The sun was setting, giving the fields that surrounded them a warmth as February cooled the air.
Todd’s truck bounced down the familiar dirt road toward the ranch where he would veer left to head home instead of right which would take him to the ranch.
As he made the turn, his little house came into view. Compared to the newer home that Jessie lived in in the city, his looked as if it had been build a century ago and forgotten. It was funny what nearly nine months away from his house would do to it.
He hadn’t neglected it completely. Before he’d met Jessie, he’d stay the weekends at his house and do the things that needed tending too. But once Jessie had come into his life, the little old farmhouse didn’t seem so important.
“It has character,” Jessie said as she raised the camera she kept on her lap and snapped a picture.
“That it does.”
“I mean it.” She snapped again. “I think I’ll miss the sun behind the house, but maybe tomorrow night I can capture it. And the sunrise.”
Todd shifted a glance her way and saw her face light up at the thought of getting that perfect shot—that masterpiece.
“You can take pictures of it from every angle, any time of the day. You’re always welcome here.”
She smiled from behind the camera. “Thank you.” She lowered her camera as he pulled up next to the house. “People are the most interesting subjects, but nature and old houses...” she paused and drew in a breath. “They’re mesmerizing.”
He hadn’t thought about it before, but she was right. Until he’d watched her joy of just seeing the old house, it had just been an old house to him. Sure, it was home, but it wasn’t as special as she’d made it out to be.
They carried in the groceries and the bag of clothes they’d packed. Todd went straight to the fireplace to light a fire, and Jessie headed to the kitchen.
“When I open this refrigerator, is anything going to jump out at me?”
Todd chuckled from the other room. “I can’t promise you that.”
She blew out a breath and slowly opened the door. A rush of relief washed through her when she saw that it was nearly empty, clean, and only condiments lined the shelves on the door.
“How often do you come out here?” she asked.
“I was coming out every weekend.” Jessie heard him walk across the floor and a moment later was standing in the doorway. “Is it bad?”
“No. Clean and empty.”
Todd pushed his shoulders back and smiled, obviously proud of himself. “You’ve only been with me as a guest in your house, but I’m a neat and tidy guy.”
Jessie knew that about him just from the interior of his truck. “I feel bad you haven’t been out here in a month.”
Todd shrugged. “Why feel bad?”
“You’re spending all your time with me. You took over for Lydia and now you don’t come back home because of me. Don’t you feel as if we have uprooted your life?”
He moved to her, and she stood to meet him.
Todd wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in. “I choose both things. I want to be there for Lydia, and I kind of dread the day that it’s not part of my life. And I choose to be with you, every moment of the day. I’m surprised you haven’t grown tired of me yet.”
“I don’t think that’ll happen,” her voice was soft as it carried her truth.
“I’m glad, because I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about us.”
Her breath caught in her lungs, but she managed to appear calm. “What things are you thinking?”
He brushed his fingers through her hair and rested his hand on her cheek. “Maybe we could think about living together, not just staying with each other.”
Jessie steadied her hands on his shoulders because she had suddenly gone dizzy. “You want to live with me?”
“I want to live together. It can be at your place, or maybe we can find our own place. Something that’s just ours.”
Jessie stepped back and paced the small space. “That’s a lot to think about.”
“Then maybe this isn’t the right time to tell you I love you?”
She turned to him and stared. “Oh, God. You love me?”
Todd stepped to her, but stopped short of reaching her. “Listen, I get it if you don’t feel the same about me. I just thought...”
“I love you, too,” she blurted to stop him from saying anything more. “I thought I was crazy, since it’s been a month, but I love you.”
A smile formed on Todd’s lips as he closed the gap between them, pulling her into him. “Okay then. We’ve gotten over that big hurdle. What do you think about us living together?”
Jessie swallowed hard. “It scares me as much as you telling me you love me.”
“You realize we’ve been living together?”
She chuckled, resting her hands on his chest. “You’re right. And you should have equally as much space in a home as I have then. My lease has four more months. Maybe we can look for something, together.”
“I’d like that.”
Jessie pressed her cheek to his. “I would too.”
As they sat in the living room that night, wrapped in a quilt his grandmother had made him, a fire roaring in the hearth, they made plans to live together. Todd had decided to lease out his house, and it would be extra income. He felt better about having some options to help with their lease payment since he wasn’t sure how much longer his employment would last. The other thing he needed to consider was whether he’d return to the ranch when Lydia returned.
In any big city, he’d drive forty-five minutes to work and back. That was the average time on a freeway. At least his job, which still awaited him, was on a peaceful dirt road to the ranch his grandparents built.
He supposed there would be time to consider his career path. No need to worry about it while he was warm and safe in his home with the woman he loved in his arms.