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They both turned back to the truck, which was only half

full, but the old adage applied. It was also half finished. Cassia

didn’t actually mind getting all hot and sweaty and dirty. She

didn’t mind how Adalynn had run with her idea to get the

goats and chickens either. They had lots of room for them, and

they’d become a huge part of their messy, sometimes chaotic

life. A part of their house which was slowly moving toward

becoming complete, with the one huge turret.

It was a perfect time to think about a family. The yard might

be getting full, but the house was big and sprawling and empty

with just the two of them. Not that it wasn’t perfect already,

but it could be more perfect as their love grew, as the years

passed, as they changed together, as they grew old together, as

they did life and all that good stuff with one another.

Cassia paused, bale in hand. “Why did you come over and

talk to me that night in the lounge? I mean, I know what

you’ve told me, but did you sense that we’d be here now?

Talking about kids and being goat moms and chicken moms?

Here in this little town, in the wonky and amazing house,

photographing local weddings and graduations and families

and babies together?”

“Yes,” Adalynn joked. “I saw all of that coming down the

line for us.”

Cassia rolled her eyes. “You did not. You just wanted to talk

to me because you thought I was pretty and intriguing and

lonely.”

“And so much more. I sensed that you were more. I couldn’t

put my finger on it, and no, I didn’t see us doing all those

things, especially not doing the kind of photography I vowed

I’d never do, but I did know that you were special.”