by Amber Kelly
My eyes snap open.
Oh my God. Oh my God.
Did I try to seduce Walker last night?
Mortification washes over me as I clearly remember straddling him and asking him to kiss me before he picked me up, set me off of him, and left.
“No, no, no, no,” I say to myself. “Please let that have been a stupid dream.”
I beg my foggy mind to clear and confirm it was just my imagination.
The door to the bathroom opens.
“Shake a leg,” Charlotte calls, and I pull myself together and finish what I was doing.
Once we are dressed, we run down as fast as we can to meet everyone. The hostess leads us to the large table in the back, and everyone is already seated.
“Sorry we’re late,” Charlotte says as we take the empty chairs next to Sophie.
“Yeah, you know, two girls, one bathroom. It takes us a few extra minutes,” I say as I grab the ice water in front of me and down the entire glass in one gulp. I’m so parched.
Emmett eyes me from above his menu and grins.
I avoid eye contact with Walker, who is seated at the opposite end of the table beside Uncle Jefferson and across from Braxton.
The waitress takes our orders and pours us each a cup of coffee.
“How late did you guys stay out last night?” Dallas asks as she passes the sugar to me.
“I don’t know. Late,” I answer.
“We closed the bar down,” Walker confirms.
I lift my eyes to him. He looks perfectly like himself. He’s not giving me any indication that he is annoyed with me. Maybe it was a dream.
I relax a little and add the sugar and a dollop of creamer to my coffee cup. Hopefully, the caffeine will beat back this headache.
“I bet you guys are exhausted,” Braxton muses. “Especially you,” he says as he taps Payne in the ribs with his elbow.
“Damn straight. He deserves a nap or two today,” Charlotte agrees.
“I’m impressed.” Walker applauds.
I look up and catch his eye. He gives me a regretful half-smile.
Oh God, it wasn’t a dream. I want to crawl under the table.
“Enough boasting. You’ll all be on this side of stamina one day—and sooner than you think. Mark my words,” Emmett adds.
Jefferson just shakes his head at our antics. He was young once.
The waitress returns and starts placing plates on the table.
Sophie darts up. “Got to pee,” she half-shouts and takes off running toward the restrooms.
Braxton’s concerned gaze follows her.
Ten minutes later, she returns with a thin sheen of sweat on her brow.
“Are you all right, sweetheart?” Jefferson asks as she sits back down, his face a mask of concern.
“Yes, I’m fine. I just had to pee, and it hit me all of a sudden,” Sophie says in a rush as she reaches for the orange juice glass the waitress left for her.
Dallas props her arms on the table and eyes her suspiciously.
“That’s a mimosa,” Dallas says with a grin as Sophie turns up the glass.
Sophie’s eyes widen, and she slowly spits the juice back into the glass and wipes her mouth.
Everyone stares at her.
“Something wrong with your cocktail, Soph?” Dallas asks innocently.
“Um, it’s too tart?” Sophie answers her question with a question.
“I knew it!” Dallas shouts as she stands.
“Knew what?” Jefferson asks.
“That’s just plain orange juice, and you are pregnant too!” Dallas says with a triumphant smile.
“What? Are you?” Charlotte asks as she stares at her best friend.
Sophie looks at Braxton, who has stopped eating and is grinning at her adoringly.
“I think the cat’s out of the bag,” she says to him.
“It would seem so,” he says with a wink.
Sorry, she mouths to him.
He just smiles bigger and mouths, I love you, back to her.
“How far along are you?” Dallas asks.
“Only about five weeks. We weren’t planning to tell anyone until I was further along. I wanted to wait until we were sure everything was okay, and I went to New York in December, so I could tell Mom in person. Plus, I didn’t want to steal your thunder, Dal,” Sophie explains.
“Steal my thunder? Are you crazy? I love that we get to share this misery—I mean, magical time together. I won’t seem like such a downer when I can’t drink and my feet swell to the size of watermelons and this baby starts using my bladder as a soccer ball as long as I have you complaining too! Besides, this one is going to need a bestie to grow up with,” Dallas says as she lovingly rubs her belly.
Sophie lets out a happy, laughing sob.
“Oh, you two are going to be so much fun when you come to visit,” Charlotte gripes. “One will still be puking every time she smells the slightest odor, and it’s the city, so every ten steps stinks. Both will be peeing every five minutes, and neither will be drinking. The Rockefeller Center Christmas gala should be a blast.”
Dallas tosses a strawberry off her French toast and pings her in the forehead.
“Hey!” Charlotte protests.
“I’ll have you know, I don’t need to drink to be a fun guest. I can’t wait to see all the New York sights and eat all the things,” Dallas informs her.
Charlotte rolls her eyes. “Wonderful. We’ll spend the entire week standing in never-ending lines and wasting money in cheesy souvenir shops. You’ll leave New York like every other tourist—broke and fifteen pounds heavier.”
“That’s right. Fifteen pounds’ worth of bagels, pizza, and cheesecake,” Dallas agrees as she shoves a piece of French toast in her mouth.
Charlotte turns to me. “Help, you have to come with them. I’m not emotionally stable enough to deal with the ever-changing hormones of two pregnant heifers. I’ll need assistance and a drinking buddy. Please?” she pleads.
“I have always wanted to visit New York, but I’ll be here holding down the fort while Sophie is gone,” I inform her.
“Oh come on, that ranch ran on one busted wheel for years. It can survive a week without you two,” she complains.
“December is our slow time of year. I think we can manage,” Uncle Jefferson cuts in, “I wouldn’t want poor Charlotte to have to endure spending time with her best girlfriends all alone.”
“Right?” Charlotte agrees.
“Yes, come with us, Elle. I can book you a seat on our flight,” Sophie encourages.
“Count me in,” I chirp and Charlotte does a little happy dance in her seat.
“Good, now that that’s settled, what about you, old man? You ready to be a granddaddy?” Braxton asks as he slaps Jefferson’s shoulder.
Jefferson brings his wet eyes to his daughter. “Be mighty proud to take on that title,” he chokes out.
“And I’m going to be the best aunt ever!” I chime in.
I look over at my brother. Pride is beaming from his face.
“I’ve sure had the perfect examples,” I say as my vision fills with water.
“Oh jeez, here comes the flood,” Walker says from his seat.
That’s when all of us women give up the fight and burst into tears—great, big, happy tears.
“Got to go. I’ll be in the hotel bar,” Walker says as he pushes his chair back and stands.
“Yeah, I could use a beer myself,” Braxton agrees.
Jefferson, Emmett, Myer, Foster, and Payne stand as well and silently follow them out of the restaurant and into the lobby.
We all cut our watery eyes to Pop, who is still seated.
He shrugs.
“More for me,” he says as he snatches an untouched biscuit from Emmett’s abandoned plate. Then, he looks up at us. “What? I was married to Gram for over fifty years and still live with the two daughters we raised. I ain’t no sissy when it comes to female emotions.”
Then, he looks at Sophie a
doringly. “I can’t wait to be a great-grandpoppy.”
Then, he twirls his fork in the air at all of us. “Carry on,” he says before popping a slice of bacon into his mouth.
Elle
I’m a bundle of nerves all day. I want to retreat to my room and hide under the covers and pretend like last night never happened, but I can’t do that without having to explain why. So, I soldier on and do my best to not let the silent freak-out I am experiencing inside show on the outside.
“What do you think, Elle?” Sophie asks.
Braxton and Walker are two steps ahead of us, walking down the line of fifth-wheels and cattle pots for sale today.
“I’m sorry. What do I think about what?” I ask.
“The fifth-wheel or the triaxle—do you have an opinion on one or the other?” she asks as she gives me a curious look.
I clear my throat. “I like all the extra features the cattle pot has to offer, but I’m not sure the one time of year we take calves to auction warrants the extra cost of it. If the auction doesn’t run too high, then fine, but if it goes too high, I say we try to get the Wilson fifty-three-foot fifth-wheel instead. It’s all we really need for now. I think it would be better to get it and still be able to bring a new baler home than spend our entire budget on the triaxle.”
They all stare at me.
“I agree,” Walker says without taking his eyes from me.
I want to crawl under the straw at our feet.
Sophie sighs. She really wants that cattle pot.
“I guess I agree too,” she says, giving in.
“Sorry,” I say to her. I feel like I let down our sister solidarity.
“No, don’t be. I wanted your honesty, and you gave it to me. That’s what I need,” she says.
We take our seat in the bleachers and wait for the auction to begin.
Sophie runs to the restroom while Braxton goes to grab her a soda and some crackers to settle her stomach.
“I guess the stench of the sale barn is not really helping with the morning sickness,” I muse out loud.
“So, you’re talking to me now. Does that mean you’re going to stop pretending like I don’t exist today?” Walker asks.
“You’re not the one I’m wishing didn’t exist today,” I say as I stare at my feet.
“Elle, look at me.”
I shake my head and keep my eyes down.
“Elowyn Marie Young, look at me,” he demands.
I bring my eyes to his.
“Get out of that pretty head of yours.”
I take a deep breath. “I’m sorry about—” I start.
“You don’t have anything to be sorry about. We had a good time at the bar last night. We shared an even better moment when we got back to the hotel. That’s all that happened—one fucking sweet, private moment that’s ours and ours alone. There are no apologies needed. No embarrassment necessary. We don’t have to rehash it, and you can stop with that avoidance shit right now.” He takes his finger and lifts my chin. “You got me?”
“I got you,” I whisper.
“I’m sorry I can’t be that guy. I tried once a long time ago and it ended badly. I decided then that I was done with trying to be something I’m not. I’m not husband or father material, hell I’m not even boyfriend material. You deserve someone who can be everything for you not just one night of drunken sex,” he explains.
I know all about his past. I overheard a conversation between Gram and Aunt Madeline when he first started at the ranch. I was just a little girl and didn’t quite understood it all, but I talked to Aunt Doreen about it years later after Jefferson came in ranting one morning because Walker was late for work again. I asked why Uncle Jefferson kept putting up with his antics when he wouldn’t tolerate it from anyone else. She told me his story and I’ve kept it close to the vest. It’s his story and not anyone else’s to discuss. I just don’t get why he is still beating himself up over what happened. He was young and reckless but when his girlfriend needed him he stepped up. Nothing that came after that was any of his fault. Could he still be in love with her all these years later? Surely not. Then again, I’ve never been in love before, so I have no idea how hard it is to fall out of love. I guess some pain is just harder to let go of than others.
He slides his thumb up and rubs it across my bottom lip, pulling me from my thoughts, and I can remember the feel of his mouth on mine. His eyes focus on his hand and the trail of his thumb, and I know he is remembering too.
“Walker?” I call his name, and he looks up. “It was a really good kiss.”
“Yeah,” he whispers.
Sophie skips up to us at that moment.
He drops his hold from me and focuses on her, the spark between us instantly extinguished.
“How do you go from puking to skipping in less than ten minutes?” Walker asks her.
“I have no idea. It’s all so weird, right?” she asks.
“Super weird,” Walker agrees.
“It’s not weird. It’s just new and wonderful, and this phase doesn’t last forever,” I encourage her.
“I want to enjoy every single moment, no matter what it is. I don’t want to rush any of it.”
“You say that now. Bet you’re singing a different tune in about three months,” Walker tells her.
“Shut up.” I punch him in the shoulder.
“Ow, woman. I’m just speaking the truth. Fifteen minutes ago, she said she wanted honesty,” he complains.
And all is right in the world again—for now anyway.
“You sure you don’t want to go with us?” Charlotte asks me for the tenth time.
Everyone is going back out to The Dusty Boot.
“I’m sure. I think I had more inebriated fun than I could handle last night. I barely lasted today. I think it’s going to be a cookie-and-chick-flick detox party in the hotel for me tonight.”
“Girl, you are the youngest one of us all. You should be able to party circles around us,” she points out.
“I guess my youth can’t stand up to that decade of tolerance you all have on me.”
She shakes her head. “Lightweight.” She takes one last look in the mirror and grabs her clutch. “I’ll probably stay out all night again, but I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Have fun,” I say as I wave her off.
I call down to room service for a batch of warm chocolate chip cookies and search the hotel’s movie guide.
My phone starts to chirp on the desk, so I grab it and tap the screen. It’s a text from Walker.
Are you hiding, woman?
I type out and erase my reply a few times.
Maybe I should just ignore it.
I see the dots, Elle.
Grr.
I type out another response.
No.
I hit Send and wait.
So, you staying in is not about me?
Nope.
Are you sure?
Yep.
One-worded responses are not convincing me, Elowyn.
I love it when he calls me by my full name. It was my mother’s middle name. No one ever uses it but him and sometimes Braxton if he’s cross with me.
I don’t know what you want me to say. I’m tired and still hungover, and I just want to relax and not be around people. Any people, not just you. Go have fun and let me wallow.
He doesn’t send another message.
When room service knocks at the door, I click my phone off. Then, a batch of cookies and I enjoy the rest of our night.
Walker
“I can’t believe we let you women talk us into this place again,” I grumble as we park our asses at the same table we had last night.
“It’s close, the drinks are good, and the dance floor is huge,” Dallas responds.
“There has to be a dive bar around here with pool tables and cheap draft,” I complain.
“You’re not in Poplar Falls, Walker Reid. Drink a fancy beer and chat up a scantily dressed, barely legal coed and liv
e a little,” Charlotte instructs.
“I’m not interested in any of these intoxicated messes,” I retort.
Everyone stops and looks at me.
“What?” I snap.
“Since when are you not interested in cute party girls with questionable morals?” Myer asks.
“Yeah, what’s gotten into you lately? First, you turn Sherry down the other night because you had to get up early, and now, you’re complaining about being in a place literally crammed with hot, willing women. Are you feeling okay?” Payne teases.
“Maybe he’s tired of those kinds of women. Maybe he is starting to want more,” Sophie defends me, and something tells me she knows what woman has me preoccupied at the moment.
There’s no way Elle said anything to her. She was too mortified to look me in the eye most of the day. I don’t see her confiding in Sophie.
“Walker, wanting more?” Payne laughs and nudges me in the side. “You hear that, buddy?”
“Yeah, I heard her.” I look at Sophie and say, “Nope, sweetheart, someone like me doesn’t want more.”
She raises an eyebrow in question. “And who is someone like you?”
I give a humorless laugh. “A selfish SOB who prefers variety over quality, of course,” I answer.
“Hmm,” is her only response as she contemplates me.
I decide it’s time for a fancy beer … or ten.
I stand. “Going to the bar. Who wants what?” I ask.
Two hours, six beers, and four shots of tequila later, and I’m on the dance floor with a hot blonde clinging to me like shit on a shovel. Braxton and Sophie bailed about fifteen minutes ago, but Dallas has surprisingly hung in there. She and Charlotte are currently in line for the mechanical bull, Charlotte riding and Dallas heckling her and taking the incriminating photographs. Myer, Payne, and Foster are holding the table down.
“How long are you in town?” my dance partner asks.
She smells of sweat and heavy perfume.
“Leaving tomorrow afternoon.”
She pouts. “Boo, so soon?”
“Yeah, darlin’, I’m only in town for the auction. I’ve got to get back to work.”
