Chapter Five
Honey
I'd just finished blow-drying my hair when I heard the crunch of tires on gravel. My stomach twisted into a familiar knot of dread. Knox and Bitsy were here.
I peered through the bedroom window to see a gleaming silver BMW SUV pulling up alongside Heath's truck. Of course Knox would drive something that screamed "successful real estate agent with more money than sense." He always had been image-conscious to a fault.
"They're here," I called to Heath, who was changing his shirt for the third time. After our morning together, things had turned awkward once we realized his brother—my ex—would be arriving in mere hours.
Heath appeared beside me at the window, his warmth radiating against my arm. "Ready for this?"
"As ready as I'll ever be to face the ex who cheated on me with a pageant queen while pretending to be in love with his brother," I muttered.
His hand found the small of my back, a brief touch that sent a rush of warmth through places I didn't want to acknowledge. "We'll get through it. Just remember—"
"I know. Stick to the story." I squared my shoulders and headed for the door. "Let's go greet Instagram's favorite couple."
From the porch, I watched as Knox emerged from the driver's side.
He looked exactly as I remembered—tall, though not as tall as Heath, with meticulously styled hair and a smile that belonged in a toothpaste commercial.
That smile had once made my heart flutter.
Now I felt nothing but mild irritation, like spotting a mosquito bite that had already stopped itching.
But it was Bitsy who caught my attention as she climbed out of the passenger side.
Photos didn't do her justice. She was tiny—barely five feet tall even in her heels—with platinum blonde hair cascading down her back in beachy waves.
She wore a figure-hugging sweater dress in a rich burgundy shade that screamed 'autumn photo shoot,' paired with thigh-high suede boots and a caramel-colored faux fur vest. A matching felt hat with a decorative pheasant feather sat at a perfect angle atop her platinum blonde hair, and her diamond earrings caught the light with every animated head toss.
The entire ensemble looked like it had been styled specifically for an Instagram post captioned #FallVibes.
They were the human equivalent of those plastic couple figurines atop wedding cakes, coordinated right down to their matching Ray-Bans.
Heath stepped forward first. "Knox. Good to see you." The brothers hugged awkwardly, with plenty of back-slapping.
Knox turned to me, his eyebrows rising slightly. "Honey? Wow. I didn't believe the town gossip, but here you are." He leaned in for a hug that I returned with all the enthusiasm of someone petting a wet dog.
"In the flesh," I replied, forcing a smile. "How've you been, Knox?"
"Crushing it, as always." He gestured to Bitsy, who was bouncing on her toes with barely contained excitement. "You remember Bitsy, right?"
Remember her? The woman he'd cheated on me with? The one whose social media photos had appeared in his feed with increasing frequency before he finally confessed? Yeah, I remembered her face pressed against Knox's in countless selfies tagged #blessed while we were still dating.
But before I could respond, Bitsy launched herself at me in a cloud of floral perfume.
"Oh my goodness, it's so good to finally meet you properly!
" She squeezed me in a surprisingly strong hug for someone whose arms resembled twigs.
"I mean, I know we met that one time at Barton Springs, but that was, like, so awkward, and I've felt terrible about it ever since, and now here we are and you're dating Heath, which is literally the cutest thing I've ever heard! "
She said this all in one breath, her eyes wide and earnest behind a set of false lashes so lush they could have been classified as an endangered species.
I blinked, caught off guard by her genuine warmth.
I'd spent two years nursing a grudge against the woman who'd stolen my boyfriend.
I'd imagined her calculating and cold. But the reality of Bitsy Crenshaw was disarmingly sincere, like a puppy that doesn't realize it's sitting on your favorite sweater.
"It's... good to see you too," I managed. "Welcome to McGraw Heritage Ranch."
"It's even more gorgeous than the Instagram stories!" Bitsy bounced. "The filters don't do it justice! I'm thinking this would be the perfect backdrop for our holiday card shoot."
Heath rubbed the back of his neck. "Let's get your bags inside. You remember where the guest room is, Knox."
As Knox and Bitsy headed inside with their matching designer luggage, Heath leaned close to me.
"You okay?" he murmured, his breath warm against my ear.
"Fine," I whispered back. "Just wasn't expecting his fiancée to be so..."
"Enthusiastic?"
"I was going to say 'actually nice,' but that works too."
Inside, Knox was already giving Bitsy the abbreviated tour, pointing out features of the farmhouse as if he owned the place. "Dad built this fireplace by hand... Mom picked out these curtains before they moved to South Padre... I caught a nine-pound bass in that photo when I was twelve..."
I caught Heath's eye and saw his jaw tighten, the small muscle near his temple jumping. Knox's casual appropriation of family history clearly hit a nerve. I wondered how often Heath had to listen to his brother claim credit for a heritage he'd chosen to leave behind.
"Who's thirsty?" I asked, desperate to break the tension. "I could make some hot tea or coffee?"
"OMG, yes!" Bitsy pressed her manicured hands together. "I'm absolutely freezing after that drive. The heater in the Beamer takes forever to warm up properly."
In the kitchen, I filled the kettle while Bitsy perched on a barstool, chattering about their drive, the weather, and the "adorable" town of Bitter Root, which she'd already documented extensively on her Instagram stories, complete with hashtags like #TexasLiving and #CountryChic.
"So," she leaned forward conspiratorially, lowering her voice to a whisper that could probably still be heard in Austin, "you and Heath? How did that happen? I mean, it's just so romantic, you finding love with Knox's brother!"
I nearly dropped the tea bags. "Um, well—"
"We reconnected at a charity event," Heath supplied from the doorway, smoothly delivering our rehearsed story. "Legal Aid fundraiser in Austin. Started talking, realized there was something there."
"Oh my God, that's literally the plot of a Hallmark movie!" Bitsy squealed. "Ex's brother falls for the girl who got away! I can't even! #SecondChanceLove!"
Knox appeared behind Heath, clapping a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Small world, huh? Though I always thought Honey was too uptight for ranch life." He winked at me. "No offense."
"None taken," I replied with saccharine sweetness. "And I always thought you were too self-absorbed for a meaningful relationship, yet here you are, engaged. Life is full of surprises."
Bitsy giggled, seemingly missing the barb entirely. "Speaking of which, we have big news!" She wiggled her fingers, making her enormous diamond catch the light. "We've set a date! Next May, Memorial Day weekend. It's going to be EPIC."
"Congratulations," Heath said with a nod.
"And," Knox added, "I want you to be my best man, bro. Who better than my big brother to stand beside me?"
Something flickered across Heath's face—surprise, maybe, or reluctance—before he smiled. "I'd be honored."
"And Honey!" Bitsy reached across the counter to touch my arm. "I know we don't really know each other yet, but would you be one of my bridesmaids? I mean, you're dating Heath, and who knows, maybe you two will be next down the aisle." She gave an exaggerated wink. "We could end up sisters!"
I choked on my tea. "That's... that's really sweet of you to ask, Bitsy.”
"Of course!" Her smile didn't dim a watt. "No pressure. Well, maybe a little pressure because I need to order dresses, but we've got time!"
A knock at the door saved me from having to respond further. Heath disappeared to answer it, returning with the Vickerys in tow.
"Look who stopped by to check on the flock," he announced.
Earl and Dottie Vickery swept into the kitchen, Dottie's eyes widening at the sight of our new arrivals.
"Knox McGraw, as I live and breathe!" she exclaimed. "Haven't seen you since you were knee-high to a grasshopper. And who is this lovely young lady?"
Introductions were made, with Bitsy charming the Vickerys instantly. Within minutes, Dottie was admiring Bitsy's engagement ring while Earl and Knox discussed the Austin real estate market.
I stood at the edge of this perfect nuclear family tableau, feeling like a cardboard cutout placed in a real family photo. Heath had drifted to the opposite side of the kitchen, his expression shuttered as he watched Knox regale everyone with stories of his latest luxury property sale.
"Honey, dear," Dottie's voice cut through my thoughts. "I noticed Earl's shirt is missing a button. Would you be a sweetheart and sew it back on? A good rancher's wife needs to know her way around a needle and thread."
"Oh, I'm not—" I started.
"The sewing kit's in the guest room vanity," Heath interrupted. "I can show you."
I followed him down the hall, grateful for the momentary escape.
"You don't have to sew his button," Heath said once we were alone. "Dottie's just testing you."
"I know. But now I want to prove I can do it just to spite her.
" I rummaged through the vanity drawer, finding a small tin of sewing supplies.
"How hard can it be? Thread goes through needle, needle goes through button, button stays on shirt.
I've argued before the Texas Supreme Court. I can handle basic haberdashery."
The corner of Heath's mouth twitched. "If you say so."