Chapter Fifty-Two
When the masons and construction crew arrived, they went straight to work. Their first task was to mark out the foundations of the house and all the outbuildings. The foundations were all laid swiftly in preparation for the building that was to commence. The foundations for the barn were laid first, but no other work was done on the building, as the barn raising had been announced and was being looked forward to by a large portion of the community. Things were happening so quickly that Runa felt like her head was spinning.
Runa and Happy Sam positively ached to be productive with all the work going on around them, but both were shooed from any heavy work, reminded that they could not do anything too strenuous just yet. So, they gathered up what low hanging fruit they could that still hung from the trees, and harvested what they could from the garden, giving the produce to Iris and Wanda who worked magic in the make-shift kitchen to turn them into delicious meals for everyone working on the ranch. This also included everyone in the work crews that had been hired. Both Runa and Happy Sam helped in the kitchen area as much as they were allowed, mixing and preparing cornbread in Dutch ovens, making cookies or pies, chopping and slicing as needed by Iris and Wanda.
Thursday night after supper Runa was pulled from the preparations for the next day by Steve and Bucky, who walked through the foundations of the house with her. She was a little shocked by the size as they walked through it, but Steve and Bucky were excited. The two of them pointed out where the covered porch that would wrap around the house would be, and the attached gazebo where they could sit on warm evenings and watch the sun set.
“You’ll have a wonderful view here.” Steve promised her, his arm hooked around her waist as he held her close, Bucky holding Steve’s other hand. “Sitting room will be right there,” He indicated a place, “And the view might not be as open as the view from the gazebo, but it will still be one of the best views in all of Texas.”
“Second only to the view from the bedroom window.” Bucky grinned, “That one’s going to be higher up, so we can see further, but it’s going to be something to talk about.”
“The view from the kitchen windows will be all right, not as good as the view here, but it’ll give you something to look at when you’re doing work in the kitchen.”
“A feast for the eyes.” Runa smiled, leaning her head against Steve as she looked out at the view they indicated.
“It’ll be a feast for the soul.” Bucky added, giving Steve’s hand a squeeze, which he returned.
“I’m looking forward to sitting there with the two of you and watching the sun set.” Runa smiled. “That’s going to be the best part of the day.”
Steve smiled down at her and she tilted her head back to smile up at him. He bowed his head and gave her a gentle kiss.
“I want some of that too.” Bucky laughed quietly, and Steve drew away from Runa so he could kiss Bucky as well, Runa flushing and her heart fluttering a bit. Steve and Bucky showed affection in front of anyone else so rarely that she felt pleased that they would in front of her. The three of them formed a single unit, and this trust only strengthened the bond.
Then Bucky was drawing away from Steve, giving him a tender smile. He looked to Runa, giving her the same smile as he moved to pull her close, bowing his head to kiss her. Runa gasped against his lips, not expecting that, but within moments she was an eager participant in the kiss, Steve keeping one arm wrapped around Runa, the other around Bucky as he held the two of them close. Runa slipped an arm around Steve, her other around Bucky, while Bucky slipped one arm around Steve and one arm around Runa. The three stood there for some time, mostly just holding one another, though there were more than a few more kisses shared.
The only thing to mar their happiness was their separation at the end of the evening; Runa retiring to the tent that she shared with Iris and Wanda, Steve and Bucky going to their tent. Both men had agreed that there would be no more intimacy until the house was built; if they had been overheard when there had been walls between them and everyone else, the canvas of their tent certainly wouldn’t do a thing to muffle their sounds of pleasure. That didn’t mean that there couldn’t be more kisses and caresses shared, however. After the two stripped to their drawers and were settled into bed they indulged themselves a bit, hands wandering over heated flesh as their lips met in languid kisses.
“Almost doesn’t feel right to kiss you without Runa here.” Steve murmured after several minutes.
Bucky sighed. “I know what you mean. It’s not that it doesn’t feel right for me, it just feels like something’s missing.”
“That’s exactly it.” Steve agreed, glad that Bucky knew what he meant. “I’m looking forward to having you both in bed with me when the house is built.”
“You and me both, Stevie.”
~*~
The next day everyone was up early, people beginning to arrive shortly after breakfast. The Bartons were the first to arrive, though they were far from the last. Runa was amazed at the number of people who arrived to help with the barn raising. Even Reverend Fury arrived with a tool belt, ready to help with the construction.
While the men worked on the barn, the women mostly worked in the makeshift kitchen set up near the springhouse. A great deal of work went into preparing food for so many people, but split among the group of them, it was not nearly as difficult as it would have been if it had been only Iris and Wanda doing the cooking, with help from Happy Sam and Runa. Runa did what she could to help out, which wasn’t much, as most of the lighter tasks had been completed the day before.
There was also some good-natured teasing directed her way, as word had somehow gotten out about the double wide bed that Steve had asked Erik Maximoff to make.
“It’s just that Steve tosses and turns so much.” Runa protested as innocently as she could, not worried about the little lie. “Either we needed a bigger bed, or I was going to have to sleep in a separate bed entirely!”
There was laughter at that, but Laura gave Runa a knowing smile, which made Runa flush.
“Might I ask why you’re building the barn first?” Laura changed the subject to spare Runa any more questions and teasing, “I know you’ve hired men to build your house, but shouldn’t everyone be helping them instead of working on the barn?”
“Oh no.” Runa protested. “The barn is more important than the house, besides which, the house will take a lot longer to build. The house is going to be the last thing we really work on. The crew is working on the bunkhouse first.”
“The bunkhouse?” Laura asked, startled.
“I can survive sleeping in a tent for a few months while everything else is rebuilt. We came to the decision that it would be better to focus on the bunkhouse first, and then the main house. Well. We’re going to build the little house we’re going to build for Bucky’s parents before the main house because that should only take a few days, and then Iris, Wanda, and I will sleep there instead of in a tent until the house is built.”
“You’re building a house for Bucky’s parents?”
Runa nodded. “Once everything is rebuilt, Bucky is going to ask his parents to come out and live on the ranch. He figured his mother would want her own place, so we’re building them a little house set away from the main house. They’ll be close, but have their own space and privacy.”
“And you won’t mind, having his parents close? From what I’ve heard, his parents practically adopted Steve when his mother died. It will be like having a mother in law hovering over you.”
If only you knew, Runa thought with a bit of a smile. “Well, neither Steve or Bucky mind that Titus—Papa—is here. And I doubt that Bucky’s mother is going to hover.”
“Mothers in law can be difficult.” Laura warned.
“I’m trying to hope for the best.” Runa countered. “There are so many things to worry on right now that if I thought about all of the ‘what-ifs’ I would make myself sick.”
“After everything else you’ve been through, we don’t want that, so I’ll hold my tongue.” Laura promised. “I do have to say that you’re looking much better now. After what that man did to you…” She shook her head.
“It’s good to know I’m looking better. I haven’t been able to look at myself in a mirror since that first day when I woke up at Doctor Banner’s.” Runa wrinkled her nose. “I like to think I’m not terribly vain, but I couldn’t stand seeing myself like that. I’m not certain how anyone else could stand to look at me.”
“We were able to look at you because we could see you getting better every day.” Bucky said from behind Runa, causing her to jump almost out of her skin. She spun, wide eyed.
“Don’t startle me like that!”
He laughed, before drawing her close and placing a kiss atop her head. “Sorry, darlin’.”
“What are you doing over here? Dinner isn’t for another hour.” Laura chastised, though she (and everyone else near enough to see) took note of the embrace and kiss.
“I came to stand in the shade a moment and look at some of the prettiest ladies in all of Amaranto Springs.” Bucky gave Laura his most charming smile, “Also, Cooper ran out of lemonade.”
“We’ve got more staying cool in the springhouse. I’ll get it.” Runa smiled, hurrying off. That was something she could do, at least.
Laura looked to Bucky, arching a brow. “Darling?” She asked him quietly.
Bucky grinned at her, not even having the grace to look sheepish. He was too pleased with himself and life in general to be sheepish. “The three of us came to an understanding.” Bucky told her quietly.
“So, you’re not going to run off on us the way you were planning?”
“No, I’m not.” Bucky promised. “I’m going to stay right here for a good long while.”
“Good. We would have missed you.” Laura smiled. “Steve and Runa most of all. You be good to them, James Barnes.”
“Oh, I will. I swear I will.”