When we pull up to the large house, Betsy and Raymond come out onto the porch to greet us. Wes carefully takes a drowsy Annabelle out of her car seat and carries her into the house. I grab the couple of bags that we had in the backseat from our week and a half stay away from home.

Betsy takes one of the bags from me and then we share a hug. “I thought Wes was going to drop you off, Holly?”

“It made more sense to come straight here. No need to keep her in the car longer than she needed.”

Betsy gives me a friendly smile, “I think that makes sense.”

“If you don’t mind, I was hoping I could make use of one of your guest rooms tonight.”

She rubs my back with her free hand. “Of course sweetheart, I will make sure that everything is fine. The boys don’t visit as much as they used to, but every once in a while I find Bobby taking a rest on his old room and I doubt you want that dirty rancher smell on any sheets.”

I grin and shake my head. “Oh no, I’m not sure many people would want that smell on them.”

Wes looks over his shoulder and snarks, “You got something against the smell of a rancher, darling?”

“No comment,” I reply with a wink.

I take Wes’s bag upstairs to his bedroom while he gives Annabelle a short sponge bath to clean some of the hospital smell off of her. I want to give them some privacy and not overstep any lines so I head downstairs and take a seat in the living room with Betsy and Raymond.

“Have you had a chance to check in on the bakery?” Raymond asks.

“Between Kathy, Maddie, and Gio I’m feeling good that they took care of things. You know how small towns are, everybody pitches in when needed. I’ll try to get down there tomorrow and catch up on things.”

“I’m sure everything is just fine. These towns are all about supporting each other. About ten years ago I had to get a knee replacement and was out of commission for about six months. Every week a different rancher either came by himself or sent one or two of his guys to help out the boys.”

“That’s great. It is one of the reasons I really love Harlington and Valley View. I did not grow up with such close communities.”

“Wes had mentioned you were from Bismarck, is that correct?”

“Yep! Born and raised.”

“What about your siblings, are they still there?”

“Hannah still lives there. Holden is a bit more of a free spirit. He stays around the Dakotas, but he is a professional couch surfer, I swear.” I shake my head thinking about my brother.

Raymond smiles as if he totally understands. “What does he do for work when he’s out surfing?”

“He is a bit of a Mr. Fix-It. He contracts with one of those real estate companies that purchase ugly houses to flip. He also has some freedom to take his own jobs and whatnot as well. He spends a lot of time moving around depending on where his current project is.”

“And your sister?”

“She’s an assistant manager at a call center.”

“Like those people that track you down for late bills and extended car warranties?” He raises his eyebrow.

I laugh as I take a drink of the water that Betsy had brought in, “That would be the kind! She hates her job, but the pay is stupid good and she’s been there for a while so she has a lot of seniority.”

“Well, I guess those are some positives.”

“She’s taking night classes to get her Master’s in English. She wants to be a teacher, but she’s putting in her time making good money and pocketing it.”

“At least she has a plan.”

“I joke that it is her escape route, but yeah, that’s pretty much what it is.”

Betsy comes back out from the kitchen with a casserole dish in her hands. She sets it down on the table and walks back over to the two of us. “I know it is late, but we should all probably eat something.”

“You’re probably right.” He motions to the dining table. “You first, Holly.”

Raymond and I stand up and we settle at the dining table. “Thank you both for your hospitality tonight. I know it was unexpected that I would be here.”

Betsy reaches over and rests her hand on my forearm. “One thing you never have to worry about is my willingness to be hospitable. It is practically in my DNA.”

The three of us dig into the tater tot casserole and soon Wes and Annabelle join us after she has as much of a bath as she can get. He wrapped her up in fleece pajamas and she’s got her favorite blanket held tight in her arms. It is clear that she is still sleepy, but I also know that she needs to eat something, even if it is just a little bit.

“Hi, my cutie pie. Can you sit with Grandma and eat a bit?” Betsy opens her arms to Annabelle. She nods her head and Wes sets her on Betsy’s lap who proceeds to feed her small pieces of dinner. Wes grabs a plate and loads it up with a huge mountain of food before sitting down next to me. He gives me a weak smile, but I can tell the day has caught up with him and he’s ready to crash. Small conversation goes around the table until everybody has finished eating. Raymond clears the table and Betsy rocks Annabelle who is almost asleep at the table.

“Well, at least she ate a little something,” Betsy comments as she runs her hand through her granddaughter’s hair.

“Yeah, she’s been on a pretty minimal diet for awhile. Hopefully, since we are home she will be more into snacking. “

“Why don’t you go get her tucked in?”

Wes puts his hand on my thigh, “Holly, come with me?”

“Yeah, I’m going to get ready for bed too. Thank you again, Betsy and Raymond. I guess we will see you in the morning.”

“Night Wes, Night Holly,” Raymond says.

“Goodnight sweethearts,” Betsy comments with a small wink.

Wes lifts Annabelle into his arms and carries her upstairs, I follow behind them. Rather than taking her to her bedroom, Wes lays her down in his bed. He tucks the blanket around her and then pulls his comforter up and over her. Wes leans down and kisses her forehead and starts to walk away.

“Daddy!” She whines and Wes turns around quickly back to her.

“I’m here baby girl, don’t worry.”

“Daddy, lay with me, please.” She reaches out for him with both her arms.

“Oh, yeah of course sweetie.” Wes looks back up at me, but I just smile.

“I’ll just go ahead and head out. I’ll be in Bobby’s room if you need me.” I point my thumb out to the hallway.

Wes stands up and walks up to me. His hand gently rests on my hip and I take a step closer to his. I reach up and kiss him on his cheek and then wrap y arms around her neck. I step back slowly and then turn to Annabelle and rest my hand on her forehead.

“Goodnight, princess, I’ll see you in the morning, okay?”

Annabelle grabs my arm as I begin to walk away. “Holly, no.”

“What’s wrong? I’m going to be in Uncle Bobby’s old room. Your daddy is going to stay with you and I’ll see you both in the morning.” I saw with a big smile on my face.

“Lay with me too,” she says. Her eyes are pleading and I’m finding it impossible to answer her.

“Oh, baby girl, I don’t think Holly is going to stay in here with us,” Wes tries to intervene.

“Please….” She looks at me when puppy dog eyes and her lip pouts out a bit.

“Uh, I guess I could stay for a bit.” I kind of look back to Wes and he has a look of confusion on his face as much as I do on mine.

Annabelle scoots more to the center of the king-sized bed and I lay down next to her. Wes walks around the bed and takes his place on the other side. He pulls a big comforter over the three of us and Annabelle snuggles into his chest and he puts his arm around her, leaving it near me. He smiles at me and mouths that he’s sorry, but I don’t mind. Anything for Annabelle. It only takes about ten or so minutes for her breathing to settle and we can tell she is asleep.

“I think she’s asleep,” I whisper to him.

“The drool on my chest says yes.”

I laugh a bit but cover my mouth so as to not wake her up. “Sorry, I bet that sucks.”

“Rude.”

I reach over and slide my hand into his, “I should probably get going.”

“Why?”

“I just, I mean, you don’t really want me sharing a bed with the two of you, do you?”

Wes lets go of my hand and reaches back over to my side, letting his large hand caress my face gently. “I don’t mind. If I’m being honest, this feels….right. Normal. Like this is what we’re supposed to be doing. Maybe I’m thinking into it too much.”

I shake my head, “No. No, you aren’t. I feel the same way, Wes.”

“Then stay.’

A smile creeps across my face, “Okay. I can stay.”

I scoot a little closer to Annabelle and Wes adjusts his arm so he can touch me as well. “Goodnight, Wes.”

“Goodnight, Holly.”