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I pressed my lips together as to not show how pleased I was to hear that. “I was only there to say congratulations to you.”
“Now who’s lying in the Lord’s house?” He chuckled. “We need to talk after church.”
I closed my eyes to focus on the sermon.
“We should extend grace to all, even ourselves,” the pastor’s words rang in my head. I was working on it.
After the services, Bobby Jay was quick to lead me out of the small church into the bright sunshine-filled day. He swore the associate pastor was ready to make his move and ask me out and he couldn’t have that. I took Bobby Jay’s arm as we strolled through the neighborhood toward what I hoped would be my home.
“You really aren’t going to tell me who you went on a date with?”
“Maybe someday,” he laughed. “Right now we’re focused on getting you and my pigheaded cousin back together.”
“And who says that’s what I want?”
“Please, girl, don’t play coy with me. I know you didn’t show up this morning looking like a man’s last meal for my benefit. Nice touch with his momma’s jam and those biscuits you used to bring to Sunday dinner that everyone loved.”
I leaned into him. “So maybe I had ulterior motives.”
“They worked like a charm. The man had to take a cold shower after you left. He’s still mad as hell at you, though. More now that you keep reminding him of what he’s been missing.”
“I miss him too, but should I back off?”
“Hell no, girl. Like I said, families fight for each other.”
“I have to ask. Is he seeing someone?”
Bobby Jay got awfully quiet. The kind that made your stomach wriggle. We both slowed our pace.
“Bobby Jay?”
“Listen, honey, I don’t know for sure. I know he dated a few women back home after you left. Nothing serious, but since you left, he’s not one to talk about those types of things. And I’m not his babysitter. I don’t know how and where he spends all his nights. That’s his business.”
Was he sleeping with Marlowe? That wriggle in my stomach turned into roiling.
He patted my hand on his arm. “Hey, now, that’s no reason for you to stop bringing me biscuits.” He gave me a wink.
“If he’s with someone else, it’s not fair for me to—”
Bobby Jay stopped, turned, and rested his strong hands on my bare shoulders. “Listen to me now, Shelby. None of this has been fair to either one of you. I don’t know a lot of things, but this I do know, that stubborn fool has never gotten over you. I don’t know if it’s possible. So as far as I see it, you would be doing a service to the other woman.”
My brows raised.
“If there is one, mind you.” Bobby Jay smirked.
“Will you help me?”
A broad smile filled his face. “There’s not much I wouldn’t do to see the two of you back together.”
That warmed my heart. “We have to be subtle.”
He barked out a laugh. “Like you were this morning, flaunting your feminine wiles?”
I tucked some hair behind my ear. “Should I be doing something different?”
He shook his head. “No, darlin’. You keep being subtle like a jackhammer and I’ll figure out the rest.”Chapter FifteenThe nightly festivities had to be brought indoors. The beautiful sunny day had turned into a stormy Sunday evening. That being the case, Grady’s band moved into the barn. Which meant no bonfire, but the twinkle lights made up for it. And there was something romantic about the sound of rain dancing on the roof of a barn. Especially when you were in the loft wrapped up in the arms of the man you love. There was no hope of that happening tonight, but I did have a glimmer of hope it could be in my future.
Bobby Jay promised me he would make sure Ryder came tonight—all I had to do was be me. I loved a good excuse to dance, so I agreed. Besides, I would take any excuse to see Ryder. My heart longed for his. I needed him to forgive me for what I had done so I could forgive myself.
When I arrived, there were already several Ranch guests in attendance. I even recognized some people from town who frequently came out whenever Grady’s band was playing. Ryder and Bobby Jay hadn’t made an appearance yet. I did wonder if Bobby Jay could convince him to come. Ryder loved music but dancing wasn’t really his thing unless it was in his momma’s kitchen to the old clock radio she kept on the counter. We always cleaned the kitchen together Sunday nights after dinner just to listen to that radio play songs accompanied by static. For some reason, the static added to the charm of it all. Ryder and I would slow dance barefoot on the aged linoleum floor for hours, sometimes not saying a word, other times we couldn’t stop talking. I missed those long talks about our pasts and especially our future. We envisioned a much different one than we were leading now. I prayed we could see a way forward to salvage some of it. Mostly the part where we were together until the end of time.
