But Kellen is right behind me, arms wrapping around my waist as he pulls me into him. “You big ol’ softy,” he teases.
And I laugh. He knows how to lighten the mood.
I turn and throw my arms around him, squeezing tight. “You are the most amazing man in the entire world.”
“Nah,” he says with a chuckle. “I just like doing things that will ensure I get laid tonight.”
“That’s a given,” I mutter. “Even without the puppy stunt.”
We’re silent a moment, and then I ask, “Do you think we’ll get Princess back?”
“We’re absolutely getting her back,” he says confidently. And although it seems insurmountable, I have utter faith that he speaks the truth. “Now, dry up those tears, and let’s go unload some dogs.”
Kellen kisses me again, and it’s sweet and settling. I feel grounded and sure of myself.
So sure, in fact, that I make a proclamation before thinking it through. “My dad’s birthday is the weekend after next, and I think I’m going to fly home for it.”
Kellen’s eyebrows rise. He’s come to learn a lot about my family—particularly the stilted relationship I have with them—and knows I’ve been battling on whether to go.
Ordinarily, I would not. I’d use work as an excuse like I always do, but I’ve learned something from Ethan’s visit last week and our phone call when he loaned me money for the barn. It’s okay to be at odds with what my family wants me to do and what I actually want to do. I don’t have to be what they expect, and what Ethan taught me—when he loaned me the money without hesitation—is that they will learn to accept me as I am.
I can’t stay away to avoid battles and arguments about my future. I can hold my own path and still accept their love.
“I think that’s great,” Kellen says with a smile.
“It’ll be a quick trip. Fly out Friday afternoon and back on Sunday morning. Dr. Schoen will be home by then, so I know she won’t mind me taking a few days since I’ve covered the practice for her while she was gone. Assuming she doesn’t fire me.”
Kellen rolls his eyes at that last statement, his hands coming to my hips. “She’s not going to fire you. You are not at fault for what happened.”
We can agree to disagree on that, but I decide to do so with my inner voice because I have something far more important to ask. “Would you be interested in going with me?”
“To Kentucky? To meet your family?” I don’t know how to take the surprise in his voice. Maybe it’s delight, but maybe I’m coming on too strong.
My instinct is to offer an excuse to let him out of accepting, but then his grin broadens and his fingers squeeze into my hips. “I’d love to go. I mean, you’ve already met my parents, so it only seems natural I return the favor, right?”
Everything about this man is perfect. “Right.”
“I’ll put in a request for time off,” he says, leaning in to kiss me. “I’m excited to see the farm and meet Kat.”
“You’re perfect.” My unspoken thoughts come out unbidden, but I have to let him know.
Eyes softening, Kellen’s hands move to my face, and he bends down to kiss me again. I sigh into his mouth, not believing for a single second I could feel any more contented.
The door creaks open, and while I jolt, Kellen holds me tight, drawing away slowly. His gaze stays on me a moment before he looks over his shoulder.
Kynan stands there, phone in hand, Dozer right behind him. “Bebe’s on the line.”
Kellen releases me as Kynan and Dozer enter the kitchen, closing the door behind them. Bebe’s on her honeymoon. If she’s calling, it must be important.
“Okay, Bebe… standing here with Kellen and Abby.”
“We just landed at the airport, and I decided to check the taps and bugs we’d placed on Hellman. While I’m recording everything, I’ve programmed an algorithm that will duplicate sections of recording that have key words and phrases. And I hit something big.”
She pauses and calls out, presumably to Griff, “No… our bag has reflective tape wrapped around the handle.”
Her voice becomes clearer. “Sorry… for being an FBI agent, he’s not overly observant. At any rate, it picked up the word ‘transfer,’ which was one of a few dozen I’d programmed. I went back and listened to the entire exchange, and while they’re talking in code and euphemisms, they’re not consistent, so it’s easy to figure out that they’re selling some girls they’ve got holed up in that house in East Allegheny. Hellman is going to be there and will be receiving money in exchange for the women.”
“He said something clear enough to get police or feds involved, or did he talk only in code?” Kynan asks.