With their little brood around them, they walked along the service road to the barn. The boys couldn’t talk about anything other than their fort, and the girls asked to go back.
Chase smiled at Joy from time to time, and she smiled back, thankful he’d helped the boys fulfill a dream.
When they reached the green barn, Chase led them inside and they set their tools on the workbench.
“Where’s the surprise?” Ryan asked impatiently.
“It’s upstairs in the old hayloft.” Chase’s eyes shone bright with anticipation. “Come on.”
He took them through the potting shed, which connected the two ends of the barn, and into the eastern portion. An old carriage sat in the corner, long since forgotten.
“Wouldn’t it be cool to pull out the carriage for the festival?” Chase asked.
She’d already contacted the automobile club, who had said they’d be happy to bring out their old cars—they’d probably love to see the carriage, too. “I think that’s a great idea.”
“Wait until you see what I found,” Chase said as he led them up a narrow set of stairs. He still held Harper, who clapped with glee, though she probably had no idea what was happening.
“What did you find?” Jordan asked with wide eyes.
“Just wait.”
Chase pushed open a door at the head of the stairs and everyone marched in behind him.
Joy had never been in the loft before. It was more like an attic, since it had a solid floor and slanted roof. If Chase stood in the middle, he could stand straight, but if he moved to the right or left, he had to bend.
Two windows, one on either side, offered scant light for them to see. Chase reached over and flipped on a switch, revealing old electric lights. They hummed and hung on long wires.
The whole room became visible, but it took a moment for Joy’s eyes to adjust.
Everywhere she looked were antiques—a spinning wheel, several trunks, a dressmaker’s dummy, an oval mirror and more.
“I came up here the other day to look for the windows we used on the tree fort,” Chase explained, his voice high with excitement. “And I found all this.”
Joy and the kids followed him to the opposite side of the loft, and her eyes grew wide.
“It looks like someone in the Asher family hosted a carnival a long time ago and stored all the games up here.”
“Whoa!” Ryan said as he knelt before a large clown face with a hole where the mouth should have been. “This is cool.”
“I counted about ten games,” Chase said, watching everyone’s reaction. “There’s a bowling set, a target game, a wheel of fortune, a ring toss and several others.”
Joy could hardly believe what she was seeing: real antique carnival games.
“They need a little work,” Chase said, “and maybe a touch of paint in a few places, but they are in excellent condition. I had Mr. Taylor come up here today to tell me how old he thought they might be and he said they are easily a hundred and twenty years old.”
Joy touched the large target game. It stood as tall as her and was painted a bright yellow, which had faded with age. The details in the painting were exquisite. “Are you sure we should use them? Won’t that devalue them?”
“They’re worth more to us to use as games for our festival,” Chase said. “My dad will just sell them with everything else, if he has a chance. Why not use them for what they were intended?”
It would save them time and money if they didn’t have to build their own games for the festival.
“If Mrs. Thompson were here,” Ryan said, “she’d say this is a blessing from God.”
“And she’d be right,” Chase agreed, ruffling Ryan’s blond hair. “We needed games and God provided.”
“Just like we needed a mom and God provided,” Jordan added with a toothless grin.
Joy leaned down and kissed his nose. “And I needed some boys and God provided that, too.”
“Now all we need is a forever dad and we’ll have everything we need,” Ryan said with a decisive nod.
Joy glanced up and found Chase watching her. The strong, steady look in his eyes made her cheeks grow warm.
“I think we should haul these outside and get a better look,” she said quickly. “See what we’re dealing with.”
“I’ll take the bowling pins!” Kodi said, gathering them in his short little arms.
The boys each grabbed something and started down the stairs.
“Ryan asked me about a forever dad a couple days ago,” Chase said after the boys disappeared.
Joy still held Kinsley, so she looked down at her daughter and wiped an imaginary smudge off her cheek. “What did he say?”
“He said he wanted a dad like all the other kids—but he’s worried that if you get married someday, your husband might not like him—or Ryan might not like your husband.”
“That’s a silly thing to worry about. I don’t have any plans—”
“It’s not silly to him.”
She knew it was something to take seriously—and she’d talk to Ryan about it as soon as she had a chance—but she didn’t want to encourage Chase to continue. “I’ll talk to him.”
Joy started to walk away, but Chase reached out and put his hand on her arm. “You’re doing a great job, Joy, with everything. I’m sorry about the other night when Tom—”
“You don’t need to apologize.”
“But I want to.” The sunshine filtered through the window, showing the dust flying through the air. “I want to make things easier for you—not harder.”
She thought about the tree fort and the bank loan, and all the other ways Chase had helped, and she felt her face relaxing. “You are, and I’m thankful.”
He smiled and it made her insides swirl with pleasure.
It was getting harder and harder to deny her feelings—and for some reason, that didn’t scare her like it should.
Chapter Ten
It took them several weeks to prepare the carnival games among all their other responsibilities, but Chase had never enjoyed a project as much as he did when Joy and the kids helped him. They had cleaned, repaired and even painted a few of the games and they now stood waiting in the barn for the festival.
Word had traveled around town about the event and Joy had asked several people in church to come and offer tours. Chase and the boys had hung posters and Joy had been interviewed by the Timber Falls weekly newspaper, as well as the local radio station. Everyone was excited to see the mansion.
Among all their activities, Chase had started to attend services at Timber Falls Community Church with Joy and Mrs. Thompson, and he’d been there when Pastor Jacob had called for a special offering. They had been overwhelmed with the generosity of the congregants, and celebrated as Joy deposited another substantial check into her housing account.
But today, Chase had set aside all his other responsibilities, so he and the boys could work on a secret project just for Joy. They stood outside the barn in the chicken coop, the hot sun making the job more difficult and dirty. Sweat dripped down Chase’s temples.
“Do you think she’ll like it?” Jordan asked Chase, wrinkling his freckled nose.
“I think she’ll love it,” Chase told the little blond-haired boy. “I just hope it isn’t too much work for her.”
Ryan handed Chase a hammer and shrugged. “We’ll help.”
“And I’ll help, too,” Chase agreed—though he didn’t know how long he’d stay at Bee Tree Hill once the sale was complete—whether that sale was to Joy or someone else. The thought of leaving Joy and the kids—and returning to his life in Seattle—felt like a knife turning in his chest. How would he ever go back to life as usual now that he was a dad?
The new chicken wire was easy enough to tack on to the original posts around the coop. He’d been happy to discover that th
e roost was in good condition. They’d simply cleaned out some of the debris left there over the years, fixed a post in the north corner of the coop and were now attaching new wire around the yard.
A half dozen Rhode Island Reds clucked from two crates stacked in the shade of the barn. He and the boys had purchased them from a local farmer’s market just that morning. Chase didn’t know much about keeping chickens, but he’d done a little research online and spent an hour with the farmer who sold him the birds. After the market, he and the boys visited the farming supply store and purchased the chicken wire, seed, a couple bales of fresh hay and a watering trough.
“She should be home in half an hour,” Chase told the boys, “and I want it to be ready for her.”
Kodi’s face became serious and he nodded. “We’ll get it done.”
Chase smiled. The boys were so eager to learn, he loved teaching them. They were hard workers and took such pride in their work, Chase found himself coming up with projects they could help with, just to see them shine.
They finished securing the wire and spread hay in the roost. Ryan filled the watering trough and Jordan filled the feeder with seed. Chase asked Kodi to help him haul the crates over to the coop, and when the older boys were done with their chores, Chase carefully opened the first crate and tilted it so the birds would come out. They squawked and complained, and ran in several different directions. Thankfully, Chase had remembered to lock the gate. He opened the second crate and did the same.
The boys stood with Chase for several minutes watching the silly birds. It didn’t take them long to find the water and seed and the boys laughed as they watched the birds peck at their food.
Chase’s phone dinged and he pulled it out of his pocket. It was a text from Mrs. Thompson. Joy is home. I sent her and the girls to the barn. They’ll be there in a minute.
“She’s coming,” Chase told the boys.
They scrambled to pick up the tools, their faces filled with excited anticipation.
Chase stacked the wooden crates in the corner of the coop and then called the boys to join him.
“Let’s run into the barn and wash up quick.” He led the way and they went to the small bathroom in the corner, where they washed their hands as quickly as possible.
“Hurry!” Ryan told his little brothers. “I see them coming!”
Anticipation mounted in Chase’s chest, too, and he suddenly felt nervous. What if Joy thought the chickens were a ridiculous gift? What if she didn’t want them? What if she took the gift the wrong way?
But what way did he want her to take the gift? Had he done it simply as a thank-you for all the hard work she’d been doing? Had he done it because he wanted to fulfill a lifelong dream for her? Or had he done it because he wanted her to be pleased with him?
He was still analyzing why he’d gone to all the trouble when she appeared at the open barn door.
“What are you boys up to?” she asked with a curious smile.
Chase finished drying his hands on a paper towel and tossed it into the garbage bin. He returned her smile, his heart racing a little faster at seeing her. He didn’t know how it was possible, but she grew more and more beautiful each time he saw her. Today, she wore a medium-length black skirt, which rippled when she walked, a soft white T-shirt and a simple pair of sandals—but she looked amazing.
“Chase!” Harper said as she ran across the length of the barn and reached up to him. He scooped her into his arms and held her close, his heart warming at her greeting. Joy hadn’t told the girls—or the boys—about who Chase really was yet, but he didn’t mind. He knew she was waiting for the right time. All that mattered right now was that Chase knew.
“Mrs. Thompson told me you guys were busy today,” Joy said, smoothing Ryan’s hair. He’d also been sweating and his hair stuck up all over his head. “What have you been working on?”
Ryan looked at Chase and said, “Can I tell her?”
“How about we show her, instead?” Chase asked.
The boys all agreed and jumped around Joy, unable to contain their excitement. Ryan grabbed one hand and Kodi grabbed the other and they all left the barn.
Joy laughed at their enthusiasm and cast curious glances at Chase.
He followed close behind her with Harper and Kinsley in his arms.
When Joy rounded the corner, she stopped short.
“Surprise!” the boys shouted.
Chase came up beside her, a grin on his face. “We got you chickens.”
The boys cheered and the girls squealed, wiggling out of Chase’s arms to run to the coop, but Joy stood motionless.
Ryan ran with the other kids to the fence and they stood there, the boys excitedly telling Harper and Kinsley all about the chickens and everything they’d learned that day from the farmer.
“What do you think?” Chase asked Joy.
Her face was devoid of emotion as she stared at the coop.
Chase’s excitement faded and he felt a rock settle in the pit of his stomach. “You don’t like it.”
She didn’t say anything for a minute, but then finally swallowed. “Kids, it’s time to wash up for supper. Mrs. Thompson has everything ready.”
“Ah, Mom!” Ryan whined. “I want to stay with the chickens.”
“I hold one?” Kinsley asked, her eyes shining.
“Not now.” Joy took Kinsley and Harper by the hands. “We need to head back to the house.”
“What’s wrong?” Chase asked.
“Nothing.” Joy didn’t look at him as she motioned for the boys to follow her.
He moved to stand in front of her. “Did I do something wrong?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” She took a deep breath, her lips trembling. “Please take the chickens back to where you bought them.”
Ryan, Jordan and Kodi stood by Joy, their faces crestfallen.
Chase hated to see their disappointment. “We put a lot of work into the coop today—”
“I’m sorry, but I do not want them.” She tried to smile at the boys. “Thank you—but we can’t keep them.”
Ryan’s mouth hung open as he looked from Joy to Chase, “But Chase said—”
“Chase should have asked me first.” She started to walk away.
Standing in the barnyard, Chase watched them leave, more disappointed than he should have been. It wasn’t because he had put a lot of time and energy into the project—that didn’t bother him—it was because he had thought she’d be just as excited as everyone else. But the reverse was true. She was upset—and he didn’t know why.
* * *
Joy trembled from head to foot, her eyes burning with unshed tears as they crossed the back lawn.
“Why don’t you like the chickens?” Ryan asked, trying to keep up with her pace. “We made the coop just for you.”
Pain and guilt tightened her gut and she slowed her pace. “I’m sorry, Ry.” Why was she being such a baby about this? She should have kept her reaction to herself, pretended to like Chase’s gift—and then spoken to him privately about it when the kids weren’t around.
“Do we have to get rid of them?” Jordan asked, his bottom lip quivering. “I like chickens.”
“So do I,” Kodi added.
“Me, too!” Kinsley said proudly.
Joy tried to take a deep breath to calm herself, but failed. “Chase had no right to make that decision for me. He should have asked before he bought the chickens.”
“Isn’t this his house?” Ryan asked.
“This is his house?” Jordan’s eyes grew wide.
Now was not the time to explain the situation to the children—but Ryan was right, kind of. If Chase wanted chickens, who was she to stop him?
But he hadn’t bought them for himself—he’d bought them for her—and that’s what troubled her the most.
“You
’re right, Ryan. This is Chase’s house. If he wants to keep the chickens,” she paused to take control of her wobbling voice, “then I can’t stop him.”
“Joy,” Chase called, jogging to catch up with them. “Can we talk?”
The last thing she wanted was to speak about this in front of the children.
“Ryan, I can see the kitchen door.” She placed Harper’s and Kinsley’s hands into his. “Can you please take the girls and your brothers to Mrs. Thompson?”
Holding his mouth in a tight, disapproving line, Ryan walked everyone to the house.
Joy took a deep breath and turned to face Chase.
He stood before her in a pair of blue jeans and a light button-down shirt tucked in at his waist. He’d rolled up the sleeves and left the top buttons undone. It was evident he’d been working hard.
“I don’t understand what went wrong,” he said.
Joy glanced over her shoulder and saw the kids entering the kitchen, so she let out a breath. “Why did you get me chickens?”
He frowned. “I thought you always wanted them.”
“But why chickens?”
Chase lifted his hands in confusion. “Just the other night, you said—”
“No.” She crossed her arms, almost as a way to protect herself—to protect her heart. “I know I said I always wanted chickens—but why did you give them to me—why something so personal?”
“Chickens are personal?” He frowned.
“They are when I’ve always wanted them, and when they’re connected to one of the only good memories I have of my mother.” She finally gained control of her voice, but just barely. “And when you knew how important that dream was, you still gave them to me.”
“They’re a gift—that’s all.”
She shook her head. “What are we doing, Chase?” She motioned to where the children had just gone. “I appreciate that you’re hanging out with the boys, teaching them things I could never teach them—but ultimately, you’re going to go back to Seattle—right? What good is it to build a chicken coop and buy me chickens when you’re leaving, and I might be leaving, too?”
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