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Kelly laughed. “My cards were perfectly fine. But I guess I did fall for your tricks, after all.” She looked over at Tate and tried to mock frown at him. “And you, buster, kissing me as a distraction. That’s just low.”

Tate held his arms up, palms out. “All’s fair in love and card games.”

“I hate to break up the party, but it’s time for your physical therapy, Mr. Prentice.”

Tate hadn’t seen the therapist come up to the table. A shaft of disappointment swirled through him. He’d been having so much fun with Kelly and Dad that he hadn’t been aware that they’d been visiting for more than two hours.

“Can I skip this morning’s session and do two lots this afternoon, please?” Dad cajoled, but the nurse crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. “Okay. Okay.”

“Hmm, I may have to practice that look to get you to do what I want when you get home, Dad,” Tate teased and was pleased when his dad smiled.

“We have courses. I’ll be sure to book you into one,” the therapist deadpanned.

Beside him, Kelly laughed out loud. “Maybe I need to sign up for one too. You know, for future reference with my kids and all.”

An image of Kelly rubbing a pregnant belly while he massaged her feet filled his mind.

Yeah, that was a fantasy he’d like to bring to life. But would Kelly?

*

Kelly stood atthe back door of her shop, reluctant to open it and enter her business. She’d had such a good time with Tate and his dad. Watching the two of them together had given her an insight to their relationship.

They were close and it was clear Trenton was proud of the way his youngest son had stepped up to the plate and taken over running the business after his stroke. There’d been a brief moment where a dark cloud had hung over the three of them, and that had been when Tate had told his dad that Tyler would be looking after him his first weekend home as he was heading to Houston to help her.

It had been on the tip of her tongue to tell Tate that he didn’t have to come, but he’d made it clear to his dad that he needed the weekend away. That the hotel had been booked before he’d even known that Trenton would be being released.

That was a little white lie, but Kelly also had a feeling Tate had been telling the truth when he said he needed a weekend away. But, in any case, she had a lot of work to do now to make sure the wedding actually had flowers.

Pulling the door open, she headed to her office where she dumped her purse on a hook. She veered around her desk to check her emails. There were a couple of orders for bouquets her mom could handle. She spied one from Macy and opened it.

Hey, Kel,

The committee is getting anxious that we don’t have a final layout plan for the Prentice Farm site. Can you and Tate work on it and get it to me ASAP? I know you have it under control, but with the event two weeks away we’re going to have it all set up by the end of next week.

Let me know what’s happening.

Mxx

A sigh rippled through her. There were still a couple of things she and Tate needed to sort out, but with his dad heading home tomorrow, she imagined tonight Tate would be busy getting the house settled. Not to mention, she’d be working late because she’d taken part of the morning off to spend with Tate. A decision she’d make over and over again because she enjoyed her time with them.

Kelly chewed on her bottom lip. She could make the minor changes and send the final layout to Macy and that would be off her plate before she headed to Houston. Or should she send a message to Tate to see if he was free that evening for a short time?

“Oh, Kelly, I didn’t know you were back. How was your visit?”

Kelly looked up as Mom walked into the office, carrying a pile of mail. “Hey, Mom, I just got in. The visit was great. Trenton is funny and he’s really excited about coming home.”

“I bet he is. I’m sure the boys are too. Although Trey is too busy playing baseball to worry about his family back here.” The censure in her mom’s voice shocked Kelly.

The whole town was proud of their homegrown baseball hero. Why wasn’t Mom?

“I’m sure that’s not right. I’m sure Trenton understands where Trey’s responsibilities lie. So do Tate and Tyler.”

“Regardless, the boy should’ve been here to carry some of the burden. Everything has been left to Tate. Trey is the oldest, he should’ve been the one to come back and take over.”

Kelly shook her head. “Geez, Mom, it’s not the early 1900s where everything was passed down to the oldest child and the other siblings were forgotten. Tate loves that peach farm as much as Trenton. He loves it more than Tyler and Trey. All of the Prentice brothers are following their passions in life. I’m sure that’s exactly what Trenton wants for them. No way would Tate be happy to sit in the background while Trey waltzed in and took over. That’s if Trey even knows how the farm works. He’s been away for a long time, whereas Tate’s been there working alongside his father for years, learning everything he can about the farm.”

Mom studied her. Had she said too much? Shown her mom she was beginning to care deeply for Tate? He had her feeling things she hadn’t felt in a long time, if ever. And while the age difference bothered her at the beginning, the more time she spent with him, the less it was becoming a factor.