Iris smiled and nodded and clapped politely as Ivy gave her spontaneous welcoming speech to the crowd of well-wishers, but inside, she was seething. Just a few hours earlier, she’d been so happy as she’d sat in the kitchen, making the potato salad and contemplating how wonderful it was that Declan didn’t seem to notice or care that she was a cripple.

Well, she was starting to realize that there was a downside to that optimistic positivity that Declan brought to every situation. He had to understand that she wasn’t like everyone else. She couldn’t do all that he wanted.

Or all that she wanted.

She deflated a little, her shoulders sagging. Dammit all. As much as she hated to admit the truth, her biggest frustration wasn’t with Declan and his inability to realize how crippled she really was.

It was with herself. It was so damn frustrating and angering and terrifying and awful and horrific that she couldn’t just go out there and dance with her boyfriend. It used to be one of their favorite pastimes, and now…now she couldn’t do it.

And she hated that.

And she took that out on Declan.

As another member in the community who Iris didn’t recognize stood up and rambled on about how much her parents meant to him, Iris realized she needed to apologize to Declan, even if now wasn’t exactly the time to talk through things. She could verbally apologize to him later. For now…

She moved back slightly, pressing her body against Declan’s. She heard a hiss of indrawn breath as he jerked just slightly in surprise. She nestled up against him and tilted her head back. “Sorry,” she mouthed. He grinned down at her and wrapped his arms around her, tucking her head underneath his chin and holding her close as they listened to the speeches.

She sighed happily. They still needed to have that discussion, and Declan still needed to know that there truly were limits on her body, but for now? This would do.

Finally, the speechmaking ended and the crowd broke up, heading back to the tables for more food or over to the propane heaters to warm up. Declan asked softly in her ear, “Are you ready to sit down?” She nodded. Today had been more physically draining than any day since her accident, what with cooking in the kitchen and then standing outside as she talked to people. Her legs were tired, and her eyes even more so.

He guided her over to a camp chair and after settling her in, he trotted down to her house and brought back the soft blanket she always kept draped over the back of her couch.

“Thank you,” she said humbly, as he tucked the blanket into place. Close to a heater and the blanket wrapped around her, she was toasty warm and quite happy.

Declan looked around and said bemusedly, “Well, that wasn’t well thought out, was it. I forgot to snag a chair for me, too. Let me go hunt one down so I can sit next to you.”

“Oh, you don’t have to,” Iris protested. “If you want to wander around and mingle, I’m quite happy to just hang out here.”

“Eh, I see enough of these old farts—” he winked at her, “—down at Frank’s Feed. Let me go find something to plant my ass in. I’ll be right back.”

Iris snuggled back into her chair with a stupidly happy grin on her face, and looked around at the party in progress. There was her mom, talking to Mrs. Burgemeister about canning recipes for pickles, and she could just spot her dad, chewing the fat with Mr. Frank, the owner of Frank’s Feed & Fuel.

Everyone’s faces were red from the cold, but the adorable knitted hats and scarves that the women were sporting made Iris wish they held outdoor parties all the time, especially in the dead of winter. If even she could manage the cold and the ice and the snow, then really, no one else had an excuse, at least as far as she figured it.

She glanced over and saw Declan chatting with his brother, Stetson, who was bouncing Flint on his shoulder, a baby blanket thrown over it to protect his shirt from any potential spit-up Flint might fling his way.

What a sight to see – Stetson with his own baby. She remembered back to high school, when he’d still been in elementary and such a baby himself. A cute baby, but one nonetheless. To look at him now, she could almost forget what he looked like with one front tooth missing and his hair standing straight up in the back in a permanent cowlick.

Seeing him grown-up and married, a child of his own…well, it made her feel older than dirt, really. Sure, she was only 35, but she felt about a thousand years old, and that was before she really spent much time thinking about how grown up Stetson was.

Declan and Stetson laughed together, and then Stetson asked teasingly, his voice floating on the slight breeze, “So when are you gonna get yourself one of these little buggers?” He patted Flint on the back, his small body looking even smaller beneath Stetson’s large hands.

Iris froze.