Fragile Hearts (Poplar Falls #4) - Amber Kelly Page 0,20

have to worry about pumping gas or paying insurance.”

I hear a snicker from the back and look at Beau in the rearview mirror.

“What’s so funny?” I ask him.

“She got you there,” he says.

“Well, I won’t be here much longer. You’ll be down one chauffeur in a couple of months,” I tell her.

“Don’t leave us, Auntie Bells,” Beau pleads.

“Oh, Beau, I won’t be far. Just a few hours’ drive away. I promise I’ll come see you and Faith every chance I get.”

“But you can stay here, like Miss Sophie did. All you have to do is get Mr. Braxton to build you your own house,” he helpfully informs me.

“Is that all?”

“Yep.” He nods.

“I’ll have to talk to him about that, then.”

“He’ll do it for you because you are nice and pretty, like Miss Sophie. He likes nice, pretty girls,” he tells us.

“What man doesn’t?” Elle mumbles under her breath.

When we pull up to Walker’s shack, the driveway is packed with vehicles.

“I didn’t know he had a full house this evening,” I say as I park next to Payne’s truck.

“Yeah, he’s recruiting all the help he can get. He’s so anxious to get it finished,” she tells me as I pick Beau up out of the back and stand him on his feet.

An old hound dog comes around the house, barking.

“Hush, Woof. It’s just me,” Elle calls to him, and he stands and waits as Beau scurries to him.

“Hey, Woof,” he says as he scratches the dog behind the ears.

The two of them mosey around the side of the house, and we follow.

The back is full of activity. Pop—Sophie’s grandfather—and Jefferson are standing at an old saw table, cutting what looks like well-worn wood. Braxton and Payne are up on scaffolding, trimming the roof, and Walker and Silas are carrying two large iron rails from the back of Walk’s pickup to the front opening of the massive barn.

“Wow, you weren’t kidding. He is literally turning a barn into a house,” I say in awe.

“Isn’t it cool as shit?” she asks as she beams up at it. “Come on. I’ll show you the inside,” she says, and I follow her up to the front of the construction.

“Hey, babe,” she says as she smacks Walker on the ass when we pass him.

“Hey now. I’m not a piece of meat, woman,” he says in mock offense.

She stops, turns, and gives him a kiss on the cheek.

“That’s more like it.”

“What about you, Bells? Give me some sugar,” he says as he leans his cheek to me.

“Eww,” I say as I push him away.

“I’ll give you sugar, Walker,” Beau says as he stomps up beside us.

“You save your sugar for the ladies, little man. Give me some skin,” Walker tells him as he extends his hand out.

Beau grins and slaps it as hard as he can.

I put my hand to Beau’s back and lead him into the barn with Elle and me, so he doesn’t get in the way of any of the adults’ work.

“Whoa, look at that!” Beau says as we step inside.

He runs to the right and looks into the room with an open door.

“This place is amazing, Elle, even better than you described it,” I marvel as I take in the massive space.

Pop Lancaster and Jefferson carry in the reclaimed wood door they created and attach it to the track above one of the rows of stalls that lines the far wall. Each stall has a bed inside.

“I can’t believe they are so far along.” I’m amazed at the progress they’ve made in a few short months.

“Braxton and Walker are on a mission to get it finished before Sophie delivers,” she says.

“When are you planning to move in?”

“I plan to move in next year, after the wedding. Walker could move on in if he wanted to, but he swears he’s happy in the shack until we can move in together.”

“I’m surprised you’re waiting. I’d want to move right in.”

She shrugs. “I don’t know. I know it sounds old-fashioned, but on my wedding day, I want to be carried over the threshold into our new home as man and wife. Besides, it will probably take that long to get all the final touches and the decorating done, and I don’t want to move in until it all comes together.”

That’s our Elle, always the rule follower. Even in high school. While Sonia and I were rebelling and misbehaving, she was the steadfast one, constantly trying to keep us in check. Though we managed to drag her