Sunshine and Rain (City Limits Book 2)

by M. Mabie

  My back never touched the ground, I held on so tight. It was sweaty and exhilarating and more carnal than I’d ever known possible. Every time I moaned he gave me more, until colorful explosions framed my vision and he was all I could feel.

  When we were finished, he kissed my breasts and my stomach as we listened to the music and storm outside.

  My hands in his hair, I worried if we were going too fast. If I wasn’t getting too attached too soon because of my age and my new desire to settle down. I wondered how long I’d have to wait until he wanted the same things, and if I had that kind of time to spare.

  He wasn’t just the kind of guy I wanted in my future, he was becoming the exact one. The only one I could see there.

  “We won’t be gone long, buddy,” I told Andy outside on my porch as I waited for Sunny that Friday afternoon. He sat beside me on the floor. His leg tapped rapidly against the wooden floor, sounding like a Tommy Gun firing when I found that spot he liked behind his ear.

  I’d teased her on the phone the day before about how long it took her to get ready. Then, when I’d gotten back to my truck, I’d heard her play Brad Paisley’s “Waitin’ On a Woman” and knew it had been her way of telling me to shut up.

  Message received.

  That afternoon was beautiful, and I enjoyed an ice cold Bay Brewing Beer—which was one of the only things I’d missed about being in the city. Don’t get me wrong, I liked any beer if it was cold and in front of me, but there was something about their Honeybee Ale that I loved.

  So, all in all, I was perfectly content—or as content as I could be.

  I would have been lying if I said I wasn’t the slightest bit anxious to just get there already. The extra time I had, sitting there with Andy, only let my imagination run and come up with all kinds of shit that might happen, but it wasn’t going to stop me.

  I was proud to be with her. I’d never been more proud of anything else in my life, I was certain. No first place finish. No sense of accomplishment had ever compared to how it felt every time she asked me for a kiss.

  I knew what I had and didn’t give a good goddamn who cared. Although, I didn’t really think anyone did.

  That was the mindset I’d told myself to adopt that afternoon.

  I looked at my phone to check the time again. It hadn’t been that long. Besides, it had been my idea that she came over to shower together anyway. I doubted showering with her would ever be novel for me. Selfish as it was, it was worth it.

  Every day I spent with her offered something unexpected.

  I learned new things I never would have guessed about her. Her hatred for mosquitos was uncanny, and the amount of bug spray I’d ingested couldn’t have been good for me, but I’d sacrifice my health as long as she wanted me to.

  Also, Sunny Wilbanks was part camel. Always thirsty. I believe one day she went through more than two gallons of sweet tea. She, alone, could have kept Lipton in business.

  She wore makeup and fixed her hair every morning, and usually again in the evening. I wouldn’t call her high maintenance, because she never seemed to take herself too seriously. She told me looking her best gave her confidence and that she wanted to give me her best.

  In my opinion, there was something so damn hot about the way she looked straight from the shower that I liked most. Just her. No artificial colors or pigments. One hundred percent pure Sunny.

  And, on most days, she was a whirlwind. I was just lucky to be swept up in her sweet breeze.

  She studied me, too, and I’d answered more questions about myself than ever before in my life. Hell, the bank didn’t even need to know that much about me when they gave me the loan for the farmhouse.

  If it wasn’t why sometimes I wore underwear and sometimes I didn’t, it was if my truck had a name or who was the first girl I’d kissed—which was a little later than most guys, but when I reminded her who I’d been chasing she let me off easy.

  She wasn’t necessarily vain about herself, but had me flexing every time she thought about it. At first it was weird, but I’ll be damned if it didn’t turn her on. So much so that I found myself doing it in front of her without her request. Especially when I was ready to get down to business.

  Who knew the best pick up line I ever could have used was a wordless bicep flex? I wish I would have known sooner. Damn hindsight.

  She had a way of making me laugh, and I think—for my benefit—she walked right into all of my lame jokes. I wasn’t naturally all that funny, but her wit rubbed off. Listening to her laugh on repeat forever was damn good motivation to improve.

  As she walked onto the porch, she unexpectedly stole my breath again. I was a fool to think that would ever stop.

  Makeup or none.

  Howling with laughter or whispering things to me before she fell asleep.

  The frown in her brow before her first cup of coffee or showing off the twinkle in her eye after she’d dressed up for me.

  It didn’t matter. I loved every page in her book. Even the blank ones.

  “You look good,” I said and rubbed a hand over my mouth to wipe off my stupid grin. Sometimes they were hard to keep to myself. My poker face was becoming a thing of the past.

  “You look good, too,” she replied and came to sit on my lap in the middle of the swing where I was stretched out. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

  She didn’t look too worried, but there was a sweet challenge written all over her face.

  “I’m ready. Are you ready?” I countered.

  Shrugging, she asked, “What do I have to be ready for? I hang out with them all the time.” Her fingers picked a dog hair off my shoulder and she blew it away, not looking me in the eyes.

  I didn’t believe her.

  I pried, “So?”

  “I mean, if I were meeting all of your friends, then I’d have a reason to be nervous.” Her fingers played with the short, freshly cut hairs at the back of my neck. Her eyes still averting mine.

  “Are your friends assholes?” I asked, dodging to catch her line of sight. She gave up and her innocent blue eyes batted my way as she gave me a phony smile. “Sometimes?”

  “Sometimes?” I repeated, taken aback.

  “I mean they’re good people, but they have big mouths. You know Darrell O’Fallon. He says whatever the hell he wants.” Her brows pinched in the middle, honest body language revealing the tension she felt.

  Darrell being Darrell was nothing new. He was a card, but he was a decent guy, too.

  Once, I was a little short some cash at the store when buying Sunny flowers, and he fronted me the money then had me mow the grass at his shop to work it off. O’Fallon was a good old boy.

  “I’m not worried,” I assured her. They could hit me with their best shots. I didn’t care. I just hoped they didn’t tease her too much for being with me.

  She leaned forward and kissed my top lip, I held still and let her. When I didn’t react, she doubled down, running her tongue over my bottom lip. The way she was distracting me made me wonder if she wasn’t more anxious than I’d originally thought.

  I also knew if I let her keep going, I’d fall prey to it and we’d never leave.

  “Sunshine, I’d love nothing more than to lift that cute little skirt you’re wearing and see how strong the anchor bolts are on this swing, but we have plans.”

  She exhaled and pressed her lips against me like we were saying goodbye for the night, as if it might be a while until she got to do it again.

  “Fine,” she gave in. “Take your panther to town.” She stood and pulled me up with her.

  “Panther?”

  “I’m a panther,” she explained like it was common knowledge.

  I wasn’t sure what she meant, but that happened sometimes, too. So, I went along with it and took my panther to town.

  From the middle of my truck, she messed with the radio as I drove us to the other side of Wynne.

  We passed Stan from the store going down a side street on the way to the Renf
ros’. Instead of the standard few finger steering wheel wave, I received a thumbs up. I gave him one back. Those steaks made one of my all-time fantasies come to life that night at WDKR. After thinking about that, I shot both my thumbs at him.

  I had to remind myself to not call Hannah Mutt. That nickname always seemed wrong to me anyway, but after you do things for so long it’s hard to stop.

  Then again, things moved on—changed—and I hoped everyone else remembered that, too.

  I parked the truck on the street then lifted the cooler and chairs out of the back as a guy walked out to us.

  “Hey, Vaughn,” Sunny said.

  “Hi. You guys need a hand?”

  She looked at what we already had, and since it was everything we brought, said, “No. We’re good. I don’t think you guys know each other, though. Vaughn, this is…” Her eyes met mine. She took a breath then continued, “…my boyfriend, Rhett. Rhett, this is my best friend’s husband, Vaughn.”

  She laughed though it sounded weak, and Vaughn laughed at her good-naturedly. “It’s good to meet you. Let me take those. Everyone is around back.”

  I handed him the bag chairs, even though I could manage, and said, “Thanks for having us over. I hear a lot about y’all.”

  Sunny walked ahead and went straight into the house. I followed Vaughn.

  “We hear a lot about you, too.”

  Darrell and Dean were carrying a picnic table out of the garage and walking it to the backyard as we rounded the house.

  “How’s the baby?” I asked, knowing they were new parents and I was genuinely curious. That little girl was second only to me in the gallery on Sunny’s phone.

  “She’s great. Finally getting into a sleeping schedule, which turns out is the biggest life goal I’ve ever had. She’s getting fat and that’s a good thing. Smiling more. She’s the Queen around here.” He set up the chairs and beamed as he talked about his daughter. Then he waved and added, “But you probably don’t want to hear about all of that.”

  It didn’t bother me. I was never a guy who didn’t have plans for kids. I think it’s in a farmer’s DNA to want at least a few extra hands around. Besides, my family was close. Regardless of how it looked between my mom and my sister that summer, the four of us had always been tight. A family of my own was always something I’d planned for.

  “I don’t mind. Sunny loves her, and I see a lot of pictures.”

  “Sunny does love her,” he agreed. “And she’s good with Sawyer.”

  “I bet she is,” I agreed.

  Even though I’d never seen her with a child in her arms, it wasn’t hard to imagine. She had a way with everyone. Why would a baby be any different?

  I knew a bit of Vaughn and Hannah’s history, so I made small talk. “I hear you got to drive the Astro Van for a while.” My arm plunged into the icy water in my cooler, searching for another Honeybee Ale and waited for him to stop laughing.

  “Yeah, it came in handy, but it sucked.”

  “Oh, I know. My senior year we tried to take it for a joyride, but it died in the middle of the street in front of their garage.” I popped the top of the bottle and put the cap in my pocket.

  Vaughn leaned against the rail of his back deck steps. “That doesn’t surprise me. It’s a beast.”

  “Who do we have here?” I heard Darrell ask behind me, and I turned to greet him.

  He was wearing a t-shirt that said World’s Okayest Grandpa, a pair of Hawaiian shorts, and his legs were as white as December snow. Honestly, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen him in anything except bib overalls.

  I chuckled, then walked out on a ledge and jumped first. “Hey, Darrell. I’ve never seen you in your church clothes before. You clean up nice.”

  The goofy smile he wore almost fell off his face as he feigned offense, clutching his chest.

  “That really hurts. You’re cranky, Caraway. My sweet baby granddaughter is in there taking a nap, why don’t you go join her. You could use it.”

  I wasn’t offended. I’d all but asked for it. I wanted to get the jokes out of the way before Sunny was around, or at least test the waters.

  I smiled and Darrell did, too. Then he held out a hand for me to shake. I took it and he laughed.

  “I just have to shake the hand of the man who can stand Sunny for more than a few hours at a time. Boy, how are you not brain-dead yet?”

  Who said I wasn’t? But I wouldn’t have changed a thing.

  “Oh, I manage.”

  He slapped me on the back. “I’m sure you do, Rhett. I’m sure you do. And good for you.”

  Sunny came out a few minutes later, but only to make sure I was okay, which I was. She didn’t say anything, but she pointed a take no shit finger at Darrell—even though it wasn’t warranted. She was looking out for me, and I kind of liked it.

  All of us guys hung out in the backyard and tossed bags while the ladies hung out in the kitchen listening to a baby monitor.

  I had to pee, and although Dean and Darrell didn’t mind going behind the garage, I was trying to give a good impression. A public piss on my first trip to town probably wouldn’t do.

  As I got to the top of the porch I overheard them talking and slowed before I reached for the door.

  “I just don’t think I can do it,” Sunny said, her voice hushed.

  I froze, hating that I was eavesdropping, but needing to hear first what it was she couldn’t do.

  “Well, if it doesn’t feel right, then don’t,” her friend advised.

  Then, as much as I wanted to know, I didn’t.

  I walked in the screen door and wrangled the stubborn thing shut. When I turned around, I saw Sunny eating salsa by the chip full, but Hannah was gone.

  “Caught ya,” I said and acted like my chest wasn’t hurting, but it was. I had no idea what they’d been talking about, but it felt like it was about us.

  No matter what the topic though, I hated hearing that whatever it was, she didn’t believe she could do it.

  Her mouth was full, but she answered, “This is my first one.”

  Yeah, right.

  She seemed fine as she smiled at me, but there was something inside my gut telling me something was up.

  Distracted for the minute from my worrisome thoughts, and only feet inside the kitchen, I looked around the house. It hadn’t looked that big from the outside.

  She smiled as I checked it all out. “It’s nice, isn’t it?”

  I remembered the old house back when it was the Robinsons’ place and falling apart. It looked brand new now.

  “I love this island,” she said and smoothed her hand over the granite or marble. I didn’t know the difference.

  “Is this what you’d want?” I asked, stepping closer to her. We’d only been together for little over a month, but I couldn’t help but hope when the house was done she’d think about moving into it with me. Although I’d never directly brought up the topic before, I was taking a chance.

  “I don’t know,” she answered. Up on her toes, she wrapped her arms around my shoulders. “What do you mean?”

  I pressed a hand to her back to steady her. “Well, I am building a house. So guess I’ll need you to help me pick stuff out this winter.” That seemed like the safest way to put it. Much safer than, “I’m building us a house to grow old in. When are you moving in?”

  Even with the tamed down answer I gave her, her puzzled expression kind of surprised me.

  “Are you serious?” she asked.

  I laughed. “Yeah. I’m dead serious. I don’t even know what kind of countertop that is. I’ll need help, and I want you to help me.”

  Her face turned serious, which didn’t happen too often. I hoped I hadn’t said something wrong, but it was the truth. And, honestly, it was really watered down.

  “I could help you, I guess,” she said, but something wasn’t right. She wasn’t looking at my face anymore.

  “Spit it out.”

  Her arms fell from my neck, and she bac
ked up a step. “I mean, that’s kind of serious. Don’t you think?”

  “Well, I’m serious about you, and I’m serious about the house. Yeah, I guess it’s serious all around.” I kept my voice light, but the subject was anything but.

  “Doesn’t that freak you out?” she asked, sounding freaked out herself. “Are you ready for something like that?”

  I wasn’t really sure where this was coming from. She didn’t seem angry, but she was getting worked up.

  She reached for another chip on the counter and plunged it into the dip. “I mean, don’t you want to see what’s out there? Go out and party and live it up for a while?”

  I tipped my head in her direction. “If you’re going with me, I do. Guess I don’t know what you’re getting at.”

  If she had a problem, I wanted her to come out with it. I didn’t like her assuming I had one when I didn’t.

  She looked around, probably wanting to make sure no one was listening, and popped the chip into her mouth. We hadn’t fought yet, but I expected we would eventually. Although, I never guessed it would be there and about countertops—or about some bullshit about what she thought I wanted.

  I didn’t want to fight with her, though. I recognized that immediately and was almost thankful Hannah came back into the room with a wide-eyed little girl.

  Sunny and I both took a step away from each other and she went to take Sawyer from her mom.

  “Did you have a good nap?” she asked, using a much more pleasing tone than she had with me.

  The little girl looked around the room and when she found her mom’s face, she kept her eyes trained on her as best she could.

  Hannah kissed her daughter’s forehead then loaded her arms up with plates and things.

  “I can take some of that on my way back out. I’m headed to the bathroom.”

  “Thank God there’s at least one man around here who doesn’t pee on my garage,” Hannah teased and tipped her head to the left toward the front of the house gesturing down the hall where I’d find the restroom. “Do you mind grabbing those buns and this when you head back out, Rhett?” She bumped into a basket of plastic silverware as she made her way out the back.