15. Beau
15
BEAU
B eau couldn’t keep the spring out of his step the next day as he walked Zandy to her playdate at the park. He’d parked his truck in town and decided to walk her in from there because the day just seemed too nice to waste.
Since last night, no matter where he went or what he did, all he could think about was the way it had felt to hold Quinn in his arms, and the look in her eyes after he kissed her.
Now he felt like the whole world was holding its breath, waiting eagerly for something that was just around the next bend.
Even his mom was happy. She had invited him to bring Zandy over early for French toast. She’d smiled and hummed to herself as she slid the thick slices of toast out of the pan and poured coffee into their mugs.
“I just felt like French toast today,” she said brightly, as if she had forgotten it was his father’s favorite and that she hadn’t made it in a year.
It was pretty obvious to Beau that she had just wanted to talk to him about Quinn. She spent almost the entire time telling him how much she loved Quinn’s parents, and how happy they all were that they were planning a wedding this Christmas.
“We have so much to be thankful for,” she said again and again, breaking his heart a little each time.
But it couldn’t really keep him down. It was too easy to forget that none of this was real when everything about it felt like it was.
I’m happy about the repair shop, he reminded himself a few times. It’s going to be great to do something I’m actually good at, instead of slowly killing all those innocent trees.
Maybe that was an overreaction, but Beau had never had much of a knack for farming—nothing like Quinn did. His dad knew that, even though he never said it out loud, at least not when Mom was around. He must have been so grateful when they hired Quinn.
Beau couldn’t help but wonder how this all would have gone down if his dad was still around.
Beside him, Zandy spotted some of her little friends and gave his hand an excited squeeze, snapping him out of his thoughts.
Zandy had enjoyed a magnificent morning, eating an impressive helping of breakfast, and feeling happy and cooperative right until it was time to head out and she realized that she didn’t have a flower girl costume. Beau had to promise her that he would find one before the wedding.
His stomach twisted at the thought that he wasn’t being truthful with his daughter. But she was too little to understand everything he was facing.
And he was pretty sure that when she was old enough to get it, she would be glad he was the successful owner of a repair shop, rather than an unsuccessful tree farmer.
When they got inside the fence, she let go of his hand and dashed off to play with her friends. She clearly had more important things to worry about, and it made Beau smile to see her so happy.
“Your sure you’re okay with keeping an eye on her?” he asked Karen Prescott, one of moms from the preschool who’d already set up camp at one of the picnic tables with the rest of the group. “I’ll only be a few minutes.”
When he’d agreed to the playdate earlier in the week, he’d asked the other parents if it would be okay for him to sneak away and do a little Christmas shopping for Zandy. They’d been more than happy to oblige.
“We’ve got her,” Karen assured him. “Take your time.”
“Thanks,” he told her.
He called goodbye to Zandy as he watched her little figure dash into a sea of children on the playground, the pom-pom on her blue knit hat wobbling as she ran.
“Bye, Daddyyyyyyyyy,” she squealed as he turned and headed back to his truck.
He made his way back though the village and headed to the toy shop. Lily, the owner, was standing in the window, trying to hang up a paper snowflake while a toddler sat on a blanket behind her, playing with a wooden puppy on a string.
Lily had always been a sweetheart. She was known in town for wearing all pink, all the time. It made perfect sense to Beau when he heard she’d opened a toy store. Little kids were sure to be comfortable with her gentle way of speaking, and they would love her playful style.
“Hey, need a hand with that?” he asked, poking his head inside the shop.
“Beau Wilson,” Lily said with a smile of recognition. “I heard you were home. How are you?”
“Lily Hathaway,” he replied with a smile. “I’m doing just fine. And who is this little angel?”
“It’s Lily Williams now,” she said. “And this is my daughter, Flora. Say hi, Flora.”
“ Ay ,” Flora said, giving him a chubby-cheeked grin.
Lily smiled proudly, and Beau could relate. He felt the same way about his own daughter.
“Levi Williams finally got up the nerve?” Beau asked.
“Yes,” Lily said. “I’m so lucky.”
“Levi, Levi, Levi,” Beau teased, shaking his head and smiling. “You old dog.”
“How did everyone in this town know he was in love with me before I did?” Lily asked, rolling her eyes. But Beau could tell by her happy smile that she wasn’t really annoyed at all. “Now, I’ll bet you’re here to shop for Zandy, aren’t you?”
“I sure am,” he told her. “I’m still trying to get some ideas for Christmas.”
Lily’s eyes lit up as she led him around the shop, including a very nice costume section. She really was in the right profession.
“Oh, this is great,” he said, searching the rack for ideas.
“I know she loves dressing up,” Lily said. “I’ve seen her go by with her grandma in some of her amazing outfits. Take your time, and let me know if you need anything.”
He decided to search for anything that might feel like a flower girl costume to Zandy. Knowing his daughter, she was probably picturing a superhero-type thing with a big FG logo emblazoned on the chest—not an actual flower girl dress, like his mom had tried to explain she would wear.
He was considering whether a fancy princess costume might be a good compromise when the bells over the door jingled, and in walked another blast from the past.
“Willow Wright,” he called out fondly.
Beau and Willow had been good friends back when they were kids, and they’d both ended up going off to serve in the Army, where she’d studied nursing. He’d heard that she was back home now too, but hadn’t gotten around to getting in touch yet.
“Beau? No way,” Willow said, heading back to greet him. “I’m so glad to see you.”
“It’s good to be home, right?” Beau asked her, wrapping her up in a quick hug.
“Really good,” she told him. “Feels different though.”
“You’ve got that right,” he said, nodding his agreement.
Beau had never really left Trinity Falls for more than a quick trip to the city before going to serve in the military. Now that he was back, he saw his town, his friends and family, and the beautiful farmland around them in the context of the rest of the world. It was funny how something could be exactly the same and still look so different.
“You want to grab a cup of coffee and catch up?” Willow asked. “I’m thinking you have quite a tale to tell.”
“What do you mean?” Beau asked, frowning.
“Quinn Allen?” Willow whispered. “What’s going on there?”
He supposed the Christmas shopping was going to have to wait.
“Yeah, let’s walk,” Beau grumbled. He’d been expecting to have to answer some questions once word got out. But he’d been imagining spinning a tale for the town gossips and some casual acquaintances, not one of his oldest friends.
“I’ll be back later,” Willow told Lily on the way out.
“See you,” Lily said with a smile.
“Were you shopping for Ransom’s kids?” Beau asked her. Willow’s older brother had children that probably adored their cool Aunt Willow.
“I was,” she said. “But that doesn’t matter. I can go back another time. Right now, I’m much more interested in what in the world is going on with you and Quinn telling everyone you’re engaged?”
“How do you know we’re not?” he asked, annoyed.
“Well, I guess you just gave it away,” Willow laughed, elbowing him. “But you could never lie to me. I know you too well.”
He nodded. That had gone about as well as he’d expected. At least Willow didn’t seem mad.
“I also know because you’re the most outgoing guy I’ve ever met and she’s so shy,” Willow continued. “That poor girl would never marry a guy like you. You’d drag her out to socialize and make her sing karaoke or something and she’d probably have a heart attack.”
“She’s changed a lot since school,” Beau said defensively. “She’s not as shy as before.”
“That would be a sea change ,” Willow said. “Besides, you’re not her type.”
“What’s her type?” Beau asked, wounded.
“I don’t know,” Willow said, shrugging. “Super serious, driven, someone more like her, right?”
Beau sighed. She was right, but it still didn’t make him feel great. Why was he feeling flames of jealousy over a super-serious right-for-Quinn man who literally didn’t exist?
What is happening to me?
“Just tell me what’s going on, Beauregard,” Willow said. Like his mother, she only used his full name when she was serious. “You know I’ve got your back.”
“Max wants to sell me the shop in town,” he said, spitting the words out before he had time to change his mind.
“No way,” Willow gasped. “That’s your dream, Beau. That’s amazing.”
“It would be. But I don’t have the savings to do it,” Beau admitted. “At least not enough. I sent most of my pay home for Zandy. But that’s not even the real problem.”
“What’s the real problem?” Willow asked.
“Mom is ready to retire from the farm,” he told her. “And she wants to give it to me.”
“So, it’s perfect,” Willow said, a furrow in her brow. “You sell the farm and buy the shop. Why do you have to get married?”
“The farm has been in Wilson hands since the eighteen hundreds,” Beau said, shaking his head. “After losing Dad… well, it would upset her to think of it not staying in the family.”
“And Quinn’s running the place now, right?” Willow said, as if it was starting to dawn on her.
“She wants a farm the way I want a shop,” Beau said simply. “But she’ll never be able to buy one at the rate land prices are going. She’s got enough savings for the shop though, and I can give her the farm. And if we’re married, then she’ll be a Wilson and the farm will still be in the family.”
“You’re going to marry someone as part of a land deal?” Willow asked, looking like she didn’t believe him.
“We’ll separate next Thanksgiving,” he told her. “It’s less than a year. She’ll keep the farm and my last name, and I’ll keep the shop. Can you think of a better way for us each to get what we need?”
“Yes. I can think of like a hundred better ways,” Willow said. “Don’t do this, Beau. It’s not right.”
“Are any of those hundred ways fast?” he asked her. “Because Max and his wife need to have the shop squared away quickly, and this will be Mom’s last year with the farm.”
She glanced up at him, her eyes filled with worry.
“This is really just business?” she asked. “Neither of you is going to get feelings involved?”
“It’s just business,” he said, knowing it was a lie. His feelings were already getting bruised every single day this plan went on. But it was worth it to secure the future he wanted for all of them. “I’ve already messed up one marriage. What’s a second one?”
“I’m not talking about you ,” Willow said, giving him a gentle shove. “I’m talking about Quinn. She’s a really nice person. She deserves a lot better than a pretend marriage.”
He felt an odd burst of pride at hearing someone else say nice things about Quinn.
“We agree on that,” he said gruffly.
Quinn did deserve better than a pretend marriage—she deserved everything her heart desired—a fairytale if she wanted it. But she also deserved a farm, and this was the only way he could think of to get that for her.
Willow’s eyes widened and she nodded slowly.
“What?” he asked.
“Nothing,” she said, looking like she was trying not to smile. “I’ll keep your secret.”
“Thanks,” he told her. “I mean you still do owe me one.”
“Stop it,” she said, laughing again. “Do not bring that up. I was just a kid.”
All through school, Willow had been madly in love with Jensen Webb, her brother’s best friend. And Beau was the only one who ever knew. He’d spent plenty of afternoons hanging out with Willow in town, or skimming stones in the creek while she waxed poetic about her forbidden love for Jensen. She definitely did owe him one.
“So you don’t like him anymore?” Beau asked teasingly.
Willow buttoned her lips and walked a little faster.
“Sorry,” he heard himself say. “I didn’t mean to make you feel bad about it or anything. Those were good times.”
“They were,” she said, smiling and looking a bit more like herself again. “Coffee?”
She pointed at the sign for Jolly Beans and quirked an eyebrow.
“I’d love to,” Beau said. “But I actually need to get back to Zandy. Rain check?”
“Definitely,” Willow said. “And Beau?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m happy for you,” she said. “I’m glad you’re going to make your dream come true. Hers too. Just be careful.”
“Thanks,” he said, wrapping an arm around Willow’s shoulder and giving her a quick squeeze. “It’s really good to see you. And I will.”
He watched her disappear into the coffee shop, unsure why he had such a weird sensation all of a sudden. Something about that whole interaction had been off, but he was struggling to figure out what it was. It wasn’t until he was almost back to his truck that it hit him.
It had been nice to see Willow. And it definitely felt good to get the big secret off his chest, and to know that one of his oldest friends was at least sort of happy for him. But it wasn’t the best feeling he’d had all day.
He’d felt much better talking to Mom this morning. And that was when she was happy for him about something that wasn’t really happening at all.