“Mommy!” Maddie and Kensey hugged Kelly, said hello to Ross and then headed upstairs.

“Ross was just leaving,” Kelly said, taking Vaughan’s hand.

Vaughan put himself between Kelly and Ross. “All right, then. Goodbye, Ross. I pulled into the garage so I didn’t park you in.”

“Actually, I wasn’t quite done. Vaughan, if you could give us a moment in private,” Ross said.

As if. Vaughan made a face and then looked to Kelly. If she’d given him a sign, Vaughan would have gone into the kitchen while they finished up. But she didn’t and she didn’t let go of his hand, so he stayed.

Vaughan shook his head and wished he had a reason to punch the other man’s face. “I don’t think that’s necessary. Kelly and I are back together. I’m sure she’s explained that. I’m sorry it happened this way.”

“You have nothing to do with this,” Ross insisted.

“With ejecting you from my house? You’re wrong about that.”

“Ross, just go. You’ve said what you needed to say.” Kelly clearly didn’t want to start something. Vaughan understood that, but Ross was treading on some thin ice.

Ross threw his hands up, frustrated. “He’s going to leave you again. He can’t want this life. And then what? You think I’ll be waiting around?”

“Ross, please. I told you already.” Kelly kept her voice low. “Even if I wasn’t with Vaughan, I’d have broken the engagement one way or another. We weren’t right. I’m sorry I hurt you. I really am.”

Ross stormed out and she just sighed, giving Vaughan a look. “So that happened.”

He hugged her, loving the way she felt. “I can’t believe how fast I got used to the way you feel against me again.” Vaughan looked at her face carefully. “Did he scare you?”

“No. His ex told him what she’d said. He came over to apologize. He admitted telling her that when he was angry at me.”

“He said he wanted you back, didn’t he?”

Kelly shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. I’m already taken. Thanks for bringing the girls home. Are you heading straight back?”

He’d thought about it. But now he didn’t want to go. He wanted more time with her. “I was thinking we could have dinner and then I’ll go. Does that work for you?”

Her smile made everything better.

“Yes. That would be great.”

He hugged her once more and then went to lock the front door carefully. “He didn’t use his key, did he?” Vaughan asked as he found Kelly in the kitchen.

“No. I changed the locks anyway when I first broke things off, remember? But he knocked. It was fine. We dated two years. He’s not having an easy time of it and it’s my fault. I hurt him.”

“You said your apologies. You gonna feel bad forever because you didn’t marry someone you didn’t love?”

“Not forever. But I’ve had my heart broken. I know what it feels like. I don’t hate him. I just hate the way he acted at the very end. But he was good to the girls. He was good to me. I wanted him to feel better for venting.” She brushed her hands off. “Now that’s over.”

“Why doesn’t he get back with the ex? She clearly still digs him.”

Kelly laughed and laughed. “She doesn’t dig him as a partner. He’s tall and he’s handy and it’s easier than hiring out when something breaks. She wants a nonsex husband.”

“Ew. The worst kind.” He shuddered.

“Harvest go okay?” She changed the subject and he let her.

“Yeah. Good crop this year. Everyone pitched in, including your daughters. They also made sure Mary had plenty to drink and probably helped her with the realization having kids means never being uninterrupted again.”

“Ha. Well, glad they could be of service. She’s all right?”

“She’s uncomfortable and hot. But the baby is good and so is the pregnancy. She asked about you, wanted me to reiterate the invitation to their house.”

“All right.”

“Is it too weird?”

“What?”

“Finally being welcomed by my family.”

“Well, that’s a pretty big way to describe something that hasn’t happened yet. I’m glad to be invited. Glad that they’re trying to take a step in the right direction. But that’s all it is right now. I do hope they will welcome me at some point, truly. But I appreciate this step.” Her smile was wary a moment, and then bloomed. “How’d that sound?”

He hugged her. Things would be just fine. They had to be.

“That sounds just right. And totally true. How’d inventory go?”

“It went fine. Tuesday came in today for a dress to wear to her grand opening day after tomorrow. She’s going to turn some heads in it.”

“Did she talk about Ezra at all?” His brother had been pretty quiet about Tuesday, using the burst of work the harvest brought with it to keep busy. Vaughan knew Ez was well and truly freaked out by the depth of feeling Tuesday evoked in him.

Every small thing his brother revealed was intensely personal and though he wanted to bounce a few ideas off Kelly, he tried not to share anything he thought Ezra might not want shared. Considering how private Ezra was, that pretty much meant everything.

“Sure she did. He’s her boyfriend.” Kelly’s smile was coy.