Logan flushed. His knuckles tightened around the handles of the bags and he shifted from foot to foot. Betty fidgeted with the hem of her apron and Pop studied the toes of his boots. The silence lengthened and Amy’s heart ached at the awkward discomfort.
Logan cleared his throat. “I’ll stay in one of the bunkhouses. You can have my room.”
“Thank you, Logan.” Amy rubbed her clammy palms over her pants legs and forced a smile. “Mama, how about I help you finish setting the table while Logan puts my bags up?”
Betty’s face creased with relief. “Perfect. I’ll go get Cissy. It’s high time the two of you met.”
“And I’ll round up the boys.” Pop winked as he left. “Lord knows where they are.”
Amy started toward the kitchen, faltering when Logan gripped her arm.
“You’ve got to tell her about the move...”
“I will.” Amy sighed, a sharp pain settling behind her eyes. “But I’m not going to spring it on her this second.” She rubbed her brow with her fingertips. “I’ll tell her later. At a better time. Let’s just have a pleasant dinner for now, okay?”
She pulled away and headed down the hall. Her gut churned at the thought of telling her mother and sister about moving so far away. The last thing she wanted to do was upset anyone during her first visit home in ages. But, eventually, there’d be no way around it.
The light aroma of cinnamon enveloped Amy as she entered Raintree’s large kitchen. She inhaled, pulling in a lungful of the familiar scent. A red platter piled high with cookies sat on the edge of the kitchen island and her mouth watered.
Out of habit, Amy snuck a look over her shoulder at the empty doorway, half expecting Betty to spring into the room and shoo her away. As kids, she and Traci had never been successful at snagging a cookie before dinner without Betty pointing a finger and ushering them out. She smiled and made her way over to the cookies.
She reached out and stopped, hand hovering in midair. Small, grubby fingers fumbled over the pile of sugar cookies. Mud-streaked fingertips curled around the edge of one and tugged it toward the edge of the plate.
Amy leaned over and found the top of a blond head pressed below the edge of the counter. The head swiveled and deep blue eyes widened up at her in shock. She bit back her grin and narrowed her eyes, taking in his features. Could be Kayden. But the twins were so similar in appearance it was hard to be sure.
“Shhh,” the boy whispered. “Don’t tell.”
“Boys.” A short woman with blond hair peeked around the door and leveled a stern expression across the room. “Stop that and get over here.”
The boy jumped, his head banging into the edge of the counter. He jerked his hand from the cookies and several scattered to the floor. Another blond head shot up from the other side of the island. This one was definitely Kayden. He sported the same cavalier expression he’d displayed earlier when Logan had chastised him. The boys stood together, Jayden with a bowed head and Kayden with raised brows.
“What’d we do, Aunt Cissy?” Kayden asked, a dab of red cinnamon icing smudged across his cheek.
“You know very well what you did,” she said. “Now, get those cookies up and go wash your hands. You’re about to eat supper.”
The boys groaned but complied, gathering up the broken cookies and tossing them in the trash.
The woman winced and shot Amy a rueful smile. “Sorry about that. Those two are always looking for trouble. You must be Amy. I’m so glad to finally meet you. I’m Cissy, Dom’s wife.”
Cissy entered the kitchen, stepping carefully and pressing a palm to the blue sweater stretched across her heavily pregnant belly. Amy froze. Her eyes clung to the roundness of Cissy’s midsection and her arms drew in against the flat emptiness of her own. Weight dragged at her legs, rooting her to the floor.
Amy swallowed hard and held out a shaky hand. Cissy covered it with both of hers. She was a tiny thing, her shoulders barely reaching Amy’s chest. But her blue eyes were rich with welcome and happiness.
“I’ve heard so many wonderful things about you,” Cissy said.
Amy masked her expression with a polite smile. That couldn’t be the case. There weren’t that many good things for anyone to tell.
“Dominic talks so much about how you two got up to no good back in the day,” Cissy added with a laugh.
That sounded more like it.
“So this is where you boys snuck off to.” Betty swept in, smiling as the twins rushed over and wrapped their arms around her waist.
“We’re hungry,” Jayden said, tipping his head back and pouting.
“Yeah.” Kayden frowned. “And Aunt Cissy won’t let us have a cookie.”
“I’ll let you have one,” Cissy said. “After supper. I’m sorry, Betty.” She flashed an apologetic smile. “The boys were supposed to be washing up with Traci. Not sneaking away and stealing cookies.”
“Aw, come on, Aunt Cissy,” Kayden said. “You can smell ’em all the way down the hall. And we only wanted one.”
“You can have one after you eat dinner. Not before.”
Kayden poked a grubby finger at Amy. “But she’s gonna eat one.”
Betty ruffled their shiny hair and laughed. “Well, she should know better. I never let her or Traci get away with grabbing a cookie before dinner either.”
Jayden elbowed his brother. “Hush, Kayden. Aunt Amy didn’t rat us out, you know.” He nodded up at Betty. “Aunt Amy can have one. We’ll wait ’til later.” He jerked his chin at his brother. “Come on.”
The two boys scampered out, pausing to press a quick kiss to Cissy’s belly.
“Can’t blame them for trying.” Cissy giggled and rubbed her palm in smooth circles over her protruding midsection. “Even the girls kick harder when I get close enough to smell your mother’s cookies.”
Girls. Amy stared at Cissy’s middle. She’d almost had a girl of her own. Sara.
The ache behind Amy’s eyes spread, streaking in painful bolts to her temples. Heaven help her, she thought she’d gotten past this. Thought she’d set this pain down long ago.
“Congratulations,” Amy managed to choke out on a strangled whisper.
“Thanks.” Cissy laughed. “We’re having twins. Once you add the boys, Dom and I are in for quadruple the trouble. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Betty’s arm curled around Amy’s waist and squeezed. Lines of worry creased her brow.
Amy lifted her chin, hugged Betty closer to her side and summoned up a sincere smile. “I’m so happy for you both. Dom’s a good man.”
Cissy nodded. “One of the best.”
Betty lifted to her toes and kissed Amy’s cheek. “Well, I think it’s about time we got a home-cooked meal in you. Whatcha say we get this table set?”
Ten minutes later and only five minutes beyond Betty’s designated six-o’clock dinner hour, the family Thanksgiving table was packed. Utensils clanged, napkins flapped in the air and settled in laps. Dishes stuffed with sweet and savory samplings were passed from one end of the table to the other.
The twins, tucked snugly between Cissy and Dominic,