A Reason to Stay by Deb Kastner

Author:Deb Kastner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2022-06-09T20:02:51+00:00

Chapter Seven

Emma was enjoying every single second of the bonfire, from the hayrack ride that had brought them there to the pleasant way Sharpe and his brother and sisters and their families interacted with each other. There was no shortage of smiles and laughter, giggling from the small children and Baloo’s happy barking as he played around with Aidan in the background, out of the way of the fire.

When Frost first pulled out his guitar, he quietly strummed acoustic tunes in the background, perfect for sharing a meal. But it wasn’t long before he changed things around and started playing and singing a familiar tune about the Colorado Rocky Mountains, and the Winslows quickly picked it up and sang along. Emma vaguely remembered the song, as it was a classic country song that almost everyone knew, but she didn’t immediately join in with the singing. Rather, she just listened, starting with Frost’s amazing tenor, and then the sisters and their husbands adding harmony. Finally, Sharpe came in with his warm, rich baritone that felt as if it almost completed the chords.

She didn’t know why, but Emma wouldn’t have guessed Sharpe to be a singer. Yet she really enjoyed listening to his voice in song. Emma had never heard anything like what the Winslows were creating. It was as if they’d all been born to harmonize together. Frost moved from country to a well-known hymn without missing a beat, and the Winslows followed him with equal ease.

Sharpe reached out and took her hand, threading their fingers as he squeezed it lightly. He caught her gaze in the firelight and silently urged her to add her voice. Even Aidan was singing, which surprised Emma, because she hadn’t known he could sing, either, much less where he would have learned “Amazing Grace.” She highly doubted her parents had ever taken him to church or even dropped him off at the local Sunday school.

She made a mental note to ask him later where he’d learned the hymn. In the meantime, she softly and a little bit nervously added her own voice to the mix. She didn’t really know where she fitted in, so she simply sang the melody.

She was surprised at how easy it was to feel as if she were truly a part of this family, as if she belonged here with them.

If only that were true.

They sang a few more songs, then Frost took a quick break so they could all make their s’mores. Emma hadn’t known what she’d been missing. Who would ever have guessed that roasting a marshmallow and smushing it between graham crackers with a square of chocolate could taste this good? It was truly an evening she would never forget, for it wasn’t likely she would ever again have the opportunity to roast a marshmallow over an open fire.

She couldn’t seem to hold on to her flailing emotions. It felt as if she was on a roller coaster, flying high one moment and plunging down the next when she remembered she’d soon be leaving.

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