Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
DIXIE
C onrad walks in, boyish grin on his face as he settles next to Riggs. They shuffled up when Tripp took Conrad outside and couldn't be bothered to keep moving every time one of them needed out.
“Hey,” he smirks, resting his hands on the table just as Tripp walks in, eyes pinned to me.
“Hey,” I whisper, my mind ticking over with what may or may not have happened outside.
Tripp says nothing as he sits down next to me, his eyes move from Pacey to Riggs before landing on Conrad.
“Was thinking,” Riggs breaks through the visible tension that seems to be blanketing our table. “I might call some cowboys down from across city instead of using our boys, we need to get the cows settled and I am a little worried if I take a group of mine out to cow watch, so, I think we should call a favor in.”
Tripp scrubs his face with his hands.
“I don't mind sitting up there?” he offers, and Riggs laughs at him. “What?” Tripp answers, back clearly up.
“Trust me, you do not want to have to sit up in that field for two to three weeks whilst they birth and look after their calves,” Riggs smirks, “plus we need you down on the ranch.”
“I'll put a call into Marty on Monday, see if he can help,” Tripp responds, taking a swig of his beer.
“Ew, why are we talking business?” Harlow rolls her eyes and Pacey sighs.
“Because we have to,” he snipes at her and Riggs raises a brow, Aspen shaking her head towards Harlow.
They fall into chatter, and I feel his gaze cast over to me. I am lost, I have no idea what they're even talking about, so I just sit, lost amongst the chatter of cows and calves.
“You doing okay?” Tripp asks, sinking the last of his beer and placing the bottle on the table. He turns his body to face me, so his back is to Harlow and Pacey.
“Yeah,” I say softly.
“You're bored aren't you,” he smirks, eyes not leaving mine.
“No,” I lie, and my cheeks betray me as I laugh.
“You are allowed to admit it,” he leans closer to me.
“Okay, I’m a little bored.”
“Well, what can I do to cure that?”
I sit for a moment, eyes gliding around the table at the group before they're back on his.
“Tequila,” I wiggle my brows and deep down I knew this was a terrible idea.
“Tequila it is,” he slams his hand down on the table before he stands and walks towards the bar and I follow. I order two trays of tequila shots knowing full well I will regret this in the morning, but right here, right now... I'm living in the moment.
And that moment was Tripp and Tequila.
The trays are placed down, and everyone reaches in for one except Riggs.
Placing the salt on my hand, the salt shaker is passed around the table as Pacey shouts out, “Lick, shoot, suck!”
My eyes land on Tripp as I lick the salt, knock back the shot and ignore the burn as it slips down my throat before I suck on the lime.
“Woooo!” Pacey shouts out as he slams his glass down, “Again!”
Three trays of shots down and everything is hazy. In a good way. It feels good to just sort of let go of all the tension that has been brewing deep inside of me. Clay. Coming back home. Tripp. All of it has built up to something so big that I feel like I am ready to snap.
But tonight, being able to let go just that little bit has me feeling slightly better.
Aspen drags Riggs up and leads him towards the jukebox as he slips a quarter in and she selects the song, and within a few seconds Head Over Boots - Jon Pardi begins to play.
Conrad is up, holding his hand out for me, but I shake my head from side to side as I watch Riggs spinning Aspen around before his hand skims around her lower back, pulling her body close to him. Her head tips back slightly, they're muttering quietly between themselves, lips pressing into smiles just before they kiss.
Conrad drags one of the bar girls out and spins her around and I smile at them. I hear shuffling beside me and when I turn to look at Tripp, he is standing in front of me, hand held out, cowboy hat tipped down slightly.
“Ma'am,” he smirks as I place my hand in his and my heart stutters in my chest, “may I have this dance?” and my cheeks pinch crimson.
I nod, and for a slither of a second I feel bad for turning Conrad down.
But this is Tripp.
The only man who has ever had my heart and soul.
He pulls me up softly, arm snaking around my back, holding me close to his body as he begins to dance with me, his lips moving slightly to the song that plays through the bar.
And in this moment, the way his eyes are glistening, burning into my soul, takes me back to when we were just kids.
Truck pulled up, lights the only thing lighting up the evening as he would turn his truck radio up as loud as it would go and he would spin me around in the parking lot, lips meeting then once we were hot and bothered, we would skinny dip in the creek.
And how amazing would it be to be teleported back to those summer nights, just before it all turned tragic.
He must see the way my brow crinkles, the way my lips part and my eyes dull for just a moment because he slows us down, and then it's just us, the only thing around us is Jon Pardi’s voice. His hand cups my chin, tilting my head back to look at him.
“What's wrong?” he breathes, our eyes still dancing.
“Just thinking back to when we were younger,” and I give him a lopsided smile which has his thumb brushing across my bottom lip.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I nod as his hand cups my cheek and I find myself leaning into him just as he turns me around, swaying me from side to side as Spin you round - Morgan Wallen begins to play.
“I'm always up for a reenactment,” he teases, and my heart skips a beat in my chest.
“Maybe someday,” I mutter as he holds me close against him.
“Don't say maybe; it'll never happen,” he rasps, his lips brushing against mine, but I pull away slightly.
“Tripp,” I breathe, head dizzy, breathing laboured.
“Dixie,” he whispers and everything around us goes silent and all I can focus on is our breathing.
“I vowed to never fall for you again, I'm sure you vowed that too...” I just about manage to squeeze out.
“I never stopped falling, little Dreamcatcher.”
And my heart stops beating for just a second.
“Ever.”
For just that split moment all of our messy past was forgotten.
TRIPP
Riggs broke the party up and with a few groans, we all made our way to the waiting trucks. The tension that filled Riggs' truck was heavy. A few accidental finger brushes, shy giggles and burning crimson cheeks looped as we pulled into the driveway.
Pacey stumbled from the truck, not looking back as he climbed the steps and wandered into the house, closing the door a little loudly and I watch as Dixie winces. Her eyes draw back to me and I lose myself in them.
The soft summer breeze wraps around us and for just a moment, it’s me and her, lips edging closer to hers, but a whistle pulls me away. Eyes casting over my shoulder, Riggs gives me a curt nod of his head, his lips pulling into a smirk as he waves me off. Aspen lifts her hand and wriggles her fingers, nose scrunching as she says goodbye. I watch as their truck turns and drives down the dusty drive, their rear lights blurring before they disappear.
A soft sigh has my shoulders lifting as I turn to face her.
Her.
Her, the one who showed me what it was like to love. Her. The one who has held my heart over the last ten years. Her. The one I adore.
Her.
It’s always been her.
My trembling fingers inch towards the loose hair that blows, cascading around her face and tuck it behind her ear, her eyes not leaving mine as they dance and glisten under the clear night sky, the stars twinkling in her beautiful blues.
“I’m glad I came tonight…” she trails off.
“I’m glad you came as well,” and I reluctantly drop my fingers from her hair, my intake of breath catching at the back of my throat.
“I don’t want the night to be over,” she whispers into the quiet evening.
“It doesn’t have to be,” a small smile plays on my lips. She drags her eyes from mine as she looks over her shoulder towards the house. “But I understand…” my voice is quiet. I want to be selfish, but it's not about me. Her eyes soften as she meets my gaze.
“Stay here…” she pushes onto her toes and kisses me softly on the cheek and my skin warms under her lips.
She kissed me.
“I don’t plan on going anywhere darlin’...” I rasp, my head tilting to the side and her cheeks turn pink as she spins on her heel and moves towards the house, slipping inside the door and I am alone, under the stars waiting for my dream girl.
My eyes cast down, kicking the toe of my cowboy boot into the dusty ground, a boyish grin spreading across my lips as I watch the stones loose, gliding across the floor.
“Tripp...” her angelic voice floats through the air, the breeze picking it up and wrapping it around me like a blanket.
Lifting my head, I twist around to look at her. Eyes alight with want, eyes alight with desire, eyes alight with adoration. I never thought she would return—maybe in my wildest dreams—but never did I think she would be walking towards me, the soft moonlight illuminating her, making her look like a god damn angel. Everything about her was perfect.
“All okay?” I ask, not sure if she is coming to wish me goodnight, or whether she can spend an hour more with me.
“All is fine. Lainey is fast asleep. Had to take my...” she pauses for a moment and that blush that paints across her cheeks is back and I have to admit, I love it a little more each time I see it.
I nod, no words were needed.
Silence echoes around us and suddenly, I feel like a giddy love struck teen all over again. Reaching my hand out, my fingers slightly spread, I watch as her beautiful eyes cast down.
“Walk with me?” I ask softly, and my heart rate spikes as she slips her hand into mine.
We didn't speak, just let our hearts lead us to the place that only we knew about. Tucked away over the other side of the creek. Kicking our shoes off, a giggle bubbles from her and I cast my eyes over my shoulder as I look at her, all starry eyed and giddy.
My fingers lace with hers once more as I lead her across the stepping stones of the calm creek. My heart gallops in my chest like wild horses, nerves growing stronger the closer we get to our spot. My feet land on the soft grass and I turn to face her, eyes searching her beautiful face.
“I never thought I would be back here, let alone with you...” she trails off and her head drops. My brows furrow and my chest aches a little. Dropping my shoes to the floor, my hand reaches forward as I place my finger and thumb on her chin and tilt her face back, her glistening blue eyes on mine.
“Hey, hey,” I whisper, eyes bouncing between hers. “No sadness, I'm sure neither of us expected to be here again...” and now it's my turn to trail off. “But things happen for a reason, in some twisted game of fate you ended up here. You came back.” I ignore the lump in my throat that has lodged itself there, when I know in fact she didn't return for me, but admitting that out loud will only crush my heart again.
She gives a soft nod as she drops her boots to the ground and my lips twitch into a slither of a smile.
Walking her towards the large blossom tree, my eyes fall to the trunk and that's when I see it. Our initials carved into it; TR 3s DW.
“We really did love with our hearts on our sleeves didn't we?” she hums, leaning into me and I lower my face to kiss her on the top of her head.
“And what a way to love,” I smile into her hair just as she breaks away and I instantly miss her. Her fingers fall from mine and my brows furrow as I watch her intently. She glides towards the tree, fingers brushing against the wild flowers that stand just under her knee and my heart throbs in my chest. She looks so beautiful.
She stops in front of the tree, her fingers delicately tracing around our initials.
“We always said we would get married under this tree,” she laughs softly, slowly spinning to face me.
“And we still will,” I surprise myself by saying it, but it's true. I know deep down that she is the one for me, the one I will marry.
But she shakes her head from side to side.
“Don't say the words,” I whisper as I step closer to her, closing the gap in three long strides, a hand sweeping her face up to look at me. “Please baby... just promise me tonight,” my voice cracks as I edge closer to her, lips hovering over hers.
“Tonight,” she whispers back, nodding as a tear rolls down her cheek, I swipe it away with my thumb.
“Let me get you out of your head,” I murmur and she nods again, another glistening tear escaping just as my lips press against hers, ever so softly, ever so slightly. The feel of her trembling fingers dust up my clammy tee, clutching it in her small grasp when her kiss becomes desperate, needy almost. Her other hand curls around the back of my neck, fingers pinching the hair that sits at the nape and tugging. Her tongue sweeps past my lips like a hunger burns deep inside of her. Her head tilts just as my hand cups her cheek, my heart explodes deep inside my chest, obliterating into a million tiny pieces before our souls intwine and piece both of our broken hearts back together piece by piece.
“Take me back Tripp, take me back to when we were teens and everything was perfect,” she whispers, unshed tears evident in her crystal blue eyes, “just for tonight.”
And I am nodding, panting, begging her, desperate for her as my tongue glides across hers in a soft but tantalizing stroke.
My fingertips graze down her cheek, her jaw, skimming them down her collarbone as I slip the shoulder of her dress away and allow my lips to dust the trail I marked with my fingers. Her head rolls back, her eyes dusting shut as I continue my kisses over her sensitive skin.
“Tripp,” she breathes a whisper of a moan, blending with the sound of the trickling water.
“Yes Dreamcatcher,” my breath strokes against her skin.
“Swim with me,” she dips her head, hands cusping my head in her delicate hands as she drags me up, eyes bouncing between mine. “Then take me home,” her last request comes out as a plea and I smirk.
“Always, darlin',” I rasp, kissing her once more before dropping my hands from her skin and watching her as she undresses.
My hungry eyes roam over her body, the body I have seen so many times ten years ago, but I feel like I am watching her for the first time with brand new eyes.
Heart drumming in my chest, blood pumping loudly around my body and every feeling I had supressed for Dixie Walker was slowly and torturously bubbling closer to the surface, pricking at my skin as I watch her slowly peel her pretty dress from her body, the hairs on the back of my neck standing one by one.
A shrill ringtone pulls me from my love drunk haze, and I shake my head, eyes widening as Dixie bends down and rummages in her purse for her phone.
“Orla, is everything okay?” she asks softly, but I can see the worry slowly etching itself onto her face as the seconds pass and my heart is in my throat as I step closer to her, my eyes volleying between hers.
“I’ll be right there.”
She cuts the phone of and is bent over collecting her purse and boots.
“What’s happened? Is everything okay?” the panic is evident in my voice.
“Lainey is unsettled, your mom has tried everything but she won’t stop screaming,” her words come out rushed as she twists her head to look over the creek towards the ranch.
“Let’s get you home,” I lower my head, waiting for our eyes to connect.
“I’m so…” she whispers but I press my finger against her lips and shake my head from side to side.
“Don’t you dare,” my voice is low, “come.” I lace my fingers through hers, taking the boots into my hands, I lead her through the fields and towards the house.
It just wasn’t our night.
I’m not upset or disappointed; Lainey will always come first.
And I know that.