The Proposition(69)

“You spoil him too much,” Aidan mused, tossing her suitcase in the backseat.

“I do not.”

“Oh really? Every time I come in the door, he starts looking for you. He could give a shit less about me now. Not to mention, he expects to lie around on the couch and eat my table scraps.”

She blushed. “Oops.” As soon as she slid across the seat, Beau leaned over the headrest to lick her cheek. “Are you ready to get the city grit out of your fur?” Emma asked, patting the Lab’s head. He wagged his tail and licked her again. “Yep, I think he’s ready.”

Aidan snorted as he pulled out of the driveway. “Once he sees all those wide open spaces, he may never want to come back.”

After he took the 75 North exit, they started their pilgrimage out of the city. The urban backdrop melted away into an emerald blur of trees and pastureland. The closer they got to the mountains the cooler the swirling air around them became.

A pang of homesickness reverberated through Emma as they drove along the familiar roads. She had spent her whole childhood in the mountains until she had gone to college in Atlanta. There was a very large part of her that longed to move back, especially when it came to raising the baby.

When they neared her grandparents’ property, she leaned forward in her seat. “Okay, you’re going to turn right at the black mailbox.”

Aidan turned to her in surprise. “Onto that gravel road?”

“Yep.”

After they wound around a couple of curves, they came to an open field. Up the hillside was her grandparent’s house and barn. Aidan turned to her with widened eyes at the sight of the multitude of cars and people milling around. “This is all your family?”

She nodded. “There are usually about fifty people or more. By the time the barn dance starts tonight, it’ll be around a hundred.” She eyed the skeptical expression on his face. “You sure you’re up to this?”

“Sure, it’ll be fine as long as no one wants to kick my ass for knocking you up.”

Emma laughed. “Most of my family is okay with my pregnancy. My grandfather and some of my uncles might give you a hard time though.” She hesitated before dropping a bomb on him. “Um, since we aren’t married, don’t plan on us sharing a bedroom tonight.”

“Excuse me?”

Emma grimaced. “My grandparents are very old-fashioned. They won’t condone us sleeping in the same bed if we aren’t married.”

“Even though you’re pregnant with my child?”

“Yes.”

He exhaled noisily. “Good thing I got some before we left. It would have been a long, long weekend.” He laughed when she smacked his arm playfully in outrage.

“Come on. Let’s go face the firing squad,” Emma said, with a grin.

“Fabulous,” Aidan groaned as he climbed out of the car. He clipped the leash to Beau’s collar and let the squirming lab out of the backseat.

Delicious aromas filled Emma’s nostrils, and her stomach growled. She was so thankful her nausea had passed because she wanted nothing more than some of her grandmother’s Brunswick stew.

“Is that homemade BBQ I smell?” Aidan asked.

“Yes, it is. Everything will be homemade from the apple pie to the moonshine.”

“Damn, I think I’ve died and gone to heaven. Well, not exactly at the part about the moonshine.”

Emma giggled. “Good luck not having my uncles force some homebrew on you. They’ll want you to prove your manhood.”

Aidan opened his mouth to protest, but a woman’s voice cut him off. “Emma!” she shrieked, clapping her hands. Emma didn’t even have to turn to recognize the voice. Just the sound of it echoing around her coated her body with a thick blanket of love. Spinning around, she saw her grandmother striding towards her.

From her teased silver bouffant hairdo to the worn red and white gingham apron she wore tied firmly over her dress, Grammy never seemed to age or change. She was the one constant beacon in the storm Emma had been able to count on her entire life for love, support, and strength.

Grammy’s face lit up like a Fourth of July sparkler. “There’s my beautiful baby!” she exclaimed, drawing Emma into her strong embrace. Squeezing her tight, she said, “I’ve missed you so much, darlin’.”

“I missed you, too, Grammy.”

She pulled away and smiled. “You’re going to have to start coming up here more than twice a month. Your granddaddy and I get mighty lonesome for you.”

Emma giggled. “We talk every other day. Do I really need to come up that much more?”

“Yes, you do. Especially when the baby gets here.” She reached out to gently touch Emma’s swollen belly. “Look how big you’ve gotten!”