Chapter 28
Devan
S napping the plastic lid in place, I secure the two quarts of fresh strawberries. They’re cleaned, hulled, and delicious. Since I picked them this morning, I’m not sure they could be any fresher.
Ricky comes in the back door. Instead of heading up the stairs as he usually does, he pulls out a kitchen chair and sits.
“Hi,” I say.
“I want to see your classroom.”
“You do? Why?”
He smirks. “Justin told me about it, and I’ve been thinking. I’m a shit brother for not asking about your new job sooner.”
“You’re not a shit brother. You’re busy. And I know you and Dad are worried about what to do with the farm.”
Ricky nods. “Yeah, there’s a lot of shit happening.” He leans back and his eyes scan me up and down. “Are you going somewhere?”
“Kandace Richards invited us to her house for lunch.”
“Meeting the family.”
“I’ve met the family, just not formally.” I shrug. “Kandace came up to me at the softball game Thursday night.”
“Have fun with that.” He pushes his chair back, but before he stands, he sighs. “Do you like him?”
“I do.”
My brother’s lips are in a straight line as he nods. “I’m trying to come to terms with it…”
I’m about to comment that he has no say in the matter, but before I do, Ricky goes on.
“…And I think what I’m trying to say is there aren’t many better guys out there than Justin.”
I smile as a lump forms in my throat.
“That said, if he makes some dick move or does anything to upset you, I’ve got your back.”
“Thank you.” I remember something. “So you and Marilyn really kissed?”
“Shit.” He shakes his head as he stands. “No.”
Pursing my lips, I tilt my head.
“Okay, once.”
“She’s a great person too.”
“She’s going to grad school in the fall?” he asks.
I nod. “Finance.”
His eyebrows raise. “Really? I didn’t know she was into numbers.”
I roll my eyes. “She’s a genius with boring stuff.”
Ricky stands. Switching the subject away from my friend to us, he asks, “Are we good?”
“Yeah. School doesn’t start for three more weeks. Let me know when you can come by, and I’ll show you the classroom.”
“I will.”
We both turn toward the window, hearing and seeing Justin’s truck.
“Looks like your ride is here,” Ricky says.
“He can still be your friend.”
“He is. Don’t make me choose because I don’t want to.”
“I don’t plan on it,” I say. When I look down at my top and shorts, I start to second-guess what I’m wearing.
As if he can read my mind, Ricky grins. “You look great. Have a good time.”
I reach for the strawberries and my bag. “Thank you.”
The back door opens.
“Hey,” Justin says.
“Hi.” I step closer and kiss his cheek. “I’ll be right back.” Handing Justin the strawberries, I hurry upstairs. The truth is that I don’t have anything to do up here. I only want to give Justin and Ricky a minute to themselves. They both say everything is fine between them, but I worry.
Mom comes out of her room as I approach. “I thought you’d be gone.”
I speak softly. “Justin is downstairs. Ricky was there.” I shrug. “I wanted to give them a minute.”
Mom’s smile grows. “Honey, the boys will work out this new paradigm. You and Justin need to work out your relationship too. You aren’t responsible for theirs.” She reaches for my hand. “Thank you for all your help yesterday. The flowerbeds look fantastic.”
“They do.” I turn my hands until I can see my palms. “Even with gloves, I have blisters.”
“Imagine what their hands are like,” she says, tilting her head toward the back staircase.
Strong.
Rough.
Calloused.
Gentle.
As warmth fills my cheeks, I open my eyes wider, a bit nervous my expression is giving away my thoughts of what Justin’s hands can do. “I guess it just goes to prove I’ll leave the farming to them.”
“Tell the Sheerses we send our love.”
I lean my head. “We’re going to the Richardses’ house.”
“I spoke with Bridget Sheers yesterday at the supermarket. Everyone will be at Kandace’s. They’re very happy about you and Justin.”
My stomach drops. “Everyone?”
“Well, Justin’s parents. You know, Bridget and Randy, and the Richardses, Dax, Kandace, and Molly.”
“I didn’t know about his parents.”
“I guess now you’re prepared. Just be you, honey. They’ll love you. They already do.”
“Why?”
“Because you make their son happy.”
I bite my lower lip. “I want to.”
“You do.”
A quick look toward the back stairs. “I should go back down there.” I brush her cheek with a kiss. “Bye, Mom.”
“Have fun.”
As I near the stairs, the sound of Justin’s and Ricky’s laughs eases a bit of my tension. It’s good to hear them enjoying one another. They both turn as I appear from the stairs.
“What’s so funny?” I ask.
Ricky looks at me. “Don’t worry. I would never tell embarrassing stories about you.”
“What?” My eyes open wide. “What stories?”
Justin reaches for my hand. “Come on, Kandace is waiting.”
“What stories?” I ask again as we walk to his truck.
Justin laughs.
Once we’re in the truck, I turn toward him. “Okay. Fair is fair. I’m going to ask Kandace for stories about you.”
Justin shrugs as he backs up his truck. “You’re going to find I am pretty boring. No big secrets in my closet.”
“My closet doesn’t have secrets. I don’t know what Ricky told you, but I’m going to say he made it up.”
Justin’s lopsided grin grows. “You’re saying you never had a panic attack on Pike’s Peak?”
Jeez.
I shake my head. “I did. That’s not embarrassing. It’s science. Less oxygen to the brain because of the altitude.”
“Science, okay.”
“It is,” I protest. “And I would have been fine if Dad and Ricky didn’t want to go to the edge.” I inhale. “Oh my God, thinking about it makes me queasy.”
“Don’t throw up in the truck,” Justin says with a snicker. “I heard about the trashcan outside the shop at the top of the mountain.”
“At least I made it to the trashcan. Some people didn’t.”
Justin reaches across the console to my leg. “Hey, it’s all good fun.”
I hum. “We’ll see what I can learn from your sister.” That reminds me. “Mom said she talked with your mom yesterday at the store, and she and your dad will be at Kandace’s too.”
His blue gaze comes my way and back to the road. “I didn’t know that.” He squeezes my knee. “Are you all right with that?”
“You’ve faced my family. Besides, Kandace spoke to me at the softball game.” I sit taller. “I’m excited to formally meet Molly.”
“She’s the best one of the family.”
Kandace and Dax live in a grand old home at the edge of Riverbend city limits.
In lieu of bricks, the exterior is covered with stone.
It’s one of those houses with a two-story middle and one-story wings to each side.
The trim and two stately pillars on the front porch are yellow.
When I was young, I always wondered what it looked like inside.
I remember thinking it was a castle. Back then, it belonged to Dax’s grandparents, the original owners of Quintessential Treasures.
I’m older. The house is less like a castle, but I’m still anxious to see inside.