“Now, that’s a picture.” Bob laughed. “Y’all squish together and say cheese.”
The kids did, hamming it up with silly faces.
“How’s the road been treating you?” Rose asked Mitchell.
“Good, good. No complaints. I’m lucky, doing something I love and getting to see a little bit of the world, too.” His rich voice rolled over them.
Poppy grinned, knowing he was “on” for her sister and brother-in-law. She could always tell because his emcee voice took over. She shook her head, popping the last of her s’more into her mouth.
“No thoughts of settling down someplace?” Rose asked.
Mitchell shrugged. “From time to time. But I figure I’ve got to take the hand I’ve been dealt and play it through.”
Poppy ro
lled her eyes, shooting him a look. Really?
Rose pushed. “No special lady? You don’t want a family?”
“Rose.” Bob sighed. “Another s’more?”
Rose shook her head, holding up her hand to ward off the s’more Bob was offering up. “Excuse me for caring. Mitchell’s been a part of our family for...years. I can’t help wanting to see him settled and happy.”
Mitchell shot Poppy a look. They both knew what her sister was up to. Rose had been devastated when they called off their engagement. More devastated than either of them. If they ever thought to try again, Poppy had no doubt that Rose would be over the moon.
Headlights bounced along her driveway, and Poppy stood to see better. It was too dark to be sure, but the truck was white and she thought she could see the Boone Ranch logo on its door.
Toben? Now?
She glanced back at her sister, then Mitchell.
“Who is that?” Bob asked.
“Probably someone who’s all turned around,” Poppy murmured.
“I’ll set ’em straight,” Mitchell offered, heading toward the truck before Poppy could stop him.
Poppy glanced at Rowdy, happily stacking far too much chocolate onto a new s’more. She’d let Mitchell handle it. A talk with Toben needed to happen, but right now wasn’t the time. She was still angry from his sudden absence—and Rowdy’s distress. She would only get worked up. Rose would pick up on that and turn it into something big and dramatic.
“Want another one?” Rowdy asked, offering her the overflowing s’more.
“That’s not going to fit into a human’s mouth,” Poppy argued. “Not without the need for a bath and scrubbing afterward.”
“I don’t mind,” Rowdy said, shoving a third of the sticky sandwich into his mouth.
Bob glanced over his shoulder in the direction Mitchell had gone. “You’re sort of isolated out here, aren’t you?” he asked.
Poppy smiled. “One of the perks of living in the country.”
“You should get a big dog,” Bob suggested. “Or two.”
“Or a husband,” Rose murmured.
“Can we, Ma?” Rowdy asked. “I want a dog.”
“You’ve already got Cheeto to take care of. You don’t think a dog would be one more thing?” She used her bandanna to try to remove some of the chocolate from his cheek.
“Cheeto’s the best but I’m not sure he’d let us know if a stranger was snooping around.” Rowdy licked off the tips of his fingers.