Chapter 36

36

She spent the night with him. In his bed. Until just before dawn, when he carried her back to his baby sister’s empty room and tucked her in. And kissed her hotter than she had been kissed in her life. Chantal didn’t want to let him go, but his brothers and sisters were just down the hall.

And Chad. Somehow, they had all ended up with a Chad thrown into the mix. He could become a problem.

The last thing she wanted was her overprotective big brother knowing she had spent the night curled up naked in his best friend’s arms.

Even if she suspected Chad was trying to get her best friend into a similar situation.

When she woke, Chantal made a decision. She was going to take things slow. Figure this out between them. A quick shower helped clear her head. She had borrowed extra clothes from Genny—she was two inches taller than her bestie, and about twenty pounds heavier, and a lot curvier, but Genny’s clothes fit well enough.

Then she was ready to face the man who had just changed everything.

There was organized chaos when she made it into the Hillers’ kitchen. Genny was in the kitchen, making what looked like pancakes and eggs. And right there next to her was one Chadwick Fields. He wore borrowed clothing and his red hair stuck up everywhere. And… his lips were swollen.

So were Genny’s. Chantal wasn’t stupid. She knew what her brother and her bestie had probably been up to.

Genny looked at her. Genny’s cheeks went bright red. “Hi. How did you sleep?”

“Okay. Any word from the hospital?” She wasn’t going to mention that she’d slept the sleep of the exhausted after that hazel-eyed man who had just walked into the kitchen had had his wicked way with her. For the second time. “Good morning, Gene. Little Gene, Junior.”

Calvin was right there, dressed like a miniature version of his father. Right down to the little cowboy boots. “My Chantal! You are still here!”

He always called her that. Chantal didn’t even hesitate, she opened her arms. And there he was. The real love of her life. “Good morning, sweetheart.”

“Good morning, my Chantal…” his daddy said right next to her ear. “How are you feeling?”

“Just fine.” She had checked her numbers in her borrowed room already. Physical activity—such as she’d engaged in with Mr. Gene Hiller—could impact her glucose levels, but between her pump and monitor and her checking several times a day, she finally thought she had a handle on her condition.

“Greer called. Hala is sleeping in a hard chair in the waiting room. Grady went in to get Greer already. He said something about convincing Hala to come here and take a nap. Hudson is getting out later today,” Genny said. “They are coming here for a few days. I’m going to get the spare room ready before I head in.”

“And you, Chad?” Gene asked, pointedly. “What are your plans?”

“I’m on the same hours as your sister. So, I am going to shower, and bum a ride with your sister back to the hospital that keeps me captive a good seventy hours each week.”

“Alas, the hospital, it has captured our souls forever. Ours, Guthrie’s, and Aubrey’s.” Genny carried the pan of pancakes to the table. Chad grabbed the eggs.

Then it was almost just her and Gene—and his kid, of course—in the open kitchen. She put Calvin down. He took off after the pancakes fast.

Then Gene was right there, his hands on her waist. The island hid those hands from the rest of the kitchen’s occupants. She hoped.

“Hi. I missed you.”

“I was just a few feet away.” She wanted to kiss him. To touch him. Right there, in front of everyone. It didn’t matter if Gunn and Genny and Chad and Calvin and Giavonna knew. Or if anyone knew. “I’m going to head home after breakfast. Check on my parents.”

“I’m going to get my butt out there and fix whatever needs fixing. Move whatever cattle need moved. That kind of thing. And tonight?—”

His hand cupped her cheek. Totally distracting her from what he was saying. “What?”

“Tonight, if you’ll let me, I want to take you to dinner. We can hit Finley Creek. Just the two of us.”

An actual date. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been on one of those. Maybe two years earlier? At least, with a man that wasn’t Gunn, anyway. “I’d like that. But what about Calvin?”

“I can call my mother. Ask her to stay with him. She’ll probably want to be here anyway. I think Hudson is getting out around three. That will give me time to help Hudson and Ryan get settled in. And Gia is going to be here. She’s already talking about getting the twins to help her move her stuff back in this morning.”

That distracted her for a moment. Something was going on with Giavonna. She wasn’t stupid. Chantal was going to corner her friend the instant she could. Genny was her closest friend now. But she and Giavonna had been best friends since kindergarten. They were all close. And that would never change. “I’ll come back over around lunch and help get everyone settled and see if I can help Gia. I have to take Mom to the library at eleven. She’s reading to the preschoolers today. I can be here after that.”

“I would like that.”

“Is this date going to be a fancy one?” she asked as Chad yelled at Gene to grab the orange juice and the butter from the fridge. “Where are we going?”

“I was thinking more casual. Just you and me and being together.”

“Mamaw’s Place?”

“Mamaw’s and a movie. I was hoping we could neck in the back row of the theater before I bring you home. Or back here… wherever you want to stay.”

She wanted to stay right there with him.

But… maybe she wasn’t ready to say that out loud just yet.

She had a lot to figure out along the way.