Chapter 14
CHAPTER 14
JACKSON
It’s another Sunday dinner—the day I plan to broach the idea of hosting the Strawberry Jam at Bedd Fellows Farm. Bella is convinced that no one will have a problem with it, based on how excited they all are for it to happen in the first place. But I know my brothers’ attachment to this land—especially to my grandad’s vision for this farm. That vision lives on in them, even if they aren’t vocal about it.
Everyone is gathering. The babies are fidgeting and fussing. Bella is mixing her bespoke beverages, and I’m bringing dishes out to the table. Baabara watches with beady eyes through the side door, though the headbutting hasn’t started yet. Once all the siblings and significant others are assembled around the table, I dive right in.
“Attention, everyone!” I use my booming voice, which quiets the chatter immediately. All eyes turn to me.
“Thank you.” I take a seat. “I wanted to float an idea past everyone. It’s something Bella and I have been thinking up, and it’s time to present it to the family.”
“Oooh,” Colleen murmurs, leaning forward as she glances between the two of us. “Is this going where I think it’s going…?”
Bella laughs, her cheeks turning pink. “No.”
“This is about the Strawberry Jam.” I glance at Bella, who encourages me to continue. She wants me to take the lead on this conversation, since it’s my family’s land. “In case you all haven’t heard, Bella has been fighting roadblocks from the municipal office at every turn. They’ve rejected her proposal and the revised plans, which mean that the festival cannot happen as of right now.”
Molly gasps, and Lia turns to Ethan, looking concerned. Disappointment shudders across the table.
“But we have a back-up plan for the back-up plan,” I go on, once Bella sends an extra warm smile my way. “We need to run it by you all and get your thoughts…and possibly the green light.”
“Let’s hear it,” Ethan says, crossing his arms. Alex and Sam nod their agreement.
“We think the Strawberry Jam should take place right here, at Bedd Fellows farm.” When Ethan’s brows start to dip toward the middle of his face, I hurry on. “A lot of decisions will need to be made about how to best protect the land, but we have so much space, it’s crazy to think that we couldn’t use some small part of it for this purpose. Bella and I have calculated that we’d need just 2,000 attendees to raise the funds needed by the farm. We already know there are likely way more interested in the event than that. With some strategic planning, I think we can find a way to pull off the event and be good stewards of the land.”
A few moments pass as everyone looks around the table. I’m trying to take the temperature of the room, but my brothers’ faces are inscrutable. Gran, on the other hand, looks enchanted by the idea.
“Any thoughts?” Bella asks hesitantly, when nobody has offered a reaction.
Colleen bites her lip, glancing around the table. “Can I be honest?” After I nod, she gushes. “I love the idea.”
“Me too,” Molly says, propping her chin in her hand. “I think it will be more than just a festival; it’ll be an homage.”
“Exactly,” Lia pipes up, smiling over at Ethan. “And it’ll make transportation of all our goods a lot easier.”
“And we could even offer educational opportunities,” Diane adds, clapping her hands together. “They’ll make more sense out here, too!”
Bella and I share an excited smile. But Ethan still hasn’t budged, and both Alex and Sam look like they’re about to lodge some complaints.
“Two thousand people?” Sam finally says.
“Equals four thousand feet ready to stomp on my soybeans,” Ethan says with a frown.
“We don’t have to go anywhere near the soybean fields,” Bella says. “I’ve drawn up some potential maps, but since I’m not an agricultural expert, I was hoping to get input from you guys before finalizing anything. I think we can arrange this so no crops are threatened. As long as we’re strategic.”
“This is her forte,” I remind my brothers.
Alex rubs the back of his neck. “Sounds like it could be really cool, as long as we plan correctly.” Looking at Ethan, he says, “You didn’t plant the side field this year, did you?”
Ethan shakes his head.
“We could use that as the main area then,” Alex suggests. “It’s not too deep into the property, but still accessible off the back drive.”
“What does the performance area even need?” Ethan asks, looking between me and Bella. “Are we talking a stage…?”
“A stage, and some other critical infrastructure, like portapotties,” Bella says. “It would all be customized to whatever layout we decide works best for the footprint of the festival within the farm.”
“And maybe the Bedd brothers could build the stage ourselves,” I say, looking between Alex, Ethan, and Sam. “If you guys have time in your schedules.”
“That’s a great idea,” Sam says without hesitation.
“I’m in,” Alex says.
Ethan gives a curt nod. “Probably for the best, given the situation.”
I look around the table, finding happy smiles all around. So far, there’s only been one person who hasn’t chimed in: Gran herself.
“What do you think, Gran?” I look over at her as her gaze bounces between all of us. Something warm shines in her gaze, and it takes her a moment to respond.
“I think this is the best idea I’ve ever heard at this table,” she says. “I’m so proud of you kids. And I can’t wait to see you all work together to make this thing happen.”
Bella’s grin is ear-to-ear across the table. I feel like we made a lot more progress here than just greenlighting an idea. But there’s more burbling inside of me.
“I’m excited too,” I say. “I plan to finance as much of the build as I can. But I might come up short. I want you all to know that.”
I’m bracing myself for a snarky comment from Ethan. He seemed to understand the least why I couldn’t just pay 750 thousand dollars and bail out the family farm at a moment’s notice.
“You’d think it would be easy, being America’s most famous rock star right now,” Ethan says quietly. Just as expected.
"Sexiest Bachelor," Lia corrects.
“Close enough,” Ethan grumbles.
As I watch my siblings avoid my gaze, I realize that maybe it’s time to take Bella’s advice.
Time to dive headfirst into the one thing I never wanted to admit to the people sitting here.
“You all should know a little bit more about why I can’t just finance everything.” I take a quick sip of my drink—Bella called it The Jackie Boy . The gin sizzles through my veins. “When I moved out west five years ago, I signed a bad deal. Pretty much ninety percent of every dollar my music earns goes straight to my record label and agent. I’m left with what feels more like a monthly stipend. They’ve got me in a chokehold, and I’ve been so embarrassed about the fuckup that I…I’ve kept it to myself. I didn’t want you all to think I was stupid. Because I was very stupid to sign that contract.”
“You were twenty years old without a lawyer or any guidance,” Bella speaks up.
“Ohhh, Jackie Boy.” Gran rubs at my back, shaking her head. “I had no idea.”
Molly’s face creases with concern. “That’s so horrible, Jackson.”
“We had no idea,” Alex says gruffly.
Ethan’s frowning down at the table, seemingly lost in thought. “I’m real sorry to hear that, little brother.”
The rest murmur their condolences, and I take a deep breath. Bella’s watching me so warmly, so sincerely, that I think I’m actually in love with her. Between the family confession and the group project, I feel like a new man.
“I didn’t mean to derail dinner.” Barely anybody has touched their plates. I scoop some mashed potatoes into my mouth. “We don’t have to keep talking about this.”
“I like talking about this,” Colleen says, rocking one of the twins in her arms in the same cadence as Bacon at her side with the other twin. “The festival, I mean. It’s inspiring. The Strawberry Jam is going to be epic. Record breaking.”
“It’s going to be how we raise the money this farm needs to get out of debt,” Ethan says.
“And to stay solvent for the future,” Sam adds.
“We just need to be prepared for the volume,” Bella says. “The infrastructure is key. Porta-potties, water stations, bars for serving drinks…it will be a big job.”
Alex smiles, looking over at Bella. “I think we’re ready for it.”
“Yeah. If anyone can pull it off,” I say, “it’s us. The Bedd Fellows.” I reach across the table, snagging Bella’s hand in mine. “With Bella at the helm.”
Her cheeks turn pink, and there’s a chorus of gasps. I guess this is my public announcement about our relationship—unless it’s a situationship and I’m not aware. But I feel too strongly about Bella to let her go after this, even though my head knows that’s a conversation better suited for the future.
“Am I about to lose another set of roommates?” Gran asks with a sigh.
“This is a surprise!” Colleen laughs incredulously. “How has Baabara taken the news?”
Thud. Thud. I twist in my seat, finding Baabara head-butting the door. She must have spotted me holding Bella’s hand.
“She’ll have to get over it,” I tell Colleen.
I don’t think I’ve ever felt so united with my family before. My heart is full—practically bursting—and I hope the feeling lasts.
Because no matter how good things get in Fork Lick, I’ve still got a whole nasty reality to confront back in Los Angeles once this bubble bursts.