Page 31 (1/2)
"Way to lay on the Southern charm," she says
"I a, but it doesn’t make it less true"
"Miss Kate! Miss Kate!" Sa down the walk at full speed, the way only a young boy can, with Kate’s phone waving in the air "He wants to talk to you!"
"I’m dizzy," Rhys says dryly, as Kate takes her phone and smiles at her cousin
"He looks happy," she says
"He talks more than anyone I’ve ever met in o tell Moin to follow him
"I’ll be up at the house, cher Take your time" She shakes her head, as if to keep me here, but I simply kiss her hand and sh follows lance around at the freshly rounds of the plantation and the flowers around the house Birds are singing in the trees, and the breeze Kate h my hair
Why haven’t I ever noticed before how lovely it is out here?
Because I haven’t noticedfor years
Except for my family and the business, and not necessarily in that order
I climb the steps of the porch, then turn and look out at the trees and the ahing
She’s the reason I’ve come alive
"Gabby makes incredible cookies," Kate says, as she pops the last bite of an oatmeal raisin in her mouth and tilts her head back to the let the sun waret used to this"
"What, cookies?"
"Cookies and sunshine and just…" she shrugs
"Just what?"
We’re wandering through the gardens behind the house, toward the slave quarters and caretaker’s home, which is where Beau currently lives I take her hand inus to a stop, turn her tohappy" The last word is said in a whisper, tugging at sout Before I can pull her into"What’s over there?"
"Slave quarters," I reply "Gabby had theuests can learn and check theasp
"Not me personally, no" I chuckle and tuck her hair behind her ear I can’t fucking stop touching her "Many generations ago, slaves lived here, yes"
She frowns and bites her lip
"It o hundred years ago, Kate That wasn’t uncommon in the South"
"I know"
"This way" I lead her away froarden in a riot of color
"I want to check thes
"Later Let’s walk through the gardens"
"What’s over there?" She squints her eyes, looking in the nearby field "With the fence?"