Ewald disappears through the back door at the same time I open the front one to let my parents inside. My mother hugs me tight and my father shoots me a smile until he notices Redding.
I step back. “Mom, Dad, I’d like you to meet Redding, he’s–” I try to find the right word because “boyfriend” sounds a bit weird.
“Her old man.” Redding chuckles and holds out his hand to my father.
They exchange a quick shake and he politely greets my mother. We move into the living room and I tell them I’ll make them some coffee and quickly slip out of the room and enter the kitchen. My mother is hot on my heels, leaving Redding alone with my father.
“Is it serious?” my mother questions.
“Yes,” I happily reply, glad it’s the honest truth instead of the fake relationship I wanted with Redding to get my parents off my back. “We’ve been seeing each other since the first day I arrived here. He’s been absolutely amazing.”
My mother is wearing a smile but I can see the doubt shining clearly in her eyes.
I stop making coffee and tell her, “Redding lives on the ranch located right behind mine. He knew Grams, she forced him to drink tea with her when he offered to help her around the house.”
Now the smile and delight hitting her gaze is filled with warmth and happiness.
It only lasts about ten seconds and I know what’s coming when she says, “Oh, sweetheart, sounds like it was meant to be. But what does he think about your dreams to live here by yourself and do those things you want to do with those tiny horses?”
“She doesn’t live in this house by herself. Well, not as of a few moments ago,” Redding says as he steps into the kitchen, my father following behind him.
“That’s right,” I beam. “He’s moving in today.”
“As for the horses, miniature or not, it’s a shared dream we’ll be working on. We have future plans to expand the business in a few directions which will hold a lot of potential and possibilities.”
Redding comes to a stop right next to me and wraps an arm around my waist to pull me close. Without thinking, I place a hand on his chest and lean into him while he places a kiss on the top of my head.
“Oh, Fenna,” my mother gushes, fawning over Redding’s words.
There’s a lump of emotion clogging my throat. Standing here, having my parents see our connection, I can’t believe I wanted to fake this. How could I? Glancing up into his eyes, he gazes down at me in adoration, and it makes me aware I’ve lost my heart to this man.
I swallow hard at this realization and hope he won’t throw it away, and yet deep down I know he’s worth the risk. If anything, these last few days have shown me how much he cares and how real our connection and feelings are.
“Why don’t you take your parents into the living room? I’ll make us some coffee and join you guys,” Redding offers.
“Thank you,” I softly whisper and leave him in the kitchen.
Back in the living room my parents ask about every single detail about Redding and me until he joins us, and then the peloton of questions is fired at him.
We spent over two hours chatting when my father eventually says, “What are your plans for tonight?”
Redding and I don’t have anything planned and I’m about to reply when Redding replies, “We have dinner reservations and I had something special planned at home, just the two of us.”
I glance his way and I’m sure there’s a look of disbelief on my face because he leans in close and whispers words only for me to hear, “We don’t want your parents staying over. The FBI isn’t in town yet and I don’t want them to know what’s going on. They will worry and might try to interfere, or worse, get hurt.”
Understanding dawns and I nod in agreement. “Sorry, we have plans. Maybe you can stay longer another time?”
“Of course,” my mother gushes.
She’s been on a pink cloud since the moment I told her about Redding and Grams and Redding adding the whole future statement. As if she wasn’t sure I could pull through looking out for myself, building my own business, and moving on from my whole ex fiasco.
My father nods. “We just dropped in, and with the two of you enjoying your time together, celebrating the next step in your relationship, we will pick another date to stay longer next time.”
Right. Moving in together. I smile in Redding’s direction. “Yes, we were going to celebrate moving in together later today.”
“And next time I will have more time to plan dinner, grill some steaks out back and I’m sure Fenna wants to make one of her delicious pies,” Redding agrees.
We say our goodbyes and after a few minutes we’re out on the porch waving at my parents driving off.
“I can’t believe I forgot about Kayla and her brother,” I grumble.
Redding guides me back into the house. “I want you to forget, my brothers are handling it.”
“Yes, but that means people are out there around the clock to watch over us, the house, the horses…I’m sure they have better things to do.”
“Our MC is a brotherhood, Fenna. We all look out for one another. I’m sure if something was going on with one of the old ladies, or with one of our horses, or whatever, and you could do something to help out, you’d offer, wouldn’t you?”
He’s not even finished with his statement and I’m already nodding in agreement. I might have just gotten acquainted with my neighbors but I know they are good people. My grandmother used to mention it too.
He cups the side of my face and brushes his thumb along my cheek. “Family, brotherhood, loyalty, respect, friendship, one, all, it’s what it’s all about. You’re my old lady and a part of it, so get used to it.”
My smile is blinding because there isn’t anything to get used to when I’m already loving every single part of it.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Three days later
– REDDING –
“Today went smooth, don’t you think?” I grin down at Fenna and I get the same grin in return.
She closes the backdoor behind her as we enter the house. We’ve just put Purdy back into the pasture after visiting a retirement home. Fenna and Purdy were great making rounds and giving smiles to all the residents they visited.
There were a couple of staff members who made appointments for her to return, a visit to a school, and a sick kid who needs a pick-me-up. I’ve told her she needs business cards to hand out along with a website to make it easier for new clients to reach out to her.
“Can we work on the website and order those cards you mentioned?” Her nose scrunches up. “I have no clue how to do all of that.”
“We’ll get behind the laptop later tonight and work on it,” I promise her and grab two bottles of water from the refrigerator.
Voices coming from the front of the house draw our attention and we move toward the living room to peer outside.
“Shit,” Fenna snaps and heads for the front door.
I follow her out and see Dinand talking to a lean guy with black spiky hair and recognize him as Pierre, Fenna’s ex-boyfriend. Before I can grab her arm, she’s outside rushing toward Dinand and Pierre.