Chapter 6 #2
“Yep.” I pushed out of the water and to my feet and wrapped a towel around myself. “Apparently, the band broke up, so he’s collecting unemployment and writing music and trying to go out on the road solo.”
“He was so pretty to look at.” She hopped out of the water, striding toward me as I tossed her a towel.
“He was. But I’m enjoying being single at the moment.”
“You know, you could have a fling for once in your life. Find some small-town cowboy and ride him like a stallion.” She waggled her brows.
“I love that I moved to a small town, and now you’re all about the cowboys and the horses.”
“Hey, you’re trying to convince me to come here, so of course, I did my research. There are all kinds of farms and ranches in Rosewood River.” She dropped to sit on the lounge chair and fell back, letting the sun beat down on her. “You’ve been working hard for so long. Why not have some fun?”
“I do have fun. I just played pickleball last night and spent the day drinking mimosas and swimming with you.”
She sprung forward. “You know what we need to do?”
“Take showers, order takeout, and watch Bridgerton?”
She groaned. “Let’s put on some sexy clothes and go to the local bar and dance our asses off tonight. Come on, Hen, when was the last time we went out dancing?”
“Ummm… two weeks ago in the city before I moved here.”
“That doesn’t count. It was a nightclub.
I brought two cowboy hats with me, too. So if we don’t go out, we’re having a dance party here.
” She waggled her brows. “Ohhhh… I almost forgot. When I stopped to get gas in town, I picked up the local paper because the girl who worked at the mini-mart told me to read the gossip column that comes out every Saturday for all the local scoop.”
“‘The Taylor Tea?’”
“Yes, I think that’s what she called it… let’s read it. I’ll be right back.”
She jogged into the house, and I lay back in the sun, loving the feel of the heat on my face. Lulu returned to her chair and started reading all the latest headlines to me as she searched for the gossip column.
“There’s a cookout at the Honey Biscuit Café on Sunday afternoon, and it’s karaoke night at Booze and Brews,” she said with a chuckle as she flipped the page. “Ooohh, there’s a river rafting trip every Sunday morning if you want to go rafting tomorrow.”
“Yes. I signed us up to try that tomorrow. I’ve been dying to get out on the river.”
“Fine. But when we did it a few years ago, it was a lot of work,” she groaned.
I laughed as she continued flipping the pages.
“Here we go. ‘The Taylor Tea,’” she purred. “It says the author is anonymous. This is so very Gossip Girl. Are you ready?”
My eyes were closed, and I was starting to doze off. “Do I have a choice?”
“Hey, Roses. It’s time to spill the tea in Rosewood River,” Lulu read, and I could hear the excitement in her voice.
“Looks like Rosewood River’s golden couple, who shall remain unnamed…
You know the ones… They’ve been together since middle school and got busted for skinny dipping in Mr. Hanson’s pool in high school.
Wink. Wink. Well, they might not be heading to the altar, after all.
Word on Main Street is our groom got caught with his pants down at his bachelor party in the city.
But ‘The Taylor Tea’ has eyes everywhere, and let’s just say, our bride was sent some very questionable photos from someone that was at said bachelor party.
We’ve heard from a very reliable source that she packed her bags and moved out of their home this week.
Apparently, our jilted bride was seen at Booze and Brews last night, having several cocktails and grinding up against one of the Chadwick boys, who we shall also not name.
Not a bad place to rebound, am I right, ladies?
” Lulu paused, and I opened one eye, squinting against the sunlight.
“This is freaking gold. Like Gossip Girl meets small-town drama.”
I laughed. “Does it say which Chadwick boy?”
Why did I care? It didn’t matter if it was Easton, did it?
So why was I sitting forward now and tugging the newspaper from her hands?
I continued reading. “You know those Chadwick boys can be a little litigious, so we’ll play it safe, and we won’t name which one took this runaway bride home last night, but let’s just say that he’s a ‘shark’ in the courtroom.
We’ll leave that to your imagination.” I shook my head in disbelief.
“How do they get away with printing this? It’s obviously Easton. He’s the attorney.”
“They’re practicing their second amendment rights. Freedom of speech.” She reached for the charcuterie board and popped a grape into her mouth.
“The second amendment is the right to bear arms. The first amendment is freedom of speech.”
“Ahhh… you’re such an attention-to-detail person,” she said over her laughter. “But I’ll bet some of these ranchers in Rosewood River are packing more than just firearms.”
I rolled my eyes and fell back in laughter.
It felt so good to have Lulu here.
Maybe it was having my best friend here, or the relaxing day by the pool, or the last week finding my footing at the office.
But Rosewood River was starting to feel like home.
And it had been a long time since I’d felt that way.