Page 36 of Deacon (Men of Clifton, Montana #52)

As Ava stepped inside, a gasp escaped her lips.

The entryway, though modest in size, was enchanting.

A bookcase with polished glass doors stood elegantly against one wall, housing an array of books.

The living room unfolded before her, inviting and homey, with a stone fireplace dominating the back wall.

On either side were low bookshelves, filled with trinkets and novels, while small windows above them let in streams of natural light.

A sleek flat-screen television was mounted above the mantle, and a plush sofa and cozy recliner were positioned to face it, promising comfort and relaxation.

To the right, two doorways beckoned, one led to a dining room, where a table awaited gatherings, and the other opened into a kitchen with a quaint breakfast nook nestled in front of a bay window.

The interior walls were a soft blue but all exterior walls were log.

“This is so pretty,” Ava remarked, as Deacon stepped in behind her.

“Thanks. Come on, I’ll show you to your rooms,” Deacon said, guiding her further into the welcoming space.

“Rooms?” she asked him with a grin.

“Like I said, that’s up to you, but you know how I feel about it.”

She trailed behind him down a dimly lit hallway, their footsteps a soft echo on the polished wooden floor, and halted at the first door on the right. As he swung it open, Ava loved the light lavender color he had painted the room, along with the deep purple carpet .

“This is so pretty, Deacon. Did you do all this yourself?” she asked, her eyes wide with admiration.

“My dad helped me assemble the furniture, and I just arranged everything around,” he replied with a casual shrug. “You can change anything you want.”

“No, it’s perfect,” Ava assured him, as she gently placed Ellie into the crib.

Ava’s attention was drawn to a cedar chest, its surface gleaming with a rich finish and Ellie’s name elegantly etched on its lid.

She lifted the lid, revealing a treasure trove of toys.

Ava caressed the smooth wood, its creamy streaks catching the light. “This is beautiful,” she murmured.

“A friend of mine made it. He specializes in cedar furniture,” Deacon explained as he gestured for her to follow him back into the hallway. Ava pulled the door closed, leaving it ajar, then walked to a door on the opposite side.

Ava’s mouth fell open in awe when she laid eyes on the queen-sized bed adorned with a delicate white iron headboard.. Her heart swelled with emotion at the sight of a cedar rocking chair bathed in sunlight streaming through lace curtains by the window. She turned to Deacon, her eyes glistening.

“Did your friend make the rocking chair too?” she inquired softly.

“Yes, he’s really talented. He also made my bed,” Deacon confirmed.

“I want to see it,” she requested eagerly.

Deacon grinned, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “Okay, come on. ”

“Let me check on Ellie first,” Ava said, peeking into the room where Ellie was still sleeping. She looked back at Deacon with a playful smile. “Just how many dolls did you buy her?”

He shrugged nonchalantly. “I didn’t count. I figured since she liked dolls, I’d get her a few.”

“A few?” Ava echoed, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah,” he replied, his grin widening.

“Okay, I’ll let it slide this time, but you have to learn to tell her no sometimes,” she teased.

“I will… sometimes,” he promised with a mischievous grin.

“I want to see your room.”

“Come on, then.” Deacon led her down the hallway, the sound of their footsteps echoing softly off the walls. He stopped at another door on the left and opened it. “This is my office.”

“It’s nice.” Ava admired the room, taking in the large mahogany desk that dominated the space, its polished surface gleaming in the sunlight streaming through the windows behind it.

The back wall was lined with bookshelves, each shelf brimming with old books, their spines faded and titles barely legible, hinting at the knowledge and stories they held.

She smiled as she touch the spine of a very thick book, then turned to Deacon with a smile.

“My father has one of these,” she said as she saw it was an old Webster’s dictionary.

“My dad has one too. That one belonged to my grandfather.” He gave a slight nod, beckoning her to follow him again. He guided her to another door on the right, and she stepped into his bedroom.

“It’s so big, but just gorgeous,” she remarked, her eyes widening at the expansive space.

“I wanted a big bedroom when I was having it built. The bathroom is through there. It has a standup shower and jacuzzi tub,” Deacon explained.

The fireplace would add warmth and a cozy glow to the room.

The king size bed had a headboard and footboard made up of cedar logs and the floor was dark red carpeting.

“This is a beautiful home, Deacon. Is that fireplace open on both sides?”

“Yes. It sits behind the tub.”

“I love that. It’s so pretty.”

“Thank you. Are you hungry?”

“I’m sure Ellie will be soon.”

“What about you?”

“Oh, I’m always hungry,” she said with a laugh, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

“How about we go into town and eat at the Clifton diner? You’ve never had a better burger. I know I said I’d get us some Monday, but you can never have too many of the best burgers you’ll ever eat.”

“Please. The diner back home has amazing burgers.”

“Yeah, they’re good, but nothing like Connie’s. I’ll bet you.”

“Oh, yeah? What’s the bet?”

“If I win, you have to sleep in my bed every night.”

“And if I win?”

“You get to sleep in my bed every night.”

Ava sputtered out a laugh, shaking her head. “Somehow that doesn’t sound like a fair bet.”

Deacon shrugged, a playful glint in his eyes. “Who said it had to be fair?”

“It sounds like the kind of bet a man would make.”

Deacon chuckled. “I don’t see a problem with it.”

“Of course, you don’t.”

“Let’s unload the vehicles while Ellie’s napping,” he said as he gave her quick kiss on her lips.

“Aright,” she said as her eyes met his.

Deacon nodded as they stared at each other. When she smiled, he quirked an eyebrow.

“Don’t start something you can’t finish right now,” he said, making her laugh.

“I was just thinking about the rocking chair.”

“What about it?”

“You put it in the wrong room. I’d like it in Ellie’s room, since I won’t be sleeping in the room you made up for me.” She walked out of the room.

She barely made it a few feet before she felt him wrap his fingers around her wrist and turn her to face him.

He leaned down and took her lips in a deep, passionate kiss.

Ava moaned as she put her arms around his waist and pressed her body against his.

When he raised his lips from hers, he stared into her eyes.

“If we can’t make this work with that much heat between us, we have a problem,” he whispered.

“I think so too.”

“Good. Let’s get some of those boxes inside.”

Ava nodded, they stepped back outside, the rumble of engines announced the arrival of three pickup trucks pulling in behind Deacon’s. She frowned.

“We thought you could use some help,” one man said. “I’m Frank Anderson, Deke’s father. These are my other two sons, Hud and Case. ”

“Ava Parsons. We sure won’t turn down any help.

It’s so nice to meet you, Mr. Anderson,” Ava replied with a grin as he pulled her into a hug.

Then she turned to face Deacon’s brothers.

She shook Case’s hand, then turned to Hud and bit her lip.

Well, Deacon hadn’t lied about his brother being handsome, but Deacon was the man she wanted.

Although Case and Frank had the same eyes as Deacon, Hud’s were lighter and very attractive in his tanned face.

“Where’s the little one?” Hud inquired.

“She’s inside napping but you can look in on her. Come with me,” Ava said with a smile.

“Alright,” Hud said with a grin. Ava had a strong feeling that Hud was definitely going to spoil his niece, showering her with affection and little gifts whenever he got the chance.

They stepped into Ellie’s bedroom to see her standing up.

“Ellie, I thought you were napping.” She smiled when Ellie giggled.

“Hi, Mama,” she said with a wave and Ava heard Hud chuckle.

He walked toward her and touched Ellie’s cheek.

“Hi, Ellie. I’m your uncle Hud.”

“Uncle Hud,” she said with a giggle.

Hud looked at Ava. “Could I pick her up if she’ll let me?”

"Of course," Ava replied, her eyes following Hud as he extended his arms toward Ellie.

The little girl paused for a moment, a giggle escaping her lips, before she raised her arms in delighted surrender.

Hud scooped her up effortlessly, cradling her in a warm embrace.

Ellie chattered away, her small hands gesturing expressively in the air, her words a lively stream of excitement.

“I have to change her… unless you want to?” Ava laughed when Hud quickly handed Ellie to her, then he walked from the room.

Later, after everything had been moved inside, Ava settled onto the plush sofa and let out a relieved sigh, the kind that seemed to release all the tension she had carried throughout the day.

She despised moving, all the packing, the lifting, the chaos, but sometimes sacrifices were necessary for the sake of your child.

Ava wanted Ellie to know her father, to have a tangible connection with Deacon.

Not only did Ellie deserve the bond and love of her father, but Deacon equally deserved the joy and responsibility of raising his daughter.

She observed as he entered the living room, his presence commanding attention, and then sank into the welcoming embrace of the recliner with a contented exhale. “Damn, I’m glad we’re home,” he murmured, a hint of weariness in his voice.

“Me too. I could certainly use a nap,” Ava replied, stifling a yawn that crept up unexpectedly.

“Go lay down for a while,” Deacon suggested, his tone gentle and encouraging.