Chapter 18
Baylor
Sleep wears off slowly. In the first conscious moments of the morning, I reach across the bed to pull Lauralee to me.
Cold sheets. Empty. Shit.
Fuck.
She’s long gone.
Sitting up, I scrub my hand over my face and roll out of bed. And like every morning shower, I have a plan in place before I’m drying off. I’ll check the shop downstairs first, and if she’s not there, I’ll head out to the festival and help her set up.
By the time I’m dressed, I get a text from Beckett from Tagger’s phone number: Dad said barrel racing at 1 p.m.
He isn’t asking me specifically, but your nephew texts with that much context for only one reason. I reply: I’ll see you at 1.
The quick emoji wearing a cowboy hat in response leaves me smiling as I slide the door to the apartment open, wi th sneakers on my feet and my head bereft of a cowboy hat.
Used to be that this town would eat you alive if you showed up to the peach festival without the standard gear, and I forgot to grab them yesterday when I was out there.
So I text my sister: Do you mind bringing my boots and a hat out to the festival for me later?
I stare at the phone for a minute, but when she doesn’t reply, I shove it in my back pocket and grab my wallet to get going.
I step out of the apartment to find the parking lot full of vehicles.
Not sure what’s going on, I decide to walk instead of drive to the front of Peaches Sundries.
I’m met with hordes of people lining the sidewalks on both sides of the street, a sea of peach in both directions. “The parade,” I grumble to myself.
I’d forgotten about it, though I rode the floats every year in high school. Before that, the kids would chase them and collect the candy they threw. My memories of this event have always been good, but I’m quick to turn on it when it’s keeping me from my Shortcake.
I say hi to a few folks I recognize or vice versa while walking to the store. The bell chimes like it always does when I enter, but Lauralee does not greet me. I don’t even recognize this kid. “Welcome to Peaches,” she says. “Can I get you a peach cupcake or a breakfast sandwich?”
Tempting.
Since I won’t be of any use on an empty stomach, I order the sandwich to go and make myself a coffee from the machines by the cola. When I return to the counter, she has it wrapped up, and says, “That will be seven fifty-three with the coffee.”
I tap my card and try to act casual with the inquiry. “I’m a friend of Lauralee’s. ”
“Oh,” she says, her expression brightening. “Well, you came at the right time. She should be coming by here any minute. You should catch her out front.”
Nodding, I take the sandwich and coffee, and say, “Thanks,” before heading back outside. I eat, occasionally looking both ways to see if I can spy her coming down the sidewalk, with no luck. It takes most of the sandwich and me finishing my coffee before it occurs to me.
My Shortcake is a beauty queen, a former Miss Peach Festival, to be exact.
I’d almost forgotten since I wasn’t around back then.
But I’ve seen the photo and remember my mom updating me about what was going on with everyone, including my sister’s friend.
I shouldn’t be surprised she’s going to be on a float.
She’s earned the spot. But she didn’t tell me. Wonder why that is?
“Hey, Bay.” I turn to see my sister hurrying down the sidewalk, kids in tow. Beck’s eyes light up as he races toward me, and I ruffle his hair a bit as he laughs and steps away.
“I didn’t know you were coming to the parade,” I say, kneeling when Daisy runs in my direction too. It’s then I notice the boots in my sister’s hand. My boots. Turning my attention back to the little spitfire, I toss her up into the air. “How are you, Daisy girl?”
“Bay Bay.” She takes the hat off her own head to put it on mine, pushing down until she covers my eyes. She finds it hysterical. I find her cute as all get-out.
I lift it to smile at her. Those big blue eyes shine, reminding me of my mom’s.
Daisy favors my sister in appearance over Tagger, but Christine looks so much like my mom that it’s hard not to feel a little tightening in the chest when looking at her.
My mom would have been an incredible grandmother to these kids. “Is that funny? ”
She nods but quickly gets distracted when the band rounds the corner onto Main Street.
Beckett stands at my side like always, but my sister says, “I brought you a shirt as well. Figured you could get by in your city jeans, but you need a proper western shirt to go with that hat and boots.” She hands me the shirt that had been draped over her arm.
When I examine it, nothing is familiar about it, though I like it. “This isn’t from my closet.”
“I took it from Tagger’s. You guys look about the same size.
” Glancing back, she says, “If you’re quick, you can be back here before the final float turns the corner.
” I can’t tell if she knows something more than she’s saying, mainly that Lauralee and I are .
. . what are we? Sleeping together, in a relationship, or?
I’m not sure, but when I look at her face, I think my sister is warning me, so I don’t miss this.
“Thanks. I’ll go change.”
I go back to the apartment and change into my pearl-button short-sleeved western shirt and boots. Topping my head with my summer cowboy hat, I’m back before I’m even missed. “You should get some candy, Beck.”
He looks at my sister, who is quick to say, “Go on. Have some fun. We’ll be right here.”
When he takes off running, another kid launches from a nearby lawn chair, calling his name. They slap their hands together in a high five, then scramble for candy on the sides of the vehicles together.
I say, “What do you think about him coming out to visit me this summer?”
She looks a little surprised, but then she smiles. “He’d love more time with you, and I know he sometimes misses New York. He talks about the pizza.” She shakes her head in laughter. “He really misses the pizza. ”
Daisy has wrangled both of us to hold her hand, but I know she can’t see a damn thing down there. I lift her onto my shoulders so she can view the parade fully.
Christine says, “I’ll talk to Tagger, but I think it would be good for him. His mom has been coming to Austin or San Antonio when she flies in from Paris. So he’s not been in the past few years.”
“Just a few days,” I say, “but I think it would be fun to have that one-on-one time with him.”
She points in the distance. “Look, Daisy, it’s Leelee.”
My attention is caught the moment I see her on that giant pink-and-white float. Her hair is down around her shoulders under a sparkling tiara. Wearing an emerald-green fitted gown that almost outsparkles the tiara, she’s fucking stunning.
Daisy claps her hands together and squeals, “Princess Leelee.”
“Yeah, she looks just like a princess,” Christine says.
“She didn’t tell me she was in the parade,” I mention as the float gets closer.
“A parade couldn’t be put on one year.” She looks up at me, and whispers, “The town had no money for it. So they’re a year behind. The new Peach Queen is crowned by the ten-year anniversary queen. That’s Lauralee this year.”
It’s the moment her eyes find mine in the crowd, the smile that blooms before my very eyes that has my heart thumping in my chest. I wave to her like the others, and when she winks, I know it’s for me. She waves with both hands to Daisy, who bounces in excitement. “Leelee,” she shouts.
Christine steps around the front of me after they pass. Reaching up for Daisy, I lift her and pass her daughter into her arms. “She looked beautiful. Don’t you think, Baylor? ”
She always does, but I’m not sure what to say that won’t put her on the scent of something more going on. So I reply, “Yeah. Sure. Beck said you’ll be at the rodeo at one?”
“I want to catch the barrel racing.” My sister was the best when she participated. “Do you want to meet us there?”
“I’ll be there.”
Standing on her tiptoes, she says, “As soon as I find Beckett, we’re going back to the ranch.
We came out for the parade, but we’ll need naps before tackling the activities this afternoon.
Dad and Tag are wrapping up duties with a few of the ranch hands before everyone takes the rest of the day off.
I also need to make sure they’re drinking enough water today. It’s a hot one.”
“Sure is. Hey, thanks for bringing the hat and gear.”
“Anytime.” She laughs. “Can’t have you looking like a city slicker now, can we?”
“Come here,” I say, wrapping her and her growing belly, and Daisy up in my arms to hug them both at once. I kiss both their heads and hold them. Not for long because it’s too hot out here for that, but long enough for her to wrap her free arm around me, too. “I love you, Pris.”
“That’s your one freebie with that name.”
I chuckle. “So feisty.” When I release them, I’m not released in turn.
Instead, she holds me, tucking her head to my chest, and whispers, “I love you, big brother.”
Griffin and I were close in age, and as brothers, we were friends.
I never appreciated my sister as much as I should have.
The past few years, since my mom’s death, her running the ranch and then marrying my best friend have managed to bring us closer.
I appreciate the second chance she gave me to make amends for leaving her to pick up the pieces when I couldn’t.
And Griffin barely made it back to the funeral before he too k off again.
Same goes for our little sister’s wedding.
I don’t hear from him nearly enough, but I’m to blame for not reaching out more, either. I want to be here for my family as much as I can.
When she steps back, she takes a deep breath.
I swear those are tears forming in the inner corners of her eyes, but she laughs it off and rolls her eyes.
“It’s always good to have you back.” She starts walking backward and away from me down the sidewalk.
“Maybe you need to consider staying here for good one day.”
“It’s always on my mind,” I lie. It wasn’t until Tagger moved here, I should say.
Over the past month, after spending time with Lauralee, I have also had that thought pop in and out a few times.
I can’t give her hope when it’s just not a possibility with my job, and how I’m growing my career.
Speaking of . . . “Hey, what do you think about a New York-style pizzeria downtown?”
She laughs. “Beckett and Tagger would eat you out of your profits. But I like the way you’re thinking, Bay.” She turns to go, cupping her hand to the side of her mouth, and calling, “We’re over here, Beckett.” He runs to her side, excitedly showing her all the candy he collected.
Having visions of my own kids running to show me how much candy they scored isn’t something I expected, but I’m not upset by them. I even start smiling to myself as I walk to the apartment to wait for Shortcake since she’ll need to change before leaving again.
When I enter the place, I hang the key on the hook and drop my hat on the counter. Sitting on the couch, I don’t need any entertainment. My mind is in overdrive thinking about what Christine said. Is Peachtree Pass somewhere I’d want to settle?
When Tagger and I left for colle ge on a football scholarship, neither of us had any intention of returning to this small town.
We wanted the opposite. Excitement. Energy.
An office job over working outside. Working a ranch, a farm, and even the orchard is never-ending labor. It’s everything we were escaping.
We were never looking back. Until he did. Becoming a dad changed his mind, his views on life, and how he wanted to raise his kid. I’m sure my sister complicated things, like she always does, but the story goes he fell in love the moment they saw each other again.
I’m not a dad, but the rest of the story seems to be aligning with mine and Lauralee’s. Coincidence or fate? Are we both doomed or graced with the chance to move back and have another start in this life that could lead to happiness?
The door opens, causing me to stand. When she walks in, she smiles as soon as she sees me. “Hey there, stud.”
“Hi.” I wipe my hands down the sides of my jeans.
Suddenly, I’m having thoughts of being greeted by that smile when I come home in the evenings.
I shake my head to clear what’s not real and appreciate what’s right in front of me.
“I think I’m the luckiest guy in Greene County.
” I slide my hands around her waist and kiss her neck.
“Oh yeah?” I’m not used to laying my emotions out on a platter to be examined, but I will for her so she knows I’m trying. If anyone else had asked, I wouldn’t be making the effort.
Lauralee is different.
I haven’t been able to pinpoint why I’ve felt so comfortable and at ease sharing a side of myself that I usually don’t.
Now I know. It’s not just because we’re having sex, though that’s fucking fantastic.
She holds me accountable for what I’m saying.
No bu llshit lines will work on her. She wants the truth, and she returns the favor.
I have no doubt the same would go for my actions.
I’ve gotten away with a lot in my dating life, but know I won’t with Lauralee. Why do I find that so appealing? I don’t want to disappoint her.
My feet aren’t held to the fire, but my heart feels like it is.
I’m starting to think I’m past falling and have already fallen.
If my mom were here for me to confide in, which I used to be able to do whenever I needed her, she’d tell me the same.
Then she’d tell me not to blow it because Lauralee is one of the good ones and worth making the effort.
“What made you say that, Baylor?” she asks because I’m an asshole for keeping her waiting.
“I was so close to saying something about you being a beauty queen, but I don’t want to.” Raising one hand to caress the side of her neck, I say, “I’m the luckiest guy because I was the one who got to be here when you walked through that door.”
No bullshit.
Just the God’s honest truth.