Page 72 of Love and Landscape (Rockland Falls 3)

After waking up and making omelets, I joined her in the shower, where I helped wash her from head to toe (concentrating on her clit…with my tongue). Then, we made our way to the library and office and started cleaning. I started with the heavy lifting, moving all of the furniture pieces she’s keeping along the wall and taking those she wasn’t keeping to the garage for donation. By late morning, we had help. Emma and Orval both joined us, assisting Kate by moving and cleaning books, while she concentrated on going through the piles of files and papers in the desk.

I kept my focus on the job at hand and not on the fact Kate was painting again. She didn’t say anything, but I could tell right away the piece she had started so many years ago had some fresh paint on it. She had been working on the landscape detail, and every time I glanced out the wall of windows at the backyard, I felt a familiar pang of longing where she was concerned. I didn’t voice my thoughts, just stole kisses every chance I got, making sure she knew exactly how badly I want her.

“Lunch is served,” Mom says as she joins us in the office, Max hot on her heels.

“Kate!” he hollers as he runs into the room carrying his baseball.

“Maxim, my little buddy! How are you?” Kate asks, dropping to her knees in front of the desk and hugging my son. My heart slams into my rib cage, and I almost say it. I almost tell her right then I’m in love with her.

Max starts to giggle. “I’m not Maxim, silly pants! It’s just Max!” he exclaims, resting his head against her shoulder.

“Well, Just Max, I’m happy you’re here. I have the perfect job for you,” she says, slowly standing up and taking his hand in hers.

“I can help?” he asks, his eyes wide with excitement and disbelief.

“You sure can. Do you want to help?”

“Yep!”

“Then, I have something I need you to do for me. It’s a very important job, and when you finish it, I’ve got a surprise for you.”

He stops walking and glances up at her, smiling. “A surprise?”

“Yep,” she says, stopping when she reaches her easel and a crate in the corner. “See this bookshelf here?” she asks, pointing to the wall right behind the crate. “I want to put all of my paints and brushes on these shelves. Do you think you can manage to help me with that?”

Max nods furiously. “I can help! I’m good at helping!”

“Perfect. I would love to put all of the paints on these two shelves, and the brushes and palettes on the bottom shelf. Do you think you can manage that?” she asks, pulling the crate closer to where Max stands.

“Yep!” he hollers, reaching down and grabbing two bottles of paint. I watch as he gently sets them down on the top shelf before grabbing two more. Then, when he gets all of the bottles out, he arranges them by color before starting on the tubes of colorful paint.

“She’s amazing with him,” Mom whispers beside me, standing and watching in awe as Kate sits back and allows Max to arrange her painting area. And the best part is she does it with a smile on her face.

“She is,” I reply, not taking my eyes off either of them.

“He couldn’t stop talking about her last night, you know,” she adds, the smile very evident in her words.

“Max does like hanging out with Kate,” I confirm, wiping my dirty hands on my jeans.

I can feel Mom’s eyes on me. “He’s not the only one,” she quips, bringing a smile to my own face.

“True. We’re having fun, getting to know each other again.”

Mom wraps her arm around my waist, my arm immediately going around her shoulder and pulling her into a hug. “I’m happy for you,” she whispers into the side of my chest.

Warmth spreads up my chest as I watch Kate with Max. He’s concentrating on his organizing, moving things around until he has it just right. She doesn’t say a word as he adjusts and readjusts for the tenth time, his little tongue sticking out of his mouth as he focuses. She has him tell her the colors as he moves them, helping him get the similar ones all together. He’s having a ball, and most importantly, feels like he’s a part of the process.

“Come on,” Mom says, pulling my arm toward the kitchen. “I brought some pulled pork for sandwiches and Marissa made Amish pasta salad.”

My stomach growls on cue. Everyone in the room hears the call for lunch and makes their way out of the library and to the kitchen. I watch as the two people I love most in this world join hands and follow the elders. Before they round the corner, Kate glances over her shoulder, a big smile on her face. She throws me a wink, and I practically throw my heart at her feet.

It’s hers anyway.

It’s always been hers.

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