The Stone Family Heart - Taylor Hart Page 0,53
she turned to face him. “Did you?”
“I haven’t. But when I was listening to you, that advice came to me. To tell you.” His vision swam with tears. “Isn’t that funny? I can see what you need to do, but I can’t do it for myself.”
She clung tighter to him.
Tim felt a rush of warmth and what he knew to be the spirit of God. He’d felt it many times as a boy in his uncle’s church. “I think we both should try it.”
“Okay,” she said softly.
He let out a chuckle. “Boy, my uncle will be so happy.”
“Too happy.”
“Right?” He pulled her back, and they gazed at each other. Time seemed to stand still, but Tim knew one thing: he wanted this woman back.
Not just as a friend—he wanted to make her his.
Slowly, he leaned down, pressing his lips to hers.
The kiss was soft, slow, tender.
“Well, what’s this party?”
Tim heard the front screen door pop open. His uncle had shown up.
Kensi tried to wriggle away. “We need to get back.”
Desperation filled him. “Let’s go cut the petroglyphs out before Mr. Banks does.”
She gave him a look of complete confusion. “What?”
The noise from the kitchen grew louder, and he heard Marshall call out his name. “Tim! Where are you?”
A sudden shiver of excitement pulsed through him. “It’s illegal, but … I won’t tell if you don’t.”
She frowned. “I don’t know, Tim. I don’t think so.”
“Tim!” Marshall called again.
He squeezed her hand. “Please.”
She shook her head and took a step back. “I guess it actually might be the best option. When the time is right, we can give it back to the town.”
Marshall bustled into the room with Tim’s uncle in tow. “Tim, there you are. You need to show your uncle the fine work we’ve accomplished today.”
Tim turned to his uncle. “Hey.”
Henry ran a hand over his head, looking baffled. “I can’t believe it. Seems you’re almost ready for flooring in this place. I thought it would take forever.”
Marshall seemed to be assessing his sister. “Kens, you okay?”
“Fine.” She reached for Tim’s uncle, and he hugged her. “Hey.”
“The woman I’ve been looking for. I just stopped at the inn.”
She kissed his cheek. “You did?”
His uncle grinned. “I told Lily I would make sure you were coming over for Sunday dinner so we could all catch up.”
Kensi stepped back, casting a glance at Tim. “Um, I’m not sure.”
“Well, sure you’ll go,” Marshall said, clapping a hand on his uncle’s back. “I’d be going too, if I wasn’t leaving in the morning.”
Kensi let out a light laugh. “That’s really nice, Henry, but I don’t think—”
Tim moved to her side. “Please come. I want you to.”
“Yeah, come.” If his uncle was surprised, he hid it well.
Kensi seemed to wrestle with the decision. Finally, she relented. “Fine.”
“Good,” Henry said, nodding. He turned and continued to examine the workmanship. Marshall followed him around, pointing out different things they’d done as they walked out of the room.
Kensi turned on Tim, something akin to worry and excitement on her face. “Are we really going to do this?”
“I think so. But I think we might need your brothers’ help.”
“Help with what?” Trent asked, moving toward them.
“Yeah, what?” Brooks trailed along after them.
Tim hesitated, not wanting to involve his uncle. He waved them off. “Wait until my uncle leaves; then we’ll work it out.”
Kensi grinned. “Man, it’s like we’re teenagers again.”
“Work what out?” Hunter joined them. “You guys look guilty of something.”
“Shh,” Brooks and Trent said to him.
Tim laughed.
“What’s going on?” Marshall asked, emerging from the bathroom with his uncle.
“Nothing,” they all said at once.
Marshall grinned at Tim’s uncle. “This must be good.”
His uncle crossed his arms. “Must be. Reminds me of when you all had a plan and didn’t want us adults to figure it out.”
Nervous angst wove into Tim, but he laughed. “Naw. We’re just giving you plausible deniability.”
His uncle narrowed his gaze at Tim, then grunted. “I actually think you’re telling the truth.”
That got them all laughing.
His uncle left a short time later, and Tim told the Stone brothers about his plan. “Tonight, we go to the petroglyphs, I distract Phil, and we take the landmark ourselves. That way, we can preserve it.”
Everyone in the room nodded.
“We’re in,” Marshall said, looking determined. “And if Banks is there… Well, he just might finally get a little Stone justice, too.”
Tim shook his head. “I guess there’s the spirit of the law and the letter of the law.” He grinned. “I’m choosing the spirit of it right now.”
“Oh yeah!” Marshall