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He rolled his eyes at me, despite the heat in his cheeks.

Even though Tyler and Henrietta had honored the history of the schoolhouse, keeping the brick façade and a lot of the antique touches, you never would have guessed this used to be a school. The front porch area looked like it was made to be a meeting space with the hanging porch swing and rocking chairs.

An older couple sat on the porch swing in the corner, and the guy said, “You’ve got a great family there.”

“Thank you, sir,” I said, in complete agreement. Farrah held the door open, letting us into the lobby space where people were already making their way to the meeting area that used to be the school’s cafeteria.

Henrietta and Liv had decorated the room in red for Mom and Dad’s fortieth anniversary party. It was supposed to be the year for rubies, and they’d gone all out with the theme.

Henrietta stood at the entrance, holding red bead necklaces. “It’s some of my favorite people!” she said with a warm smile. “Would you like a ‘ruby’ necklace?”

Levi bowed his head for one, and then Andrew copied him. Even though they got on each other’s nerves, Drew looked up to him so much. Cora tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Do princesses wear rubies? I thought they only wore diamonds.”

“This princess can,” I said to her. “Princesses make the rules.”

“Good point,” she replied, tipping her head down. Hen winked at me as she laid the beads over Cora’s curls.

Farrah took a couple necklaces for me and her, and then we went to the party.

Cora squirmed out of my arms, and she and Drew ran up to my parents, wrapping them in a hug.

“Did you get us a gift?” Cora asked.

Blushing, Farrah said, “It’s their anniversary, Cora. That’s why we got them presents.”

“Actually...” my mom said with a smile. She walked to a table a few feet away and held up toys. “We thought you could play with these out in the garden if you want. They expand in water, and there’s a bucket and a hose you can use if it’s okay with your mom.”

I grinned at my parents. In the last three months, we’d overcome a lot of awkwardness because they instantly loved the kids. Mom was constantly getting them toys to play with, and Dad loved having new people to drive around the farm. He was even building a treehouse out behind the house for the kids to play in when we visited.

“That’s fine,” Farrah said. “Thank you.”

As soon as the three went outside, I said, “They’re definitely riding home soaked, aren’t they.”

“Yep,” she said.

Mom laughed at us, stretching her arms out for a hug. “Having you two here is the best present. Really—” Her voice broke with tears. “I have my son back. And now we get you and your kids? Farrah, it’s the biggest gift I could think of.”

From behind us, Liv said, “Good thing Gage pulled his head out of his a—”

“Language,” Mom laughed.

Farrah shook her head. “Some things never change, huh?”

Dad smiled, his eyes shining too. “Not if you’re lucky.”

Other guests came to congratulate my parents, and Farrah and I mingled with the people there, hung out with my siblings, and ate the best barbecue I’d had in years. And when the party was over, the kids were so soaked that Tyler gave them extra clothes to wear. His shirts were so big on Cora and Andrew they basically fit like dresses, but Levi filled it out alright.

We drove down the dirt road toward Griffen Farms, but instead of stopping by the barn to see the horses, we kept driving.

“What are we doing?” Farrah asked. “I thought we were seeing the horses?”

“I wanted to show you something,” I said. “Levi, you get the gate?”

He nodded, getting out of the back seat and opening the gate to the pasture.

“Are you sure my van can make it out here?” Farrah asked. “We’ve only ever taken your family’s trucks off the roads.”

I chuckled. “I’ve seen minivans out here before. This path is pretty smooth.”