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I give Sunny a final rub behind the ears before I head back to Bessie and continue my drive to Coyote Run. I’m a sucker for this trail. And Callan’s right. I always head out here the second I’m home. This time it’s for real. I’ve been back and forth for months, but I ain’t planning ongoing anywhere else for quite some time, unless it’s a well-needed vacation.
I drop in to my parents’ place before I head out for the night. I’ve busied myself for most of the day unpacking shit and stopping by the barn again on my way back from Coyote Run, where I helped Callan. He’s been re-staining all the timber in the barn. It’s taken months for him to fix the mezzanine above the back part of the barn and relay all the floors. The place is going to be amazing.
I wonder idly if any Bassetts will get married in the barn one day. I guess I should put my divorce to bed first before I think about another wedding. It would be nice to see Georgia settled, and my brothers, for that matter. Gabe had a hard time with his ex. She left him and his young daughter, Trinity, when she was a baby. She’s now five. Neither have seen nor heard from her since. He’s raised her himself with the help of the family along the way, and his long-standing nanny, Geraldine. That part is commendable and I respect him for it. He hasn’t had much luck with the ladies since then, though I don’t think he’s been actively trying.
Brooklyn split with his high school sweetheart, Eden, five years ago, but it was amicable. They share a ten-year-old daughter, Blake. She’s the most adorable little thing next to Trinity. They never came to a shit storm with their divorce, something I realize now is a rarity in most breakups.
Beau is the youngest brother, and the most aloof out of all of us. He’s just a happy-go-lucky kinda guy; all heart, like Brooklyn, and sometimes he wears his heart too much on his sleeve. When he isn’t crunching numbers and doing whatever else is needed around the distillery, he enjoys gaming back at his bachelor pad next to Mom and Dad’s.
“Honey, what have they been feeding you back in Nashville? Are you sure you’re eating properly?” Mom will never stop fussing over any of us kids, no matter how old we get.
I hug the tiny woman into my side. It’s hard to believe such a svelte thing as my mom, with such a small frame, housed and birthed five children, including the twins. But it’s plain to see she’s looked after herself over the years. She resembles Georgia with her long, dark hair and classic blue eyes.
“Mom, I’m eating just fine,” I assure her. I only saw her before I left for New York, so I’m not sure what’s changed since then. I’ve been pounding it out in the gym even more so than lately, but I tend to think I’ve added muscle rather than lost weight. “You worry too much.”
She steps up onto her tiptoes to give me a kiss on the cheek as I bend down.
“I can’t tell you how good it is having you home, Gray. Isn’t that right, Bob?”
Dad looks up from his newspaper over by the kitchen table. Nothing has changed much in the house we all grew up in. It houses every memory I hold dear.
The homestead boasts a view of the vast landscape from every window in the house, making it feel like it’s in the middle of a forest.
“Been saying it for years,” dad muses, shaking his head. “But, yes, darling, it’s wonderful having all our kids together again.”
“Have you talked to Gabe yet, sweetie?”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. “Not yet, Mom.”
“They’ll patch it up, Gayle. They always do.” Dad’s eyes avert back down to his paper. He’s looking more and more relaxed since he announced his retirement, and I’m glad about that.
“I’m glad everyone is on board with things going forward,” Mom says. We had a family meeting before I left for New York to redefine our roles, and I only give it a matter of time before Gabe has some issue with my export ideas. “You’re settling in okay?”
“I’m settling in just fine, Mom,” I say. I've been getting back into the swing of production during my recent trips home, and I've also been reaching out to suppliers to prepare for future expansion. “The cabin is very cozy.”
She smiles. “How are things with you know who?”
She won’t even say Keira’s name anymore, and I hardly blame her.
“Nothing new. I’m seeing Jim on Friday. I’m keen to get that wrapped up as soon as possible. Did I tell you I’m also meeting my contractor the week after?”
Dad looks up and smiles. “Going ahead with your plans already?”
“You know me, Dad.”
Mom only hears the lawyer part about meeting Jim, which makes her worry about my divorce. I know it hit them hard too, learning what happened between us and the way Keira hurt me.
It fucking hurt, no matter what problems we had. After ten years together, it was a huge shock to the system. Betrayal isn’t something you just get over.
“It’s going to be fine.” I give her a one armed hug. “Remember what I said about you worrying too much? Let me do that.”
“I just want you to be happy, honey, with someone who truly deserves you.”
I smile. And I can’t help the thought of Hartley flicking to my mind again.
She’s been constantly there since the second I met her.
That beautiful smile isn’t one I’m likely to forget in a hurry, not that I can do anything about it when she’s in Boston.
