Chapter 2
LILY
Lily frowned at her phone.
“What’s the matter?” Jasmine glanced over her shoulder. “Who’s Reese?”
Lily cut her twin a guilty smile. “That was the guy I was seeing.”
Jasmine’s brow arched. “Was? What happened? I thought you two were working things out.”
Lily sighed. “That was a couple weeks ago. Honestly, it was never going to work. He’s going to be traveling a lot over the next couple of years, and I just… I’m not built for long distance. I need to find someone local.”
Jasmine blew a strand of hair from her face. “But Reese had been local, right? Then that changed. It could change again.”
“Weren’t you listening? It’s not going to change for a long time.” Lily gestured toward her phone. “Case in point. He’s here this month for his sister’s wedding stuff, and he was going to meet us here, but he had to deal with something work related.”
“He bailed on you?” The judgment was clear in Jasmine’s tone. “It’s not like you to be so forgiving.”
Lily rolled her eyes as she typed out a response. “I’m forgiving,” she insisted, “just not on the big stuff.” She cut her sister a look. “We decided to stay friends. He’s coming and going, and I’m staying put. But we get along, and I really like talking to him.”
Her sister’s look of disbelief was almost comical. “You’re kidding. That sounds like a long-distance relationship without all the perks.”
Maybe Jasmine had a point.
Lily was willing to keep up her friendship with Reese, but only on terms that made sense. She didn’t want either one of them trapped in something that couldn’t grow while he was hardly ever around.
“Besides, out of the two of us, you’re the romantic,” Jasmine said. “Aren’t you the one who always says that love will find a way?”
Lily shrugged, turning her attention to the arena. “Sure. And when he comes back for good, if we’re both single, we’ll give it another try.”
Jasmine groaned. “You’re too much of an optimist. And a realist. How can you be both at the same time?”
A giggle slipped past Lily’s lips. “Who knows? Just lucky, I guess.”
Jasmine groaned. “Hardly.” She shifted in her seat.
“I hate the bleachers. Remind me again why we decided to come tonight? I could have been sitting at home with a good book. Or we could have gone dancing at the country club. I’d even take burgers over this chaos.
” She motioned with a wave of her hand toward the crowd around them.
“Just relax and try to enjoy yourself,” Lily chided. “You promised you’d come with me if I went dancing with you next week.”
Her sister groaned again. “You’re lucky I want a wingman.” She slumped over, resting her elbows on her knees. “Jason’s wedding is coming up.”
“Mmhmm,” Lily murmured.
“You gonna bring someone?”
Lily glanced at her sister out of the corner of her eye. “Now who would I bring? I’m not dating anyone, and Reese already said he’ll likely be gone.”
“So you’re going to try to meet someone there?” Amusement laced Jasmine’s voice. “I got ya. Smart.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Lily asked with a laugh.
“You’re on the hunt. Am I wrong? Come on, Lils, I know you better than you know yourself. You live for this stuff.”
“What stuff?” Lily turned fully toward her sister, but her smile betrayed her. She knew exactly what Jasmine was going to say.
“The romance. Watching two people who are so desperately in love with each other that they’d move heaven and earth to be together.” Jasmine leaned closer. “You heard about Isabelle, right?”
Lily’s brows furrowed. “No. What?”
This was the Jasmine she knew and loved. The two of them were admittedly gossips, but only with each other. They never spread anything to anyone else. They just liked knowing enough to make their own predictions.
Jasmine leaned close enough to be heard over the crowd. “Isabelle was attacked a few years ago.”
Lily gasped, her eyes widening.
“Jason rescued her,” Jasmine said, her voice softer now. “Got her out of there before things went any further. He took her to the hospital where Mathew worked at the time, and then he just left.”
“No,” Lily whispered.
Jasmine nodded. “He didn’t know her name or anything. Then when Mathew, Penny, and Jason moved here, he ended up getting a job at the Palmers’ place. And you know the rest.”
Lily sighed. As awful as the beginning of that story was, the ending still made her heart squeeze. Not because of what happened to Isabelle. But because someone had shown up when she needed help, and somehow, years later, that same someone had become her safe place.
“They fell in love,” Lily said softly.
“Yep. Nothing is going to tear them apart.”
“See?” Lily insisted. “I need something like that. Not the danger, obviously. But the devotion. I need to find a guy who will love me like the sun rises and sets with me.”
Jasmine scoffed. “Good luck finding one of those. I don’t think many of them exist.”
“Don’t rain on my parade, Jazz. I’m going to find someone who will do whatever it takes to have me. Just you wait.”
The chute across the arena banged open, and they both turned their attention to the man on the horse.
Lily squealed. “It’s him.”
“It’s… who?” Jasmine lifted a brow.
“Christopher Stone. He doesn’t compete very much, but he’s really good. The first time I came to the rodeo, I got to see him.”
“Is he hot?” Jasmine asked.
Lily rolled her eyes.
“What?” Jasmine asked. “If he’s hot, maybe we could go find him after he’s done. Then you can see if he checks all your boxes.”
A laugh spilled free. “He’s probably got more girls than he can handle. Do you see all of them hanging out over there?” Lily pointed toward a group of women in cowgirl hats, jean shorts, and button-up tops that had been knotted at their waists.
Jasmine sighed. “You’re probably right. And a guy who’s interested in one of those girls is definitely not worth your time. You, little sister, deserve to be treated like a queen.”
Lily snorted, her shoulder bumping up against Jasmine’s. “We’re twins.”
“You’re still shorter than me.”
“But I’m older,” Lily reminded her.
“By less than two minutes.”
They grinned at each other just as the buzzer rang out. Christopher ran toward the edge of the arena and climbed over the fence.
Lily turned so her knees bumped against Jasmine’s. “You want to know what I heard about Mathew?”
Jasmine’s eyes lit up like the Fourth of July. “Always.”
“Mathew’s going to propose. He’s just waiting until he knows River will say yes.”
“That’s obvious,” Jasmine huffed. “He’s been obsessed with her since the first day they met.” Then her eyes rounded. “You will never guess who I saw hanging out with Rose in town last week.”
“Who?”
“Morgan Meyers.”
Lily gasped. “Dad is gonna be so mad if he finds out.”
Nodding, Jasmine smiled. “Don’t you think it might be fun if we…”
“What? No. Rose would kill you.”
Jasmine sighed. “Yeah, you’re probably right. And honestly, this whole feud thing is a little played out. I’m so tired of having to avoid talking about them, even in passing. Dad needs to get over this grudge he’s holding. I bet he doesn’t even remember what happened.”
Lily gave her sister a pointed look.
“Yeah, okay. I know he remembers. But it’s not like he was even around when it did. The whole love triangle with his grandparents is old news. No one involved is even alive anymore.”
“You don’t have to convince me. I think the whole thing is dumb, too.”
They watched the next competitor, both seemingly lost in their own thoughts.
Jasmine had never had much luck in the love department, which was the main cause of her disillusioned views on romance. Their mother had passed away, and with her, she’d taken the sort of hope all her daughters had needed for their future.
But Lily refused to give up believing that she’d find the special kind of love that was written about in storybooks.
She watched every single Hallmark movie she could and read every romance she could get her hands on.
As far as she was concerned, it was only a matter of time before she found a guy worthy of the love and adoration she was ready to give.
Once upon a time, she’d thought that would be Reese.
“I think Emerson likes Penny,” Jasmine said, shattering Lily’s train of thought.
Lily’s head whipped around so fast she flinched and reached back to grip her neck. “You’re kidding.”
“Well, heaven knows Dad would never let Emerson marry one of us. He’s too much like a family member.”
Lily nodded thoughtfully. “You’re definitely right about that. He’s been around for so long Dad thinks of him like a son.” Her brows furrowed. “I thought I saw him getting chummy with River when she was hired to be the mechanic.”
“I think they might have tested the waters a little, but no. There wasn’t a spark. I’ve walked in on their conversations a few times. They’re just friends.”
“That’s too bad. As much as I like Mathew for her, I think Emerson and River would have looked cute together.”
Jasmine shrugged. “Honestly, I think they would have been better for each other because they are friends. Romance makes things too messy. Hearts get broken. People get hurt.” She picked at a loose thread on her jeans. “Whatever happened to arranged marriages? I wouldn’t mind something like that.”
“Jasmine.” Lily stared at her. “You can’t possibly mean that.”
She shrugged again, but her gaze stayed on the arena.
“I’m telling you, I don’t need the fancy flowers or date nights.
I don’t need to be told I’m beautiful and priceless.
I want someone steady. Someone who cares about the same things I care about.
Someone who’ll give me a home. Give me babies. That sort of stuff.”
Lily was all too aware she was gaping at her sister. “You realize emotional well-being is one of those needs, right? Feeling loved isn’t some silly extra.”
Jasmine snorted. “I don’t believe in all that.”
“You do too. I know you believe in God.”
“Of course I do. But I don’t believe we’re hardwired to need grand romance. We were put down here to multiply and replenish, remember? That’s in the Bible. I don’t need anything but a family.” Her mouth twisted a little. “The problem is, there aren’t many men out there who’d agree with me.”
“That’s because men have grown and evolved,” Lily said with a laugh. “They want someone to love them, too.”
Jasmine’s sigh was almost heartbreaking. “Well, I don’t need it. I’d be happy with the basics.”
Lily studied her sister for a moment. Jasmine could act like love was impractical all she wanted, but Lily knew better. Nobody talked that much about not needing something unless some part of them wanted it and didn’t trust it to stay.
“Well, I hope you find what you need,” Lily said carefully. “Even though I think your version sounds miserable.”
They shared small smiles.
“And I hope you find your happily ever after,” Jasmine said. “There’s no wrong way to find the person you’re destined to be with, right?”
“Right,” Lily murmured.