Chapter Sixteen

One year later

 

Rachel

Rachel rode with Luke to the Rusk house for dinner with Lucille and the rest of the family. The dinners had quickly become part of their week and Rachel looked forward to time with the Rusk family. Lucille had taken to her immediately, making her feel like one of the family. Luke, on the other hand, was in trouble with Lucille when she found out they’d married without so much a word. She’d consoled herself by throwing Rachel and Luke what she called a big-ass post-wedding party-reception-shin-dig.

Luke drove up the Rusk driveway slowly, avoiding ruts and bumps. When he pulled the truck to a stop in front of the house, he looked back to the car seat behind them. Rachel followed his gaze.

Jonathan, their two-month-old son lay in the car seat, just waking from his nap. He blinked and gave them a sleepy smile.

“He’s got that smile down pretty good. Little lop-sided, but getting better,” Luke said.

“It’s just perfect. I love his little crooked smile. It’s just like yours when you first wake up.”

He frowned and grumbled some indistinct argument. She got out of the truck and opened the back door, but when she tried to lift the car seat from the base, Luke shooed her away. She thought he might lift the seat. Instead, he unbuckled the baby and settled him in his arms.

“I like holding him, especially when he’s just waking up. He’s doesn’t wriggle so much,” Luke said as they ascended the steps to Lucille’s home.

The kitchen hummed with activity. Molly tossed a salad, while her husband held Emily, their seven-month-old girl. Lucille greeted Luke with a kiss on the cheek and a platter of steaks for the grill. Luke handed Jonathan to Rachel.

“Duty calls.” He left the kitchen, the porch door slamming behind them.

Molly and Rachel chatted about the two babies, comparing notes about how much sleep each of them got each night. Emily was working on a tooth and had kept Molly up the last few nights.

“Jonathan’s actually sleeping five or six hours at a stretch,” Rachel said. She brushed a kiss across the top of his head. Her son was just beginning to get a little hair on his head, a sparse layer of dark blond hair, the same color as Luke’s. Emily’s halo of copper ringlets always made her a little envious. When she’d mentioned that to Luke, he’d countered with the suggestion they have a little girl next.

A loud pop from a champagne bottle made Jonathan flinch and draw a quick breath. He looked at Rachel, his brow furrowing, his mouth puckering as he prepared to cry. She soothed him with a few soft words.

“My fault,” Lucille said, holding the cork in one hand and the bottle of champagne in the other. “I should have warned you, I was popping a bottle of bubbly.”

Jonathan squirmed, but settled down again.

Lucille poured two glasses of champagne and smiled at Rachel. “I know you’re nursing, but you can have a few sips of champagne to celebrate your anniversary. Here, let me take that little angel and you take a glass to your husband.”

Rachel handed Jonathan to Lucille. A few times a week, Lucille came to the house to watch the baby. She baby sat so Luke and Rachel could have a date-night, or go out for a ride.

Lucille patted the baby’s back. “Come to Aunt Lucille, sweetheart. I won’t open any more naughty bottles of champagne.”

Rachel took the champagne outside and offered one to Luke. He wasn’t much of a fan of champagne but he accepted it anyway, lifting one brow, questioningly.

“Our anniversary,” Rachel said, tipping the glass to toast him.

“Not till tomorrow.” He gave her a sultry look. “One whole year.”

“You know Lucille will take any excuse to celebrate. She’s thrown more parties for us in the last year than I’ve had in my whole life. Our wedding reception. A house-warming party when they finished construction on our house. Baby showers… multiple baby showers.”

“The woman likes to throw a party.” He lifted his glass. “To us. Our first anniversary.” They both took a sip of champagne and he lowered to kiss her.

“We only needed to stay married one year.” She spoke softly. “Are you up for another year, Thirty-four?”

He cupped her chin and smiled. “I’m up for another fifty years and a bunch more babies, Twenty-Two.”

 

 

THE END