Chapter 3
THREE
INDY
The Raven’s busy tonight. I guess with the rodeo rolling in soon, people need relief from all the prepping and maintenancing, or whatever.
I figure that’s why Lucy called and requested our meet up.
Spencer and Heath are already here, dancing on the worn wooden dance floor like the lovesick men they are. I’m happy for them, genuinely.
Am I jealous? Insanely.
Goldspur Ridge seems like a big town, with all the ranches and whatnot, but really, it’s as small town as it gets.
Complete with our own little main strip, which houses one post office, the sheriff’s office, a tiny courthouse, Maxine’s Diner–which Lucy’s Mawmaw owns–a hardware store, and another restaurant that’s turned over so many times I’m not sure what the latest cuisine is.
Sure we have other shops for odds and ends, but if you need anything outside of that, well, you either order online and wait about a week for it to arrive, or you drive into the big city about an hour away.
“A beer, for the lady,” Lucy slides the glass across the table to me, and hops up onto the stool beside me.
Snorting, I roll my eyes, “You’re feeling mighty fine tonight, ain’t ya?”
“I can’t remember a time I’ve felt any better,” she smiles, eyes traveling the space to where Reese is speaking with her Uncle Scott, who happens to own The Rowdy Raven.
“Mhmm,” I smirk and lower my voice to add, “I’d be feelin’ pretty good too, if I just got fucked six ways to Sunday.”
Lucy nearly chokes on her own beer, and gapes at me.
I shrug and murmur, “You smell like sex.”
Red in the cheeks, she composes herself, sits up a little straighter and smiles wide as she can.
“I’m happy for you, Buttercup.” And I am, she deserves her happily ever after, just like I do mine.
However, there aren’t many options here for me.
Unfortunately, being a lesbian in a small town doesn’t give me many options.
Though, I like to think one day, someone gorgeous will walk my way in here, and it’ll be love at first sight.
“How’s the summer camp comin’ along?” She asks, her blue eyes back on me.
“Really good,” I tell her, swallowing down a sip of the cool beer. “Thank you again, I don’t know if Mama and Papa would’a made it through another bad summer.”
Her hand closes around mine, hugging the mug of beer. “I’m so happy we pulled it off, and that we’re able to do it again this year!”
“Oh yeah, have you gotten your next ranch picked out already?”
“We have it narrowed down to The Watts, or The Solomons.” She laughs as my face betrays my thoughts. “What, the Solomons are nice.”
“Sure they are, but their kid?” My whole body shivers just thinking about their little girl.
Lucy laughs, leaning back on her stool and leaning her head back. “I still can’t believe she bit you.”
“It’s not funny!” Holding in my laughter is harder than it should be. “Okay, it’s a little funny now. But when it happened it wasn’t! That girl is feral, I swear.”
Reese walks over, smiling wide and looking between the two of us. “The Solomon’s little girl?” He guesses.
We burst into laughter all over again, and he shakes his head, sliding into the stool beside Lucy. His hand wraps around her hip as he settles as close to her as he can get. Her cheeks brighten, and impossibly, her smile widens.
“I was just asking Goose here about the camp,” she says, using the nickname she gave me in grade school, and looking up at him from where she’s nestled.
“And? How are the renovations going?”
“They’re almost complete, and Papa says most of the counselors have checked in and confirmed their dates to be here.
I know you keep telling me to stop, but…
Thank you again for hosting the fundraiser, it saved my whole life.
” Tipping my glass his way, he knocks his against it and takes a large gulp.
“Do you need any extra hands before everyone shows up?” Lucy asks.
“You know I hate askin’, and I’ve been keeping on top of everythin’, but it still feels like I’m missin’ somethin’,” I admit, though it doesn’t feel like a defeat.
“How many times do I have to remind you that you didn’t ask,” she mumbles something under her breath that sounds a lot like ‘you never fuckin’ ask’, before she finishes with, “I offered. I’ll come over first thing Monday and we’ll go around the cabins to make sure.”
She’s always the first one to offer help, and God knows I’ll need it. With the summer fully booked between the summer camp, daily horse rides, and keeping my bees well taken care of, it’ll take me from sun up to sun down to get everything squeezed into one day.
“Text me before you head my way,” I tell her, draining the last of my beer and sliding off the stool. “I’ve got to head out, Papa’s got an early morning tomorrow with the farrier, and I said I’d be there.”
Lucy hops off her stool and wraps her arms around my neck, “Text me when you get home.”
“Of course,” I chuckle, shaking my head and tipping my hat to Reese. “Have a good night y’all.”
Smiling at Scott and LuAnna on my way out, they both nod their heads and continue on doing their thing.
My truck’s parked near the side of the building, out of the way for out-of-towners to park.
She’s the first thing I bought and paid for myself, with money I earned selling honey, eggs, and working at the diner with Lucy.
Her deep green paint could use a wash, but she’s sturdy and most importantly, mine.
The sky’s turned to a deep navy, with a lazy blue still hovering near the dirt that twilight often hangs onto. Lifting my face, I see all the speckles of white dotting the sky, and I can’t help but close my eyes and wish as one shoots across the heavens.
One day. One. Day. I’ll have a love of my own.