“He’s kicking again?” Becca asked, her eyes lit up. They’d found out the sex at her twenty-week appointment. Logan had been proud as hell, and his brothers had made jokes about more heartbreakers in the family. Becca had shaken her head, and pointed out that whenever one of them actually had a girl, she was going to make sure she gave them hell.
“Want to feel?” Courtney asked. Becca nodded eagerly, and Courtney took her hand, placing it against the side of her stomach where the baby loved to push his feet.
Becca’s eyes widened as she felt the movement. “Oh no, he’s gonna be another football player, isn’t he?”
“What’s wrong with that?” Logan asked, walking over to them and kissing Becca’s cheek. “It’s in the genes.” He slid his hand around Courtney’s ever-expanding stomach and brushed his lips against hers. “Are you okay?”
She nodded. “I’m good.”
“Shall we open some gifts?” He nodded at the table in the center of the lawn, overflowing with beautifully wrapped presents. She’d asked people not to spend too much, but of course all of their friends and family had gone overboard. And yeah, she secretly loved them for it.
It had been her idea to have a baby shower where all the men in their lives as well as the women were invited. She hated the idea of games and measuring her stomach and all the other horror stories she’d read about on pregnancy forums. So much nicer to be here on the lawn of Ellie and Dan’s home-based restaurant, with the food and drink they’d sat down and ordered a few weeks ago. Since Logan had moved back to Hartson’s Creek for good last month, they’d spent a lot of time with his friends. He’d helped out with their menus, and talked business plans with Dan. Their exclusive dining experience was in demand, and they were booked out every weekend for months to come. But neither Dan or Ellie wanted to expand – they liked their life and home exactly the way it was.
Which had, of course, set Logan’s mind thinking. And Courtney knew that was a beautiful and dangerous thing.
Within a week, he’d laid out a plan to her. If Ellis and Mary were still planning to sell the farm in the next couple of years, he wanted to buy it.
“Think about it,” he’d whispered, stroking her stomach as he sat next to her on their porch. “You could run the farm and we could redevelop the cottage into a restaurant. We’d have the food production covered from field to plate. We can grow the produce we’ll need for the restaurant, and buy what we can’t grow. Maybe we’d even have tours, educate people on where the food they’re eating actually comes from.”
And just like that, his enthusiasm had lit a spark inside of her. They both knew they’d need a lot of help, something Logan had already factored into the figures he’d calculated. But knowing how popular Ellie and Dan’s restaurant was, it was obvious it could work.
They’d talked to Mary and Ellis the next day. They’d been bowled over by the idea of Logan and Courtney buying the farm. “I always hoped we could pass it on to family,” Mary had confessed, her eyes watering. “And now we will.”
They’d all agreed to wait until the baby arrived before taking the next step. It was only a few weeks away, after all. And in the meantime, Ellis was happily accepting Logan’s help on the farm, while educating him on all aspects of crop and animal management.
Logan took Courtney’s hand, leading her over to the center table. “Everybody!” he called out. “We’re going to open some gifts. But first, I want to sa
y a few words.”
Tanner groaned. “We don’t have a spare three hours.”
“Shut up.” Logan mock-glared at him. “I’m talking.”
“As usual,” Cam muttered with a grin.
Courtney shook her head at their banter, and looked at the crowd gathering around them. Mary and Ellis were next to Logan’s Aunt Gina and his father, the four of them chatting like old friends. Lainey and a few of the girls from the salon were laughing and drinking from champagne glasses, along with Maddie and Van. Carl hadn’t made it – though they’d invited him. And Courtney’s dad and stepmom had sent a beautiful bunch of flowers and a note asking to visit once the baby arrived.
“Okay,” Logan called out, sliding his arm around Courtney’s waist. He was such a natural at public speaking. “First of all, we’d like to give you all a big thanks for joining us today, and celebrating the impending arrival of our baby.” He looked at the table overflowing with gifts. “And thank you all for bringing these, even though we told you not to.”
Their friends laughed. Courtney smiled, because he was so warm, so engaging. Everybody looked at him whenever he spoke.
“As you all know, this place belongs to my friends, Dan and Ellie.” He gave them a nod as they walked around with canapés. “They’re amazing chefs and hosts, and we couldn’t have done this without them.”
“Cheers,” Courtney said, holding her orange juice up to them.
“Finally, I want to say thank you to this beautiful, amazing woman standing next to me.” Logan turned his gaze onto her, and she felt it again. That longing, that need. Courtney swallowed hard, trying to chase it away.
Now wasn’t the time or the place.
“I can’t tell you how much I love her,” he said, a grin pulling at his lips. “But I’m going to try. She’s the most amazing farmer, business owner, and friend you’ll ever want to meet.”
“Hell yeah!” Lainey shouted out.
“But she’s also the best partner. She doesn’t take my crap unless I ask her really nicely.” He winked and Courtney blushed, knowing exactly what he was referring to. “And every day I wake up wondering what the hell I did right to find her. Because she’s everything to me, and I can’t wait for our baby to arrive so the world has another piece of Courtney in it.” He reached out to caress her stomach. “Though I’m gonna miss this belly.”
“Shut up.” She shook her head at him, biting down a grin.
“Anyway. Please raise your glass to my beautiful girlfriend, and our baby to be.” He lifted his own glass – orange juice, just like Courtney’s. “Cheers.”