Chapter 22

Ichat with Kinsley and Fenix as London’s band sets up their equipment on the stage. Our little sister Vera is selling pinwheels and sparklers at the local plant nursery booth that’s close to the entrance. I gave her a hug and said hello before I met up with the family. She’s growing up.

I”ve barely seen her since she graduated high school last month, but I”ve also been working nights, so it doesn’t surprise me much.

When London spots us staring, she waves and smiles as she adjusts the microphone on the stand and checks her guitar strap. She's wearing rhinestone boots, cut-off jeans, and a tank top. Her long brown hair is down in beach curls, but it’s braided out of her face. Tonight, The Heartbreakers are the main entertainment for the celebration and will begin their set list in an hour.

My sister will be famous one day, winning awards and singing in packed stadiums. Her talent is like no other, but her drive is where she shines. At age five, she was playing piano and guitar, and our mom put her in singing lessons soon after. She's a natural.

I could never.

Hayden walks over wearing a Main Street Books t-shirt, and Kinsley immediately excuses herself, greeting him with kisses.

“Hey, y”all,” Hayden offers, pulling Kinsley into him. They hold a silent conversation, and then he brings his attention back to us. “We”re gonna grab a snow cone. Want anything?”

“Nah,” I say, and Fenix shakes her head.

“You’re missing out,” Kinsley says, looping her fingers in his, and they walk away.

Fenix pulls a bottle of wine and two plastic cups from her purse. I chuckle. “You came prepared.”

“It’s gonna be a long night of seeing everyone with the love of their life,” Fenix says. We used to be grumpy about love together. “How have things been with you?”

I meet her eyes and smile. “Amazing. And you?”

“Great,” she says, removing the cork of the sweet red.

I know when she's lying.

Fenix has been different since she returned from college, giving up her barrel racing scholarship a year before graduation. She was a state champ, winning trophies, leveling up, and now she never rides. Beckett has begged her to train at his barn, but she's ignored every request.

However, she shouldn’t. She's a better rider than Beckett and Harrison combined.

“You’re not great,” I say, calling it out because no one else is. The only people who kept me honest were my older siblings, so I’ll do the same for her.

She pours a cup full and hands me one before doing the same to the other. “You’re right, but what can we do about it? No pouting,” she says, forcing a smile. “Cheers.”

Something happened when she was in school, but she’s given some bullshit reason that she was burnt out and tired of competing. I searched her name online because she was well known, and I found nothing. She doesn’t need to ride for the college team to be successful. My sister can win championships on her own. It’s why she was recruited and given hella scholarships.

“Will you ride again?” I ask, glancing at her.

“Will you?” she throws back.

“You know it hasn’t been the same since Majesty.” It’s different. Her baby is still alive and well. But I know the only exercise her racing horse gets is when Harrison works him weekly. Otherwise, he’d be out of shape. My brother refuses to let that happen.

“Well, things haven’t been the same for me, either,” she admits. “I’m not ready.”

“Will you ever be?” I ask.

“I don’t know.”

I pat her hand. But I also understand everything has an expiration date, especially the secrets we think we’ll keep.

“Just tell me, was there someone?”

She ignores my question, pretending like I didn’t ask. When I mention it, she never answers, and I hope one day she will. I”ve seen that look on my face because I wore that hollow mask for years.

I change the subject. “Anyway, thanks for the wine.”

“Anytime,” she says.

We sit on a blanket and pick petals from wildflowers like we did as kids. When I pluck the last one, I whisper, “He loves me.”

Fenix laughs. “I think you’re right about that.”

I glance at her, but she's looking past me. Cash walks across the grass with his eyes locked on me. Warmth floods through me when I see he's wearing that hat just for me. Damn.

“Mm,” I say out loud, not realizing.

“Oh wow, so that’s where you are in this relationship,” she says, bumping her body against mine. It’s real happiness.

I blush. “I’m no longer hiding us.”

“Finally,” she whispers, giddy.

I lift a brow at her. “I’m fucking scared.”

“Don’t be,” she hisses. “This is going to be good. About damn time.”

“Cash,” Mom says as soon as he's close. She sets down her metal cup full of lemonade, and I’m positive it’s spiked. She and Kathy, Lexi”s mom, have been at it all day, talking about everything under the damn sun.

Dad has had his nose stuck in a book since I arrived, ignoring the world. He loves reading those old Westerns, the ones with the real cowboys in them.

My eyes don’t leave Cash’s as he walks past me and goes straight to my mom and dad. I watch how they interact with one another and how they pull him into tight hugs. They”ve always acted like this, like he's already a part of the family, maybe because they knew he was my perfect match.

Everyone has been waiting for me.

“Did you know they”ve had coffee once a week since January?” I ask Fenix.

“Seriously?” she asks. “That’s sneaky.”

“I think our parents like him better than me,” I admit with a smile.

“Me too,” she adds.

Cash glances over at me, and my heart flutters.

Warmth floats in the air, along with unspoken words. Everything around us plays out in slow motions as his eyes slide up and down my body. I lick my lips, hoping he knows what he does to me.

“If you had denied him, I think I would’ve tried to shoot my shot,” Fenix says, drinking her wine.

“Oh, I’m not letting that man go,” I say, smiling.

“Don’t,” she tells me with another shoulder bump, then we chuckle.

This is love. This is happiness.

Beckett carries lawn chairs and an iced chest, and Summer is beside him chatting. Behind them, Harrison is twirling Grace around, singing something. Grace's head is thrown back as she laughs, and he steals kisses from her, then pretends to bite her neck like a vampire. They’re adorable together, and my brother loves her so damn much. I think we always knew they”d be together, even if they pretended like they were just friends for way too long.

When I turn my head, Colt walks toward us, eating an ice cream cone. He's gotten a lot of sun since the last time I saw him. Once he's close, he sits on the blanket with me and Fenix.

“How”s the house going?” I ask.

“Great,” he says, licking the cone.

I look at my twin. “Keep it up, and I will post you doing that online.”

Laughter erupts out of him. “Yeah, gonna make me a thirst trap like Emmett?”

“Gross,” Fenix says, and I love we can be winos together, or at least until Haley arrives.

“What about me?” Emmett says from behind us. I smile up at him, not realizing he’d arrived.

“Little brother. You’re a thirst trap,” I say.

He laughs, knowing it, and then his expression shifts. If I didn’t know better, I”d say he’d just fallen in love. I stand up to see who he's looking at and see Haley typing on her phone.

Seconds later, I get a text message.

Haley

Is your brother literally eye fucking me right now?

I burstout laughing and focus on him.

Remi

I”d say yes.

“Are you eye fucking my friend?”I ask him directly.

“Excuse me?” Emmett turns to me, his tattoos on full display. I see mountains, stars, and coyotes.

“I asked if you were eye fucking my friend.”

“You have a problem with that?” he asks.

“I have a problem with your reputation. Don’t be a fuck boy with her,” I say. “Anyone else but Haley.”

He narrows his eyes. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Emmett.”

I don’t like the smile that spreads over his lips.

“I’m serious,” I warn.

“Emmett!” Mom says with Kathy next to her, and he nearly jumps out of his skin. “Come here.”

When he walks away, I turn to Colt. “Was he always a dick like that?”

“Yes,” Fenix answers. “He's always been like that.”

“It’s always the quiet ones,” Haley says when she's close. “That’s the ones you have to worry about.”

My brother is zeroed in on her, and I shake my head at him.

“He's going to hurt you,” I tell her.

“Good,” she whispers and laughs. “I’ll hurt him back.”

My mouth falls open. “You’re serious.”

“I give more than I take, always. I’ll destroy him.” She takes her ChapStick from her tote bag and presses it against her plump lips as she glances his way. “He better watch his ass.”

She turns back to me, and I no longer see the woman who was crying about being broken up with during our single-girl era. No, I see a woman who’s searching for revenge against men.

“Well. My money is on her,” Colt says, sitting back on his elbow, glancing at me and Fenix. “Anyone want to take that bet?”

“Nope,” I say, and Fenix shakes her head.

“Okay, so we’re all betting on Haley. Got it.” Colt finishes his ice cream and then turns his attention to me. “You should stop by and check out the house in about two weeks. I think it will be in a great place then. At this rate, I think I’ll finish it by the end of the year.”

“That’s incredible,” I say. “I thought you said twelve months.”

“I’m highly motivated by progress,” he admits. “It feels good to fix up the old place.”

“Who are we missing?” Mom hollers, and I can smell the brisket.

“Sterling,” Fenix answers, pulling her wine from her bag. “Want some wine?”

Colt makes a face at her. “It won’t mix with my peach ice cream.”

Haley sits down beside her and takes a cup. The three of them start a conversation about something, but I’m lost in watching Cash laughing and showing his perfect smile.

Randomly, his eyes flick in my direction, and I see a smirk on his lips. I get lost in memories of us, wishing he was next to me right now.

“I’ll take some more,” I say, and Fenix fills me up.

I grow giddy, which can only mean one thing: I’m heading down a dangerous road where my tongue is loose, and I have no fucks to give. “Uh-oh,” I say.

“I feel it too,” Fenix admits. “This stuff is solid, like moonshine. Thankfully, I have two more bottles.”

“Fenix,” I say.

“Liquid courage for tonight.” She raises her glass, and Colt shakes his head.

The drummer of the first band warms up. After the microphone check and introductions, they start with a few patriotic songs. Soon, they move on to a few country, two-stepping favorites, classics everyone knows.

Moments later, I feel someone hovering over me. My eyes trail from his feet and shorts, up his teal-colored shirt, to Cash’s eyes that look blue today.

“Dance with me,” he says with a boyish grin.

“Me?” I ask, meeting his gaze with brows raised. I down the rest of my wine and hand Fenix the empty cup.

He holds out his hand, and I take it. Cash pulls me with more force than I expected, and I crash into his muscular chest. Butterflies flutter when he steadies me against him.

“Mm. You sure look good tonight, Valentine.” His voice is in a low rasp, a growl almost, and he says it loud enough for me to hear.

“You do, too,” I whisper, knowing my entire family is around us, but I tune them out.

“Nervous?” he asks, grinning, spinning me around.

“A little,” I admit, but I’m loving this so damn much. I’m sure it’s strange for anyone watching us, and it might seem like our relationship went from zero to one hundred. The truth is it took us years to get here.

“Don’t be,” he whispers in my ear. “All my give-a-fucks are on a road trip. I’m living in my delulu era with you. Join me. It’s fun here.” He urges me forward. The string lights hanging above light the dance floor, and he looks like a dream.

“Kiss me,” I whisper, my eyes fluttering closed.

“Is that what you want?”

Our mouths hover an inch apart, and I wonder if he won’t. Just as I feel him move forward to capture my lips, we”re interrupted.

My eyes bolt open, and I glare at Beckett, who”s standing too close for comfort.

“Sorry to cut in,” my brother says, and I can hear his attitude.

I hate it when he gets like this. We can’t have this confrontation right here. I don’t want the attention.

With narrowed eyes, I glare at Beckett, and Cash creates space, realizing people are watching. The two of them hold a feral but silent conversation.

My heart races, and Cash speaks up as I open my mouth to say something. “I’ll be back.”

I watch him walk away.

Beckett takes my hand and we two-step around the dance floor.

“Why did you do that?”

“You have something to say to me?” He's being firm and direct, and I don’t like it when he becomes that older asshole brother without apology. His tongue is sharp as a sword, and his words will cut through me.

“I–I–” I find it hard to look into his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

I peel away from my brother. “Actually, I’m not sorry. I won’t apologize.”

“Excuse me?” As he glares at me, my blood pumps faster. “You should be.”

“For what, exactly? What did I do wrong?”

He takes a step forward. “What didn’t you do, Remi?”

“I know I should”ve told you sooner, Beckett. I’m in love with Cash. We’re together.”

“Oh, I knew that,” Beckett says. “Took you seven years and five days to finally admit that to me and yourself.”

“Wait, what do you mean you knew? You were counting?”

“Cash told me years ago. What took you so fucking long?”

“What?”

“He waited for you, and you nearly destroyed him.”