22
Felicity
Kasey’s family home is beautiful, and his mom and dad have been so welcoming to Blake and I that tears keep hovering on my lashes. My brother is overwhelmed with the care that has been shown to him, and I think he’s struggling to accept that Kasey’s family has accepted us with such wide, open arms. They’re a loving family and it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
We’ve only been here for a few hours and I already know that I’ll be sad to leave the warmth of this home, even though I’ll be with Kasey in New York.
I’m a country girl at heart, but I’ll go wherever Kasey is because he’s my home now. Blake is going to be staying here to hopefully get him on his feet. He isn’t aware of that right now, but Kasey and I are hoping he falls in love with the place. It will certainly be a lot off my mind knowing that he’s being looked after by our new family.
At least he has a beautiful view from the porch so that he can get some fresh country air. The porch swing is comfortable as I enjoy the silence while I watch Kasey in the distance talking to his dad.
“Kasey at the barn?” Lucia asks, coming to join me with a tray laden with cups and freshly baked muffins, the steam still rising from them.
“He is.” I smile and take the muffin offered. “He was itching to head over there, but for now I’m more than happy to sit here. I don’t think I ever want to move.”
She laughs. “It’s my favorite place. From here you can watch everything that’s going on. The paddock over there”—she points to the right—“has a filly and her foal. You’ll have to ask Kasey to take you over to meet them. Queen and her Princess are friendly and love the attention.”
I smile at the names of the horses and sigh at the taste of the apple and cinnamon muffin as it melts in my mouth. “This is delicious. Blake’s going to be sorry he went for a nap. This is his favorite.”
“There’s plenty on the cooling rack. I’ll hide some for him.” Lucia winks, and laughs. “If the others get wind that I’ve made these, they’ll be gone within minutes.”
I chuckle and become serious. “Thank you for everything you’ve done and are doing for my brother and me. I can’t tell you how much it means to me knowing that he’s going to be well taken care of.”
“You’re welcome.” Lucia takes my hand. “You really don’t need to thank us though. Kasey has made it clear that you’re both his family now, which makes you ours. So looking at it like that, all we’re doing is looking after family.” She smiles and pats my knee. “Now, at dinner, please don’t worry when the others start teasing Kasey about you sleeping in his room with him, okay? Just don’t let on that you’ve been warned.”
“Do I want to know?” I ask nervously.
“They tease each other, sometimes worse than others, but that’s all it will be.” She’s thoughtful for a moment. “Unless Kasey has gotten to them first, in which case, they might behave.”
“Who lives here?”
“It’s just Emiliano and I now, but the othe
rs come and go, and Dante and Emelia are staying here until after the baby is born. Mateo, Erin, and their daughter, Francesca, will be here. Aiden and Sarah are coming to dinner, along with Diego and Rae. I’m not sure if Andie is going to be joining us as she was undecided about coming home this weekend. Of course you’ve met Diego, Rae, and Andie, right?”
Smiling, I answer, “Yes, I have. Andie was with Kasey when we bumped into each other in New York.” I sigh. “I’d missed him so much. We’d only spent a night together talking, but the connection was there from the first moment I laid eyes on him. I was stupid for running without leaving him a way of getting in touch with me.”
“Don’t think about that now. You’re together and that’s all that matters.”
“He’s everything to me,” I admit, unable to take my eyes from the man in question as he strides toward us before he stomps up the steps. He doesn’t stop, and gently cupping the back of my head, he holds me in place and covers my mouth with his.
I have a feeling he just planned on giving me a hello kiss, but the minute I push my tongue into his mouth, he angles his head and devours me.
Hearing a throat clearing has us pausing and then Kasey smiles against my mouth. With one last kiss to my lips he reluctantly pulls away, sitting beside me on the swing.
“Mom,” he acknowledges with a blush high on his cheekbones.
I’m not sure if the blush is from embarrassment or arousal, but I’m betting on the latter.
Lucia smiles with amusement in her gaze. “I’ll leave you two alone and start on dinner.”
When she’s inside, I settle into Kasey’s embrace, and admit, “I like your mom.”
“Good.” He kisses the top of my head. “Because she likes you too.”
“This is where you’re the happiest, isn’t it?”
“I love the wide open space. The fresh air. My family. Until I met you I thought this would always be home, but now, my home is always going to be wherever you are.”