Page 21 of Sweet Music (Sugarville Grove #7)

BELLA

A short time later, Bella stood by the stove, watching West’s wife, Dulcie, roll out biscuit dough to the sound of “Deck the Halls” on the radio, and the quiet chatter of the people over at the table.

The kitchen was enormous, with plenty of space for cooking and a dining room-sized area that housed a massive wooden table and a wall of windows overlooking the wooded hillside behind the house.

It already smelled incredible, and everyone was so relaxed and happy. Better yet, no one was paying Bella too much mind. Other than welcoming her warmly, they had left her to her own devices.

“Are you sure I can’t help out?” Bella asked again.

“You are helping out,” Mr. Lawrence said with a smile. “You’re keeping us company.”

They certainly didn’t seem like they were lacking for any extra company. The Lawrences had six kids, and they all seemed to be on the farm today, most of them with their own families in tow.

Tag worked here on the farm. He had always struck Bella as a little on the grumpy side, until he married his little sister’s best friend, Charlotte, about three years ago now. His kids, Olivia and Chance, were out with Cody seeing the calves.

Zane, whose twin boys Nick and Cal were also part of that crew, had married schoolteacher Becca two years ago. Becca and Charlotte were chatting avidly now, while Tag, Zane, and Cash set the table.

West was the town doctor. He had married Dulcie last year after she and her car were pulled out of that snowbank. Her little sister Delphine and his daughter Elizabeth were out with the other kids, while Dulcie helped Mr. Lawrence with dinner.

Tripp was outside, chopping wood with West. Tripp worked the farm and was known in town as a bit of a mischief-maker. He was popular with the ladies, but no one had ever nailed him down. Bella figured the big cowboy with the twinkly eyes would be a bachelor forever.

And Allie was the baby of the family. She taught kindergarten and volunteered for everything under the sun. Bella had been hoping she would be one of the first people here, since she was the one she knew best, but unfortunately Allie didn’t seem to be part of the group tonight.

Suddenly, the front door banged open.

“ Shoes,” everyone called out happily.

There was the sound of a collection of shoes and boots tumbling to the floor, then all the kids came thundering in, laughing and talking happily.

Bella was happy to see that Cody and Olivia were deep in conversation—something about a performance.

Bella remembered Olivia’s incredible acting debut as Ebeneezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol a few years ago.

Up until then, the girl had seemed as shy and awkward as Bella herself had been in school.

Performing had really brought her out of her shell.

It was good to hear her encouraging Cody to participate.

“Don’t forget to wash up,” Maggie Lawrence called out as she followed the children inside.

Maggie wore a big smile, but then she always seemed to be happy. A sort of peace emanated from the woman, who clearly loved all living creatures, be they human or animal.

Bella decided that overseeing the washing of hands would be a good self-assigned job for her. She headed down to the hall bathroom and kept an eye on the kids as they took turns at the sink.

They did a pretty good job, and only little Elizabeth needed a bit of help. When they were finished, Bella wiped down the sink and felt good about having participated in something.

As the others bolted into the kitchen, Cody hung back with her in the hallway for a minute.

“How are you doing?” she asked him quietly.

“Great,” he said with the hint of a smile. “The cows are really cute. Even the big ones.”

“Those eyes, right?” Bella said, smiling back at him .

“Yeah,” he said.

“I’m glad you’re having fun,” she told him.

“What about you?” he asked.

“Me?” she asked, a little surprised.

Was he really only hanging back to check on her?

“You said you were nervous,” he reminded her.

“Right,” she said.

“But you were hanging out with Cash,” he said. “So you’re all right.”

She wondered for a second what he meant by that. Had he somehow read the interest she was trying so hard not to show?

“Your dad is great,” she said, hoping that was what he expected to hear.

“Yeah,” he said. “You guys are funny together. It’s cute.”

“Cute, huh?” she asked him, wanting to tell him he was wrong, but unable to keep the smile from her face.

He probably didn’t mean that they liked each other or anything, just that their friendship was cute.

“Opposites attract, right?” Cody said, removing all doubt.

She knew she should probably be insulted, but what he said was true. Cash was outgoing, flashy, popular with everyone. And she was still plain Bella—steady, hardworking, the last person anyone would put together with a rock star.

“Sometimes,” she said. “But I’m not who he’s here for. I’m glad you guys are hitting it off. He’s probably wondering where you are.”

Cody nodded and headed back to the kitchen, leaving Bella to catch her breath after their strange conversation .

Had Cash’s words been right somehow?

He might like to see someone make you happy…

But Cody was just a kid. He hadn’t stopped to really think things through. She obviously couldn’t date his dad. What if they broke up? What would that do to Cody, who had already been through so much?

Maybe dating was just too casual. But if things were more serious than that…

Unexpected images were suddenly flashing through her mind, and she couldn’t help picturing herself and Cash with rings on their fingers, eating dinners with Cody, going for walks, reading, sitting out on the porch of that purple house watching the fireflies.

Surely, something like that would be good for Cody, good for all of them, right?

Stop that. You’re not a silly girl anymore. You’re a woman, a guardian.

But she couldn’t help the good mood that was making her feel light as air as she headed back to the kitchen to join the others.

“There she is,” Cash’s deep voice sang out happily. “Come on, I saved you a seat by me.”

He was at the end of the table with Cody on his right. And he was wiggling the empty chair on his left. She hurried in and sat, trying to ignore the butterflies that fluttered in her chest as he smiled at her.

He wants me with him.

“Hey, Bella,” Allie said from her other side. “Glad I get to be next to you. How are things at the library?”

They caught up as everyone passed around their plates. Mr. Lawrence placed chicken and vegetables on them, while the basket of biscuits and a crock of honey butter made a circuit of the table.

When everyone had been served, they all bowed their heads for a moment of silence. There was something so sweet about the old-fashioned tradition, and Bella was proud to see Cody do the same as everyone else, as if it felt like home for him too.

Dinner was a happy, noisy affair. And when Allie slipped away from the table and came back with a massive tray of s’mores brownies, everyone literally cheered.

Once they were finished eating, all the kids bundled up again and headed outside to play. Bella smiled at the sight of the teens, Cody included, helping the littler ones with their zippers and gloves.

While the kids had their fun, Maggie put on a pot of coffee, and the adults all sat around the table laughing and joking as they talked about holiday plans that mostly involved who would make which delicious treat.

“I’m going to do sugar cookies and rum balls,” Allie said.

“And I’ll do the gingerbread,” Maggie said with a smile that implied that she always did. “I’ll borrow the kids next weekend to help out, if any of you want a night out.”

“Hey, do you remember the Christmas when all the sugar cookies disappeared?” West asked suddenly, his eyes dancing.

“Disappeared?” Dulcie echoed .

“Oh, West didn’t tell you that story, yet?” Tag asked, chuckling.

“Let’s just say that somebody around here is a big eater,” West said with a smile. “And he had a terrible sweet tooth when he was little.”

Everyone laughed and looked to Tripp.

If it had been Bella, she would have died. But he just grinned like he was almost proud of his exploits.

“They were so good,” Tripp said, closing his eyes. “I can still taste them.”

“Why don’t I remember this?” Allie asked.

“You were too little,” West told her kindly.

“Remember the New Year’s Eve when we brought the goats in the house?” Tripp asked, laughing.

“We thought it was too cold out for them,” Tag said.

“I don’t remember that either,” Allie said.

“You were too little,” Zane told her.

“I missed everything,” Allie moaned.

“They tore the house apart,” Mr. Lawrence said, laughing and waving his arms around as he described the mayhem that he and Maggie had found when they heard the noises coming from the kitchen.

“Mom was so mad,” Cash mused with a smile.

“Not as mad as she was when you came home with that girl’s name tattooed on your chest, brother,” Tripp said, laughing like a hyena.

Cash’s face went blank as the others all laughed and exclaimed.

But Bella felt her heart crack open.

You should know better, a little voice whispered in her mind . Cash Law isn’t a person to have a serious relationship with. He’s the type of guy who runs around impulsively getting girls’ names tattooed on his chest.

“I’m just going to check on the kids,” she murmured, slipping out from behind the table. “I’ll be right back.”

She headed for the front door, relieved to hear the family continue laughing and joking.

It would be so much worse if anyone thought she had been falling for Cash, or knew that she felt like a complete fool for thinking he could ever be serious about a relationship.

Tattoos and flings are practically his job, she reminded herself. I can’t take it personally. I just need to keep my distance. And make sure I talk to Cody about values if he’s going to be spending any time around someone like that.

Suddenly, she had a whole new reason to worry about Cody getting close to his father. If Cash left, that was one thing. She had never stopped to think about the damage he might do if he stuck around.

Harper had plenty of years to teach him values, she reminded herself.

Except for her one slip-up the night of the concert, Harper was never the type to behave like that.

Up until just before the Cash incident, she had been engaged to her high school sweetheart for years, even if he’d turned out to be a pretty terrible guy in the end.

And she had held herself to an extremely high standard from the moment she found out she was expecting.

From what Bella knew, Harper had gone on a date or two over the years, but no one had ever been good enough for Cody in Harper’s own words .

I would do well to hold myself to the same standard, Bella reminded herself.

It had honestly never been an issue before. She had gone on dates here and there, but there was never anyone who tempted her to do anything more than accept a chaste good night kiss—no one who made her heart pound, or made her feel at home with them by just being herself.

Of course, that wasn’t entirely true. There had always been one person she had been comfortable enough to share everything with. Everything but her real name…

And even if Cash clearly didn’t remember, Bella would never forget what happened the first time she’d opened her heart to him.

She put on her coat and boots and headed back out to the porch to watch the kids, who were happily trying to build a real snowman out there beside the plastic one.

Cody laughed as he watched the smaller kids rolling big snow chunks around to make the body.

He seemed so happy here, and relaxed in a way she hadn’t seen him in a long time.

The sight of it made her heart feel light again.

This is it—this is what my life is all about. Cash will be gone again soon enough, and it will be easier to remember my blessings when I don’t have to look at his annoyingly handsome face all the time.