Chapter 2 #2
“She’ll have Maysie hanging upside down on the back of a horse before summer ends.” I chuckle.
My sister Wrenley is a wild one. Between Hayes and Wren, my parents had their hands full.
If it wasn’t Hayes getting into trouble for missing curfew and being out all night with Sarah, it was Wrenley giving Ma and Pa heart attacks when they’d find her out stunting on her horse.
She was really good, but they never did let her compete much. Especially not after her accident.
“Ugh. Please don’t be giving those girls any ideas. Maysie is already too much like Wren for my liking.” He runs a hand through his hair, and I laugh.
My niece may only be four, but she sure keeps my brother on his toes. Colter, Cade’s twin, likes to rag on him about who will get grey hair first.
Ian steps into my office and greets Cade before turning to me. “I was going to head to the deli for lunch. You guys wanna join?” he asks us.
“I actually have to get going, but I’ll see you two later.” Cade gets up and follows us out.
We finish up our lunch and are walking back to the station when I spot Jade outside the bakery.
She’s busy arranging the flower bed outside the shop, adding shades of pink and purples with little bits of whites mixed in.
I start to head that way, and when I get closer, notice there are also lemons mixed into the flower arrangement. “Looks good.” I lean in to tell her.
Startled, she jumps and grabs her chest, dropping the bunch of lemons she was holding.
“Shit, I’m sorry. Here let me get them.”
We bend and reach for them at the same time, our fingers brushing.
A jolt I’ve never felt before shoots up my arm.
She lets go and allows me and Ian to pick them up for her.
I pass some back, and she gives me her thanks, flashing me that shy little smile of hers.
“I like the little lemons added in. That’s new.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen you do that before. ”
“I thought it would be cute since our name is Lemon and Lavender after all. I saw a lavender and lemon arrangement on Pinterest and loved it.” She grabs the other lemons from Ian and turns around to start arranging them again.
“Clever and beautiful. Just like you.”
Her cheeks turn bright red as she turns to look at me. “Why, aren’t you just a charmer?”
“I try.” I grin.
Ian clears his throat. “Good afternoon, Jade.” He tips his hat in her direction.
“Well, good afternoon, Officer Ian. What are you fellas up to?”
“Just finished ourselves some lunch over at the deli. We were walking back when a pretty young thing caught the Sheriff’s eye.” He pats my shoulder, and I flick him off.
Jade’s cheeks remain a bright red, and she peeks up at me, rolling her lips between her teeth. I’m about to apologize on behalf of Ian when the sound of soft feet on the sidewalk has us turning.
“Hi, guys!” Harper greets us as she saunters over. “Jade, I hope it’s okay that I come by and grab those cookies for bookclub myself. I know you guys usually deliver, but we’ve had a change of location last minute and it completely slipped my mind to let you know. I hope Sarah hasn’t already left.”
“Oh, no worries! Sarah is still inside if you wanna head in and grab the boxes.”
“Perfect, thanks! Hi, Officers. How’s it going?”
“Hi, Harper. It’s going. How’s your pops doing?
” Harper’s grandpa owns the small bookstore across the street where Harper works.
He’s a great old man who has done so much for our small town over the years.
His wife was the original owner of the bookstore until she passed away eight years ago.
Harold, Harper’s grandpa, is currently going through stage four cancer and it’s not looking good.
“He’s doing well, considering.” She gives a sad smile, and Jade reaches out to squeeze her hand. “Actually, yesterday he even had the energy to do a bit of fishing. It wore him out and he slept far longer than usual, but it was nice to see him enjoy himself, if even for a little while.”
My heart aches for Harper. Harold is the only family she has left. “Please tell him I say hello. Anyways, it’s been nice chatting with you ladies, but Ian and I better head back to the station. See you around, Harper. Bye, Jade.”
“Bye, Sheriff, bye, Ian.” Jade waves us off.
Back at the station I spend the day organizing my office and filing away cases that closed. Before I know it, it’s the end of my shift and I get to leave.
I pull into my parents’ yard and spot my dad out on the tractor in the field and my mom and the kids in the garden. Both kids look like they have more dirt on them than there is in the garden, and I can’t help but chuckle.
I walk over to the garden and bend to place a kiss on the top of Ma’s head.
“Hi, Ma.”
“West! I didn’t even hear you pull in. How are you, hunny?”
“Uncle West!” My nephew, Hudson, barrels into me.
“Hey, spud. You look like you were plucked right from the garden. Think I need to hose you off a bit.” I swoop him off his feet and run towards the hose on the side of the house while his little body squirms and giggles.
“Me too, Uncle! I need hosed off too!” Little Maysie comes running after us, her pigtails flapping.
I set my nephew down and turn the hose on before a game of chase commences and I’m running after them, spraying them down. The kids are squealing and laughing when the hose cuts off abruptly. Confused, I look down at the exact moment water shoots out into my face.
“Gotcha!” Wren cackles behind me, the kids dropping to the ground holding their bellies in a fit of laughter. I shake the water from my hair and turn the hose on Wren, but she runs straight for mom.
“Weston Riggs Donovan, you put that hose down right this second.” Mom scolds.
“Sorry, Ma. But she started it.” I lift the hose and soak both Wren and my mom.
They stand there dripping, Wren laughing and my mom scowling, when Cade walks up.
“Uncle! Get Daddy!” Maysie yells in between giggles.
“I will beat your ass if you even think about it.” Cade raises his hands and backs up slowly.
“That’s enough with the hose, Weston, now put it down,” Mom scolds, ringing out her hat.
“Ya, Weston. You heard her. Put the hose down,” my brother taunts.
Oh, it’s on.
I raise the hose, aiming at Cade, when it’s ripped from my hands.
“Would you boneheads knock it off.” Dad stands behind me with a scowl on his face, and we all raise our hands in surrender.
“Ladies, go get cleaned up. West, help me with the steaks, and, Cade, go hang the kids to dry on the clothesline.” My dad winks at the kids, and they lose it in another round of giggles.
“Glad to be home.” A soaking wet Wren jumps onto my back as we all head inside.
“So, how long are you home for, Wrenley Cakes?” I ask as soon as we’re all seated at the table ready to eat.
Wren looks around the room, seemingly uncomfortable, before clearing her throat.
“Actually, I’m home for good.” She lowers her head and shovels in a spoonful of potatoes while avoiding eye contact.
Forks clatter, and the room goes silent until my dad clears his throat. “Well, we’re happy to have you home Wrenley, but you’ll need to find a job. You can’t just be sitting on the farm all day every day. You had a great job lined up in Hadley.”
“I know.” She sighs.
“The rodeo is coming up. Why don’t you get back on the horse and practice your stunts. It’ll be too late to register, but I bet Ben will let you do an intermission show or something.” Hayes suggests, reaching for another roll.
“Absolutely not.” Dad cuts in with a sharp tone, signaling the end of rodeo talk.
When Wrenley was sixteen, dad found her out in the pasture unconscious. Cartwheel vault gone wrong. She was in a coma for a week, and we were all scared that we had lost her. Trick riding has been a touchy subject ever since.
“Dad and I could always use the help. We’re going to start turning the cattle out and we could use the extra eyes.
Not to mention we’re still busy branding.
Or if you want, you can come on as a volunteer at the fire house.
We could always use extra help there. Especially now during fire season.
” Colter tells her, breaking the silence.
“Thanks, Colty, but I think I’m just going to apply at some of the little shops in town until I can get my own photography business running. I was looking forward to the job in Hadley, but I miss being home and I’m not ready to give up photography either.”
“If you only want to get a part-time job, I’ll pay you to watch the little tornadoes a few times a week to give mom a break.” Cade adds.
Wren’s face beams. “Sure. I’d love to spend more time with the little terrors.”
The kids giggle, and Wren makes a face at them.
It’s going to be great having Wrenley back. The farm just isn’t the same without her.
After dinner, the girls shove us men out the door so they can clean the kitchen without us in their space. We pop a seat on the back patio, cracking beers, and watch the kids run out on the grass.
“So, Cade, you start looking for after school help yet for the fall?” my dad asks.
My mom has been watching the kids since Cade became a single dad, and while Cade’s been thankful for her help, he’s been thinking about finding someone to help with after school activities in the fall so it’s not so busy for my mom.
“Haven’t found anyone that’s clicked yet, Dad. I don’t want to rush and pick the wrong person. These are my kids we’re talking about, and it’s hard to just trust anybody. Hell, I couldn’t even trust their own mother.”
“Cade Warren Donovan, you watch what you say about those babies' mother. I know you are finally over your shit, but you loved her and she loved you and those babies. What happened was tragic, but you know she never meant any harm to them.”
Cade chugs down his beer and sighs. “I know, Pa. I did and still do love her. Always will. But I can’t forgive her for what she did.”
“I know, son. I know.”
Cade sets down his drink and pushes away from the table before walking down the steps off the deck.
I clear my throat and nod towards my brother.
“Don’t mind him, Dad. We had a call the other day that brought back a lot of bad memories.
He tries his best, but he’s still angry about everything.
It’s gotta be hard, you know?” I look out at Cade as he scoops up his happy smiling children and spins them around in the air.
He’s a great dad, and they are lucky to have him. Those kids are his entire world.
Five years ago, right after Maysie was born, his wife, Clara, had a bad case of postpartum depression.
Cade came home from work one day after a twelve-hour shift and little Maysie, who was five months old at the time, was still in her crib.
Soiled through and wailing. My nephew, who was two at the time, was found wandering around outside in nothing but his pajamas.
It was the middle of winter, so we’re lucky he didn’t get frostbite, or worse.
Cade found his wife upstairs unresponsive.
She took her own life, and he’s never been the same since.
For the longest time, he blamed himself.
“I just want him to be happy. I want all my kids to be happy,” my dad says, bringing his beer to his lips.
“Hey, I’m happy,” Hayes chimes in.
“Yes, Hayes, because sleeping with another man’s wife is exactly the kind of happiness I want from my children.
” Pa glares, and Hayes shrinks in his chair.
“Don’t hide from me, boy. You think I wouldn’t find out why my son has two black eyes?
Farm hands talk, son. You’re darn lucky your mama doesn’t know the truth.
She would beat you with that rolling pin of hers if she did.
Now, what in the lord were you thinking?
I thought we raised you better than that. ”
“I didn’t know she was married! It’s not like she was wearing a ring.” Hayes shouts.
“What the fuck, man?” Colter throws his beer tab at Hayes, and the glass door behind us slides open.
“What’s all the yelling out here for?” Wren places her hands on her hips and raises her eyes at us. She may be the baby of the family, but she can be awfully scary.
“Don’t you worry about it, hunny. Just your brothers being dumb asses,” my dad tells her.
“Mhm,” she hums, “What else is new?”
Cade and the kids clamper up onto the deck. “Well, I should probably get these two rug rats home for a bath and bed. I’m going to head in and say goodbye to Ma. Kids, say your goodbyes,” Cade instructs them.
“But, Daddy, I’m not ready to go!” whines Maysie.
“Too bad, princess. It’s bath and bed. Now, let’s all say goodbye.”
“Bye, everyone!” my nephew shouts as he takes off into the house.
“Goodbye, I guess.” Maysie mopes, following behind Hudson.
“Hey, Maysie Daisy, I’m going to go shopping tomorrow to get a few things to decorate my cabin.
Do you wanna come with me? I could sure use your eye to help me find all the best stuff.
We could have a fun girls’ day of shopping and ice cream?
” Wren walks over, pulling Maysie in for a hug, and her entire face lights up.
“Can I, Daddy?” She looks at Cade with puppy dog eyes and her lips jutted out. I chuckle, because she’s going to be trouble when she’s older, that’s for sure.
“Sure, sweetie. I don’t see why not. I’m sure your brother will love having some alone time with grandma.”
“Yay!” she squeals, pushing out of Wren’s arms and reaching for her dad’s hand. “Come on, Daddy! We have to get home so I can pick my outfit for tomorrow!”
“I should probably get going, too, I’m beat and could use the sleep,” I announce, getting up from my chair.
“See you later, son.” My dad nods as I head off.
On the way home, I pass Cade’s house, and when I spot the lavender over by his barn, my mind drifts off to Jade. I’m still on a high from her flirting earlier today, and I hope it happens again. I have a feeling this is going to be a good week.