Chapter 11
11
Dakota and I spend the afternoon by the pool. The day is as perfect as it possibly can be.
Yellow loungers and matching umbrellas give the resort-feel of the place a festive atmosphere. Humidity buffers the rolling hills of rural Tennessee in a gauzy, romantic haziness.
After all the city lights, the greens of the trees and the blue of the clear sky are like a balm for my jaded soul. I feel myself relaxing like I haven’t in a long time.
We’re both wearing bikinis, straw hats and sunglasses.
“So, have you changed your mind about any of the locals?” Dakota grins. “Just think about it, Rox, we could be actual sisters.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, girlfriend. I’ve been invited to see if a high-tech stereo system can guess what my favorite song is and nothing more.” But I’m relieved she’s okay with…whatever happens. If anything happens. What I’m finding is that times have changed since I was fifteen, which shouldn’t surprise me as much as it does. And I somehow get the feeling tonight is going to change my life. “Until then, don’t bother me, I’m mainlining Vitamin D.”
“You’re so lucky you tan so easily. I have to burn before I tan. It’s not fair.”
“You shouldn’t be tanning at all, Miss Dakota. Your skin is flawless.” It really is. She’s still very much a tomboy and rarely wears make-up. She doesn’t need it. She’s got a perfect complexion. She’s filled out since our teenage years, of course, and she’s still slim but curvier now, filling out her bikini like nobody’s business. Her long brown hair is glossy with natural reddish highlights, matching her hazel eyes and the jaunty sprinkling of golden freckles across the bridge of her nose. “You’re stunning and you know it. And I don’t believe it for a minute that there’s not a single ‘local’ that appeals to you. Come on, spill. If I’m going to be meeting some of them tomorrow night, I need a lowdown of the one—or ones—my bestie has her eye on.”
The quirk at the corner of he mouth is full of mischief.
“Dakota Beatrice Boone. Tell me right now. There is someone.”
She barely shrugs. “I wouldn’t call it a someone . More of a we’ve-had-two-conversations-and-he’s-hot, that’s all. And he’s not a local. He’s just visiting. He’s a bull rider, believe it or not. He’s from Montana. ”
“Wow. A rodeo hero? Sounds promising. What’s his name?”
“Wyatt. His family are ranchers.”
I elbow her. “Sounds even more promising.”
She laughs. “We’ll see. He’s also the new shiny toy in town, and just passing through. Every girl is after him. Apparently he just broke up with a long-time girl from back home and he’s still partly heartbroken, so of course everyone wants to be the one to fix his broken heart.”
“But he’s got his eye on you.”
“Hardly. As I said, we’ve had two conversations. Anyway, all eyes will be on you. This whole town is obsessed with the Tuckers.”
“The Tucker Brothers , maybe. Not their behind-the-scenes manager.”
“That’s until they get one look at you. You look amazing, Rox. Your exciting life obviously agrees with you.”
“Thanks.” I take a long sip of the iced tea Dakota brought for us. Since it’s Dakota, she packed a whole cooler complete with ice and lemon wedges. “Aside from the bags under my eyes, you mean.”
“They’re not so bad,” she smiles. “Nothing a few good nights’ sleep won’t fix.”
Tobias’s truck pulls up in the parking lot next to the pool.
He lets himself into the pool area, looking cool with his sunglasses and flamboyant outfit. “ Damn, girls.” Tobias lets out a low whistle. “When did my sisters turn into Sports Illustrated cover models?”
“We’re not calling her our sister anymore, Tobes,” Dee tells him. “For…reasons.”
“What reasons?”
“No reasons,” I cut Dakota off before she can continue, then I deftly change the subject. “How’d the birthday party drop-off go?”
“Without a hitch,” Tobias confirms. “They loved the cake. Twelve princesses were very impressed by the pink icing. It’s Harper Mason’s party and apparently Daisy goes there for playdates all the time. She was excited about the sleepover. And Harper’s mother has been briefed on the plan if she wakes up in the night.”
“Poor Daze,” Dee murmurs. “Hopefully it’ll go smoothly.”
“Dakota Boone, get your sweet ass up out of that lounger and help me with the hoedown prep. And no you may not help us, Rox, so don’t ask or insist. It won’t be tolerated. You can remain poolside, relaxing.”
“What time is it?” My i-Watch, a birthday present from Travis, is in my bag, up at the house.
“Almost five-thirty.”
“Is it?” It’s later than I thought.
“Roxie’s going over to Nate’s to get a tour of his house,” Dakota tells him.
“Nice.” Finally, a normal reaction. Tobias doesn’t read anything into the innocent piece of information .
Dee leans over and kisses my cheek. “Enjoy. See you when we see you, honey.”
“I’ll see you both later on.”
Once they’re gone, I lower myself into the water to cool off. My heartbeat feels warmer than usual, radiating a slow glow of…anticipation, maybe.
It’s a tour of his house, that’s all.
I dry myself off, pull a pink sundress on over my bikini and head to Nate’s.