Second Chance at Sunflower Ranch

by Carolyn Brown

“Nope,” she told him. “Tonight, I want a coconut cream.”

  He whipped his head around and locked gazes with her. “I can’t believe you made up your mind for only one flavor.”

  “I’ve had either blue coconut or coconut cream for twenty years. They remind me of you,” she admitted.

  “This is my first snow cone since I left home, and, honey, everything reminded me of you,” he said. “They used to serve them in cone shapes. I wonder when they started using paper cups?”

  “They haven’t used those cone things in years,” she said. “What I wonder is why did we waste all those years?”

  “Nothing is wasted life,” he answered. “Everything we’ve been through has brought us to this day. I like the adults we’ve become even better than the kids we were.”

  “When you put it that way, it makes sense. God or Fate or Destiny was preparing us for something better on down the road.” Addy did a quick look back over the years and realized in that moment that she and Jesse might not have made a relationship work when they were young, but now they just might do so.

  * * *

  “The barn is gone,” Jesse groaned when he drove up to the spot where the old building had been. “I thought that thing was so old, it had petrified and would be here for another hundred years.”

  “I was looking forward to climbing up in the loft and watching the stars while we finished these snow cones,” Addy said.

  Jesse opened the truck door to find there was a nice breeze blowing. “The stars are still there even if the barn has been torn down. We’ll get a much better view from the bed of my truck. I’ve got an emergency quilt we can lay on under the backseat. Maybe we’ll see a falling star, and we can make a wish on it.”

  Addy didn’t wait on him to help her out of the vehicle but met him at the backside of the truck with a snow cone in each hand. “You always travel with a quilt?”

  “Yep, but it’s been washed after the baby event.” He spread it out in the bed of the truck, took the snow cones from her and set them on the tailgate, then helped her up.

  They sat with their backs against the cab, and just as Jesse took his last bite of snow cone, he pointed up at the sky. “There goes one. What are we going to wish for?”

  “You saw it first, so you get to wish,” Addy told him.

  “I wish for years and years of happiness right here in Honey Grove,” he said.

  “You stole my thunder,” she replied.

  Jesse wasn’t at all surprised that they would want the same thing.

  Knowing her as well as you do, the voice inside his head said, sounding a lot like Frankie’s, are you going to get bored with her and wish you were back in the life with me and the boys? If she really loves you, she would be willing to come to Miami with you.

  Jesse slowly shook his head. She’s not the problem, my friend. I don’t want to go back to that life, and even if I did, my family, and that includes Addy and Mia, are more important to me than the thrill that dangerous adventures would bring.

  He slid over closer to Addy and wrapped her up in his arms and breathed in the sweet coconut fragrance of her hair. “It’s your hair,” he blurted out.

  “What’s my hair?” she asked.

  “You’ve always used shampoo that smells like coconut. The snow cones leave a taste in my mouth like the scent of your hair leaves in my nose. That’s what I like about that flavor,” he said.

  “That may be the most romantic thing a guy has ever said to me,” she said.

  Jesse tipped up her chin with his fist and kissed her—long, lingering, and passionately. “I’ve wanted to do that all evening,” he said when the kiss ended.

  She drew his mouth down to hers for another kiss, and when that one ended, they were both panting. “I’ve wanted to do that all evening, too. Matter of fact, I wanted to kiss you like that a lot of the times when we were out here as kids.” She shifted her weight until she was sitting in his lap, and her lips were on his again.

  Jesse had never wanted a woman so much that his whole body ached with desire, or that his heart had pounded so hard. His hands found their way up under her shirt, and her skin was like silk to his touch. He massaged her back while she undid the buttons on his shirt, one at a time, stopping to run her hands over his chest after she unfastened each one.

  “You’re killin’ me,” he gasped.

  “What do you think you’re doing to me?” she whispered in his ear.

  “Are we going to do this right here in the bed of my truck?” he asked.

  “What’s wrong with this place? The stars are above us, and there goes another shooting one.” Her lips found his again.

  When that round of kisses ended, he said, “I’d thought of something far more romantic than this for our first time.”

  “This is our second time, and there’s no place more romantic than this.” She smiled.

  Jesse didn’t argue but simply enjoyed every minute of having Addy back in his arms, of feeling her naked body next to his, of the complete satisfaction of making love to her with his whole body, heart and soul. Then he wrapped the quilt around them, sealing them inside as if they were in a cocoon and all the world had disappeared.

  “I like the idea of it being just us under the stars,” he whispered.

  Addy’s soft breathing said volumes. She had drifted off to sleep in his arms, trusting him out there in the wide-open spaces to protect her. He buried his face in her hair and closed his eyes, planning to rest them for only a few minutes.

  At midnight a distant ringing woke him. Thinking it was the alarm clock beside his bed, he reached over to slap it, only to find that Addy had her phone in her hand.

  “Hello,” she said in a groggy voice. “We’ll be home in a few minutes. We had snow cones, and we came out to our old party stomping grounds, and both of us fell asleep.”

  He could hear Mia’s voice saying that she was worried when she came home and her mother wasn’t in her bedroom.

  “You’re out past curfew, too, darlin’ girl,” Addy noted.

  “I’m a grown woman,” Mia raised her voice.

  “So am I. We’ll be home in five minutes. Don’t wait up for me,” Addy said. “The snow cone was delicious, by the way.”

  “I will wait up. I worry about you,” Mia said.

  “See you in a few then,” Addy said and ended the call.

  “Busted!” Jesse chuckled.

  “I didn’t lie. The snow cone was delicious, and what came after it was amazing. Now, I suppose we’d better get dressed and go home. I don’t think we can both use one quilt like a sarong.” She placed her palms on his chest and leaned in for a kiss.

  Her touch warmed his whole body and made him want another round of passionate sex—no, that wasn’t right—he wanted to make love to her again. There was a vast difference in a roll in the sheets and making love, and what he and Addy had was definitely the latter.

  Chapter Twenty

  Addy hummed as she got ready for the day on Wednesday morning. She and Jesse had made love out there in a pasture with the moon and stars looking down on them. She hadn’t thought of anything during those hours but his arms around her and his skin touching hers, and it had been absolutely amazing. She was still humming an old country song by Wynonna Judd, “Mama He’s Crazy,” when she made it to the kitchen.

  “You’re in a good mood this morning,” Pearl said.

  “Yes, I am, and I hope nothing spoils it, but I’ve got a feeling this baby shower tonight could, so I intend to love my good mood all day.” Addy got the bacon out of the fridge and a cast iron skillet from the pantry.

  “I imagine the gossip will be in full force by tonight, but there will be questions, I’m sure,” Pearl chuckled.

  “Phone already been ringing?” Addy asked as the skillet heated up.

  “First thing this morning,” Sonny piped up from his place at the table. “Rumors spread faster than the speed of light in a small town. What happened to cause all this?”

  Ad
dy told them about Lylah and Vivien eavesdropping in the Walmart store. “We said just enough that they know Jesse is Mia’s father.” She went on to tell Pearl that she had taken full responsibility for Jesse not knowing. “That should take the heat off him so folks don’t think he’s been a horrible person.”

  “You done good, girl.” Pearl smiled.

  “Yes, you did.” Sonny laid his paper aside.

  “I hope so, but I bet there’ll be some whispers at the baby shower tonight,” Addy said.

  “I’m sure there will be, and I bet since y’all were buying baby clothes that those two gossipin’ women think one or both of you are expecting a baby. Lylah and Vivien are going to look a little foolish when they find out that neither of my girls are pregnant,” Sonny commented and went back to his newspaper.

  “Good mornin’.” Jesse pushed his way into the kitchen.

  “You’re mighty chipper, son.” Sonny looked up over the top of his paper this time.

  Jesse filled a mug with coffee and then carried the pot to the table to top off his dad’s cup. “Yes, I am. I had a job offer from my old Air Force teammate yesterday. He offered me a six-figure salary and a big benefit package to work with him and my team in private security. I turned him down because this place right here is where my heart is, so I am happy and chipper this morning. I’ve figured out where I want to be for the rest of my life, and I’m at peace with the decision.”

  “Good for you,” Sonny said.

  Pearl stopped what she was doing and hugged Jesse. “I’m so glad to hear that. I would never want any of my boys to be here unless their heart was in ranching.”

  “Well, mine is,” Jesse said.

  “Yours is what?” Mia asked as she entered the room by the back door and went straight for the coffeepot.

  “My heart is right here on this ranch, and I’m not leaving,” he answered.

  Mia poured a mugful of coffee, added sugar and cream, and took a sip. “That’s good to know after that phone call you got yesterday. Did you and Mama discuss Frankie’s offer over your snow cones last night? And did Mama get a coconut cream like she always does? She never changes her flavor.”

  “We did and she did, and I got the same kind.” Jesse smiled.

  “Y’all are getting old.” Mia yawned. “I got up early and did the alpaca feeding and got their troughs cleaned and refilled. It’s amazing how dirty that water can get in only a day.”

  “Ranchin’ is never done,” Sonny said. “It’s kind of like a relationship. You’ve got to work at it constantly.”

  “You got that right,” Addy said.

  * * *

  Just as she had thought, the minute that Addy and Pearl walked into the fellowship hall that evening after a short Wednesday night Bible study, the buzz of conversation ceased.

  “Hello, everyone,” Pearl said. “This party is not about Addison or Mia or even me and Sonny tonight. This is Gloria Sue’s party to celebrate the birth of her new baby daughter, who will be here in about a month. So let’s get the rumors settled and let it be her night. To begin with, Mia is indeed Jesse’s daughter. He didn’t know until he retired from the service. Addy probably deserves a crown for having the best-kept secret for the past twenty years. To end with, neither Addy nor Mia are pregnant. They were buying presents for this shower last night when Lylah and Vivien overheard them talking. Now that’s settled, let’s let Gloria Sue open her presents and enjoy this event.”

  “I don’t believe you,” Lylah whispered when Addy sat down right beside her.

  “What’s that old saying?” Addy pretended to be thinking. “Oh, I remember: Believe nothing you hear and only half of what you see.”

  “If Mia is having my grandchild, I will get grandparent’s rights. I’ve already talked to a lawyer about Justine’s kid and asked for a DNA test,” Lylah continued to whisper.

  “Be careful,” Addy told her in a low voice. “You could wind up supporting that little guy for eighteen years or else visiting your son in jail if he doesn’t pay support. She told you that she didn’t want anything from you or your son.”

  “He’s not Ricky’s kid. I’m just proving it,” Lylah said.

  “If he is, you could be out thousands and thousands of dollars in child support, plus lawyer fees, so be sure this is what you want, and not revenge,” Addy said and raised her voice. “Oh, look at that cute little romper. It will be perfect for the new baby girl.”

  “Maybe Jesse should ask for a DNA test since you were so secretive about things,” Lylah hissed through clenched teeth.

  “Now, you are getting into none-of-your-business territory, and honey, you don’t want to go there.” Addy smiled sweetly.

  Lylah got up and moved to the other side of the room. Vivien followed right behind her like a little puppy dog.

  The gifts had all been opened and displayed on a table, and the hostesses were serving refreshments when Addy’s phone vibrated. She fished it out of the pocket of her flowing gauze skirt, expecting it to be Mia, but it was Jesse.

  “Hello, I thought you might be Mia.” She stepped out into the hallway, where it was quieter.

  “I’m in the ambulance with Dad. He collapsed. He’s awake, but he can’t say a word,” Jesse whispered. “Bring Mama straight to the hospital in Bonham, please, Addy.”

  “We’re on our way. Hang in there. We’ll be right behind you,” Addy said. “Jesse, this is a side effect of that trial drug. Grady will know what to do. Ask for him when you get there.”

  “How do you know that?” Jesse asked.

  “I studied every aspect of those drugs before Sonny started taking them. See you in a few minutes.” She ended the call and crossed the room to where Pearl was talking to a couple of the hostesses. “We’ve got to go right now,” she whispered in Pearl’s ear.

  “Is it Sonny?” Pearl asked.

  “Yes, but let’s just leave quietly so there’s not a lot of drama,” Addy said.

  Pearl picked up her purse. Addy did the same and they slipped out the side door.

  “What’s happened?” Pearl asked, breathless and paler than Addy had ever seen her. “Is Sonny okay?”

  “Jesse’s on the way with him to the hospital. Sounds like he’s got stroke symptoms, probably from that trial drug he’s been taking.” Addy worked hard to stay calm and matter-of-fact as she got behind the wheel of her car.

  Pearl clasped her hands in her lap. “Will he be okay?”

  “If it’s just a side effect of the drug, he should be okay once it’s out of his system. We’ll know more as soon as Grady has had a chance to check him out.” Addy hated not to have better news, but she also didn’t want to make any false promises.

  Addy got out of town and onto the highway and drove ten miles over the speed limit the whole way to the hospital. When she got there, she braked in front of the emergency room doors, but Pearl didn’t get out of the SUV.

  “Addy, I can’t go in there alone. I’m strong, but when it comes to Sonny, I can’t imagine life without him. If it was a stroke, and he didn’t make it, I don’t want to be alone. Jesse will be in there. I know that, but I’ll have to suck it up and be brave for him and his brothers when they come home. I need you there to give me the strength to do that. Go on and park, and we’ll go inside together.” Pearl wiped tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand.

  “If that’s what you want.” Addy swallowed hard and drove to the parking lot. She thought about calling Mia but decided against it—not until she knew more about his condition.

  Pearl opened the door as soon as Addy parked the vehicle. “I’m ready now. I might not like the news, but with you by my side right there at first, I can handle it.”

  Addy tossed the keys in her purse and walked beside Pearl. The automatic doors slid open, and Jesse met them in the middle of the waiting room floor. He wrapped one arm around his mother and the other around Addy. “Grady’s back there with him now, but he said that you can go be with him, Mama. Dad still can’t talk, but he w
rote your name on a piece of paper. I figured you’d be getting here about now, so I stepped out to talk to y’all.”

  “One at a time?” Pearl held her hands tightly together.

  Addy could feel Pearl’s anxiety and sense of doom. “Can I go stand outside the door?”

  Jesse shook his head and nodded toward the left. “Only one at a time goes through those doors right there. Mama, he wants you.”

  Addy gave her a quick hug and whispered, “It’s all right. Jesse and I are both right here. If he needs a shoulder, I’ve got two, and Sonny will understand if you aren’t strong.”

  “Thank you.” Pearl straightened her shoulders, took a deep breath, and marched through the doors leading back into the emergency room.

  Jesse collapsed into a chair, propped his elbows on his knees, and put his head in his hands. “I’m so scared, Addy. He was coming from the kitchen to the living room and he just fell on the floor. By the time I got to him, his eyes were wide, and he couldn’t speak. I just knew it was a stroke, but Grady says he thinks it’s the side effects of his medicine. What if he’s wrong?”

  Addy sat down in the chair right next to him and wrapped him up in her arms. “I should have told you all the side effects so you would have been prepared for something like this when you were alone with him. This is the very first one listed.”

  “Thank you for being here,” he muttered.

  “I wouldn’t be anywhere else,” she said. “Have you called Cody and Lucas just in case it’s not his meds causing this?” She hated to even say the words out loud, but if she were one of the other two sons, she would want to know what was going on with her parents.

  “Grady said it wasn’t a time to call in the family, but I did anyway. Cody was in London for a fundraising event and said he’d catch the next plane to the States. Couldn’t get a hold of Lucas. He’s somewhere in France training some horses for a multibillionaire, and the phone service isn’t good,” Jesse answered.

  Grady pushed through the doors and stopped in front of Addy and Jesse. Addy dropped one arm but kept the other one around Jesse’s shoulders.