14. Joined the Club

14

JOINED THE CLUB

BLAKE

T he energy flowed between the three of us in the car on the way to Love Ranch, laughing, talking, holding hands—like a real family, as River said. We dropped Lucky off at my house first. River ran through the entire place with him, before helping me feed and put the dog in his crate for the night.

All of us under my roof, even for these few moments, gave me a vision of what things could be like someday. I built this house for a family, but lost hope when my ex pulled the crap she did. Then the house sat nearly empty too long with only my grumpy ass in it. But very soon, things might work out where my new family fills it.

We piled back into the new car and drove next door to the Love Ranch. “Tracy decided this year to host her Halloween party here, since Cody Love held his first ever Harvest Festival. From what I hear in town, it’s been a huge hit with families in the area.”

I couldn’t be happier for him. His family and this ranch had been through some tough times. With Charles Montgomery’s investment in Cody and the place, and with some fresh ideas, the future appeared optimistic.

“So, tell me about your sisters. What are they like?” Olivia asked.

“First of all, you don’t have to worry. They’ll really like you. Second, they’re funny, can be loud at times, but they’re also hard workers.”

“Are they married with kids?”

“Not yet. Hartlyn has been dating Cody Love, though, off and on for a few years. I try not to get too deep into the details, but honestly, I don’t see why they haven’t married yet.”

“And Chloe?”

“She’s been career-driven from the start. A true entrepreneur. I think her latest endeavor is a bridal shop she’s opening up in the new year. Not sure what it would take for her to settle down.”

“What do I call them?” River shouted from the back. This new found family of ours would take some getting used to for him, I imagined.

“How about Aunt Hart, and Aunt Chloe.” He repeated both names after me. “Actually, you also have a grandmother.”

“Another one?”

“Yep, my mother is your grandmother. I’m not sure what she’ll have you call her yet. We’ll play that by ear, but she doesn’t live here. She’s in Nashville. Although I would assume after today, my sisters will tell her all about you, River. We should probably expect a visit from her soon.”

“And… Your father? What about him?” Olivia dropped her voice.

I took a minute before answering. “My father was my hero.”

“Hey, you’re my hero, too,” River piped up from the back seat.

“Yep. You can always count on me, buddy.” I reached behind and gave his leg a shake. “My dad would have loved you—both. He was a firefighter but passed away in the line of duty several years ago. He inspired me to follow in his footsteps. So that’s how I ended up doing what I do.”

“Can I be a fireman? I want to drive the big red truck with the tall ladder on top.” River could do no wrong in my book today.

“You bet, buddy. How about your family, Olivia? Tell me about all these brothers of yours.” She visibly tensed, her hands adjusting her grip tighter on the wheel. “Oh—turn up here, under the arch, sweet pea.”

The Love Ranch sign sat high above the road in an archway, a simple wooden sign with the letters and the Love Ranch brand burned into it. We arrived at the parking lot too soon, ending our conversation. But I hoped to dig back into it later. I wanted to know everything about the woman who was very easily stealing my heart.

“Hey,” I grabbed her before she could hop out of the vehicle. “Don’t look now, River, but I’m going to kiss your mom again.”

We both peered at him in the back seat and laughed when he covered his eyes with his palms.

“Just a peck,” she said, with a quick kiss to the lips. That’d have to do me for now.

Once inside, we played a few games here and there, like pumpkin bowling and rubber duck races, before finding the party area. Tracy, in her usual spirit, had decorated the reserved space, almost as if she were hosting her own Harvest festival within the festival.

Her parties in the past were always fun and interesting. But I came stag, usually the outlier without kids or a spouse. This time, though, completely differed as I walked in hand-in-hand with Olivia and River, in our matching family of Chilly, Tilly and Billy costumes, feeling like I became a new member of a special club of couples.

To say all eyes landed upon us would be an understatement. Leave it to my sisters to make the most commotion about it.

“Oh. My. God.” They screamed in unison, practically harmonizing.

Bear hugs ensued, the kind where they sort of danced around in a circle while keeping me in their claws. Both admonished me for being so distant lately.

“I wouldn’t call it distance, but more like distracted.” I took up Olivia’s hand again, bringing the back of it to my lips. Then I leaned over and picked up my son.

“Are you going to introduce us? Who do you have with you today?” Hartlyn glowed, giddy with excitement, while Chloe was like a firecracker, ready to burst as soon as I made the announcement.

I cleared my throat and spoke in a loud voice for all to hear, because it wasn’t just my siblings curiosity I needed to address.

“Everybody, let me introduce you to River, my son. ” Some gasps reached my ears. As a conservative town, some of the older folks might have issue with the order of things as they had transpired between us. Their opinion mattered little. “And this is Livvie Carlson, his mother. Yes. River is mine, because she and I met several years ago. And I couldn’t be prouder than to show both of them off to you today, because they have become the most important people in my life.” I introduced her as Livvie because I liked keeping her name as Olivia all to myself.

My sisters’ reactions were priceless, with a combined chorus of “Awwww. We’re finally aunties.”

“Welcome to the family, y’all. River, I’m Auntie Hartlyn and aren’t you the cutest thing? I think you have your father’s coloring with that hair of yours,” She started with him first, and bashfully, he held on tight to Olivia’s thigh.

“And Livvie, welcome. Any woman who thinks she can tame our brother is fine by me. Let me know when you want the inside scoop about all the ways you can really bug the crap out of him.”

“Yep. Because you’re the expert in that,” I grumbled, letting a little of my old grouch back in. She playfully slapped my arm.

Chloe got down to his level on one knee. “River, I’m Auntie Chloe, and guess what? I bake wedding cakes and cookies for a living, among other things. Christmas is coming up soon, so we’ll have to get together and bake cookies for Santa, okay?”

“Okay.” River opened up more to her; the cookie bribe worked. No doubt, my two sisters would be forever vying for the honor of best aunt.

“Hi Livvie, so nice to meet you. You’re gorgeous. Look at all the beautiful, blonde hair.” Chloe fussed over her.

“Thank you. I’m so glad to meet you both.”

“Now, how soon can we get together? We want more time with you all,” Chloe said.

“And I’m the first one who gets to babysit.” Hartlyn interjected. The two of them squabbled over it for a minute, but I had a better idea.

“Tell you what. Olivia is test driving a new car, and we have to get it back to the dealer tonight. After the party today, would the two of you be available to take River to dinner?” I winked and squeezed Olivia’s hand when she questioned me without words.

“Sure, that’d be great.” Chloe answered without hesitation.

“I was hoping to corral Cody for a night alone, but as usual he came up with a list of things he has to do after the Festival closes tonight. So I’m free, too.” Hartlyn shrugged. From things she’d said in the past, this had been an ongoing struggle between them as Cody took over the ranch. Poor guy seemed pulled in fifty directions.

I crouched down to River’s level. “Would you like that, buddy? Your aunts can take you to Walker’s diner, where they have chocolate chip pancakes bigger than your head.” His eyes got big, nodding. “My treat. That way, you can all become acquainted.”

He peered up at them, and I figured he’d latch onto his mom again, but then he broke into a huge smile. Things were working out in my favor.

Five minutes later, plans were set. The two of them had to go help Cody with something, being the ones he counted on the most throughout the entire Harvest Festival run. But they’d catch up to us later.

Kipp and Tracy approached next, giving a warm welcome to Olivia. They were the first to marry among my group of friends, so I always felt like she considered herself the matriarch of any new girlfriends and wives that came along. She ran a group of moms at the local park who dubbed themselves the Park Posse. She extended an invitation to Olivia and River to join them one afternoon for playing with the Posse. I laughed, as if this was the peak moment where if Tracy accepted them, they they’d arrived among Kissing Springs elite.

I waved at Andrew and Jayne across the way and he waved back. I didn’t see Robbie, Dillon, or Charles here. Other friends and family approached us, though, making introductions and wishing us well. Eventually, we ate and played more games with River. Finally, while he jumped in a bounce house, Olivia took me aside. “I didn’t want to say anything in front of your sisters, but I thought you said we had the new car for three days?”

“We do, sweet pea. But remember what I said about time? I want more of it with you, and I saw an opportunity and put it out there.” I dropped my voice lower into her ear. “Now, you and I can be alone. In my house. In my bed.”

She blushed, her chest heaving. Was that jumping in too fast?

“Or we could simply hold hands and kiss on my porch swing, enjoying the evening together.”

“I think you know we’ll be doing more than rocking on the porch. You’re a smart man, Blake Wilson.”