sure there’s much more to discuss,” Amara said. “We can’t offer up any Delatou land, and I’m not sure where else on the peninsula you’ll find a plot big enough.”
“We can use mine,” Brie piped up.
I glanced down at her, brows drawing together. “Yours?”
“I’ve never told you?” she asked.
“Told me what?”
“When we turned eighteen, Mom and Dad deeded us each a forty-acre plot of land on the north end of the peninsula, surrounding their house. Chloe built a house on hers—which Amara and Cal now live in. Delia broke a chunk off hers to use for the distillery. As of right now, my, Amara’s, and Ella’s sit empty, so we can use a split of mine for the garden.”
I blinked in shock, unable to believe what I was hearing. Between the five Delatou daughters sat nearly two hundred acres of undeveloped land. I’d known from my time working for the family that their roots in the area ran deep, that Leon’s grandfather had once owned roughly ninety percent of the peninsula, but this…
I couldn’t let Brie do this for me. Could I?
“That land isn’t meant for you to just give away, honey,” I told her.
Brie scoffed. “It’s my land,honey. I can do with it what I want.”
“And you want to help me with this community garden.”
It wasn’t a question, just a flat statement that I was having difficulty believing. Brie had so much of her own shit going on, between getting started on the cookbook and expanding her online store, plus keeping the townspeople of Apple Blossom Bay fed with her delectable treats, that I wasn’t sure where she’d find the time.
“Of course I do,” she said, like me questioning her sincerity was the dumbest thing in the world. Ignoring the other people in the room with us, she turned and crawled into my lap, cupping my cheeks in her hands and moving so her lips were a breath from mine. “I know this is your passion project, and I fully supportthat, but you can let me help you—and you will. Just like you’re helping me with the cookbook. This is just another thing we can do together.”
I didn’t answer verbally, only nodded and pressed my lips to hers quickly.
“I don’t know what I did to deserve you,” I whispered.
She tapped my nose before climbing off me and said, “You got really lucky.”
“So…you’re going to use Brie’s land?”
“Yes,” my girl answered her sister before I could. “I’ve been meaning to develop it anyway. I think it’s time.”
“You don’t mean…” Amara trailed off, eyes wide, dancing between me and her sister.
“Yep,” Brie said happily. “I’m building a house too.”
