CHAPTER 173

“Sure. I promised Eliza a pony. I think I promised to buy her a Corvette when she turned sixteen to get her to stop bawlin’ tonight.”

“Sucker.”

“Well, it didn’t work, so I don’t think it counts. Anyway, I thought I’d talk to Cord about gettin’ us a coupla horses so we can go ridin’ when the mood strikes us. And that chicken coop is in good shape if you wanna try your hand at raisin’ chickens. Ma has some great setters. She’d be happy to getcha started.”

“Is this where you make a crack like ‘horse feathers’ to the city slicker when I say yes to ponies and hens?”

Kade snickered.

The swing creaked as they rocked. Night sounds surrounded them in a soothing outdoor lullaby.

He asked, “Can you smell that sweet scent?”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“What kind of flower is that?”

She inhaled. “Which one? The faint floral of the petunias? The pungent pepper of the marigolds? The sugary sweetness of the sweet peas? Or the heavy perfume of the clematis?”

“You can tell the difference between all of them? That’s ama