Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Naomi and her girls helped Meg clean the placemats and napkins off the table. Rascal and Stone had carried all the dishes in and were cleaning them off to put in the dishwasher.
“Mom, can we go play with Blaze and Maisie now?” Taylor pleaded.
“Sure,” she smiled, nodding. They ran into the front room where the cats had disappeared.
“Oh, to have the energy they do,” Meg sighed, heading into their kitchen and sitting down at the bar. Naomi joined her. Rascal pulled a folder over in front of her as Stone finished putting the last dish in the dishwasher and wiped his hands.
Rascal flipped it open while Stone settled into the seat beside her.
“Last year was our first year with the pickleball tournament. It’s a regular bracket.
Depending on the number of teams, you can either have a double elimination, where once you lose, you move to the loser’s bracket.
With the teams we had last time, the tournament took a while.
I have a cost sheet here that was done after last year.
I proposed raising the entry fees for the teams. All the profits go toward this year’s charity, and a higher price seems to have made some of the teams think twice if they are just wanting to screw around.
There are currently twenty-six teams, with registration open for another week.
The only thing I would suggest is don’t pit brother against brother or cousin against cousin early.
Make sure the Nelsons and all the brothers aren’t immediately knocking each other out of the tournament.
More people will come to watch, and we’ll make more money from the gate fees,” Rascal explained.
“This seems pretty straightforward, don’t you think, Naomi?” Stone asked.
“Yes,” she agreed, wondering how she was supposed to keep her distance from Stone and his sexy voice when they were organizing the tournament and he was going to be tattooing her thighs.
“I’m happy to answer any questions, but with my back bothering me from tattooing lately, I can’t stand up at the tournament for hours,” Rascal admitted.
“Oh, I don’t mind at all. I kind of love the fact that you asked me because it makes me realize I’m really a part of Bluff Creek,” Naomi glowed.
“Aww, sweetie—of course you’re a part of Bluff Creek. You’re family, and there’s no way you’re getting rid of us now,” Meg said, sliding her arm around Naomi and hugging her.
“Thank you,” Naomi whispered, her throat clogging a little. Each day she wondered how her life could have changed so much.
“Any questions, or do you want to read through the notes and then discuss it if you have questions?” Rascal asked.
“I’m good if Naomi is. It’s straightforward, and I know we can ask questions. Naomi, what do you think?” Stone prompted.
Naomi stared at him for a minute. Jared had never asked her opinion on anything, and she hated that she was comparing Stone to Jared, but the difference was night and day.
“I agree with Stone. I think we’re good, but I’ll know more after I read everything again,” Naomi concurred.
“Great. Now, how about you let your girls stay the night? Meg is having a craft night with some of the kids. She’d love to have your girls join,” Rascal said.
“Well, I don’t…”
“Papa Rascal, we’re here. Time to start the party,” Phoebe yelled, coming in the door.
Roam walked in behind Phoebe and Blake.
By the time Naomi had walked into the front room, Phoebe and Blake were chatting with the girls.
“Mom, can we stay? Phoebe said they’re having a craft sleepover here,” Regan asked.
Naomi couldn’t say no. Her girls were bouncing around with Phoebe and Blake. The excitement oozing off them was such a joy to see.
“Of course. Do I need to bring anything back?” Naomi asked.
Beck’s eyes widened at the thought of not having her stuffed animal.
“We brought our snugglies, Beck. You should have your mom bring yours. Nobody wants to sleep without their snugglies,” Phoebe advised.
“Yes, please, Mom,” Beck said.
“Okay, I’ll walk over and bring it back,” Naomi agreed.
“I’ll walk with you, just in case you need to carry more for the girls,” Stone offered.
“Thank you,” Naomi said, waving at the girls before heading out the door.
Stone held the door open for Naomi after she delivered the girls’ pillows, pajamas, snugglies, as Phoebe called them, and the other items she’d deemed necessary for the girls.
He’d walk her back and then maybe take his bike for a ride. It was close to seven o’clock, which would give him time for a ride before it was dark, and he ended the night with his late-night walk.
It was a Friday, but he didn’t want to socialize in the clubhouse. After being out, he enjoyed the brotherhood, but he craved that quiet time where the constant din of sound was replaced with the sound of the road or the quiet of the wind and nighttime animals.
Naomi walked down the steps and paused. Stone waited because she seemed to be contemplating something. She started walking, and he followed because he didn’t know her moods enough to judge if she was upset. After they’d passed a couple houses, she paused and turned to him.
“This is strange. Without the girls, I have no idea what to do with myself. It’s as if I lost my purpose when I came to Bluff Creek,” Naomi confided.
Stone breathed deep before he asked the question that had been plaguing him. “Were you with the girls whenever they weren’t in school?” Stone wondered.
“Yes. Beck would have never felt comfortable enough with any of their classmates to spend the night. I wouldn’t have dreamed of asking the girls to ask friends over. Who knows how Jared would have reacted.”
Naomi headed back toward Locks’ house, and Stone walked with her.
“What do you want to do?” he asked.
“I don’t know, but I realize that everything I did was either for the girls or meeting his expectations,” Naomi said, air quoting his.
“If you don’t want to be by yourself, I’m taking a ride on my bike. You’re welcome to come,” Stone invited.
It didn’t take any time at all to get to Locks’ house. Naomi paused at the door. Stone was comfortable with silence, but having Naomi not immediately answer him made him nervous.
“I’d love that if you really want me to ride with you, but if it’s a pity offer of, ‘Oh, poor Naomi, she’s divorced and doesn’t know what to do with herself,’ then no thanks,” she said, staring at the ground instead of him.
Stone reached over, tilting her head up until her eyes met his.
“I enjoy spending time with you. You’re funny, and you don’t mind if there’s silence.
I’m going on a bike ride and would enjoy you joining me,” Stone confessed, feeling as if he was stepping off a cliff with his words.
It had been decades since he’d asked any female to do anything.
His chest tightened, wondering if she was going to turn him down and how he’d feel if she did.
“I would like that. Should I wear anything special?” she asked.
“Jeans and boots or tennis shoes would be good. No sandals, and maybe a tie for your hair. If you leave it loose, it will tangle,” he said.
She nodded. “Give me a couple minutes. Do you want to come in?”
“I’ll stay out here. The evening is nice,” he replied, sitting down on the patio furniture that was outside the house.
He closed his eyes and listened to the sounds of the compound.
Faint music echoed from Sarah and Scoop’s house.
Flick and Beth’s dogs must be outside because the barking was louder than when they were in the house.
Lights were on in Cannon and Jesse’s house, but no sounds were distinguishable from the others.
When Stone had come to the compound, he couldn’t sleep at all, but now, sometimes the noise of the place is what lulled him to sleep.
“Okay, ready. Hope was inside and suggested braiding my hair and wearing a bandana. She also loaned me some boots,” Naomi said.
Stone turned and worked not to drool. He liked seeing Naomi in dresses because she looked so proper, but Naomi in tight blue jeans, boots, a long-sleeve tight top with her hair in braids on each side of her face, and a bandana around her forehead was smoking hot.
Stone had never ridden with a hard-on, but he wondered if he would be this time.
“All right, let’s go,” Stone said, walking with Naomi to the clubhouse where he’d left his bike.