The image of Brynlee in a cleavage enhancing corset has been documented and will forever be in my possession. Not just in my brain. It takes everything in me not to kiss her right here for insisting we do this.
“Do we have to pay for both of them?” Carter asks, his voice low as we hand the costumes back. “I wasn’t really budgetin’ for the fair to begin with.”
“Are you good, Carter?” I ask, suddenly worried. The last thing he ever talks about is money unless it’s work related.
He frowns and sighs. “Darla’s hours at the salon got cut. Again. She has this crazy idea to open up her own salon, the kids are at the expensive stages with sports and braces, the fridge crapped out on us last week, and her car’s close to a hundred and fifty thousand miles. There’s just… I don’t have a lot of breathin’ room these days.”
“I’ll cover it,” I say. “If you need anythin’, you know you can ask, right?”
“I don’t wanna do that.”
“You need to take care of your family, and that’s a lot at once. I’ve got money saved up you can borrow,” I say, making sure the girls can’t hear us. “It was the money I planned for the down payment when I wanted to buy the Carmichael place. Just let me know.”
Even though I threw the offer out, I know he’s too proud to take it. He confirms that with a shake of his head. “I can’t, Rhett. I… You know that’s not me.”
“You’ve stuck by me through everythin’. Hell, you have a strained relationship with your twin brother because you stood by me. You’re more my brother than my actual brothers. Just don’t tell Mom I said that.”
“Here you go,” the lady says and holds out two bags. “Three copies of all pictures in both color and black and white.”
Carter swallows, and I jump in, pulling out my wallet. “How much do I owe for all three?”
“They’re paid for, sweetheart.”
The girls walk out laughing, and Brynlee takes the bag from my hand to hold the pictures up. “These are amazing!”
“You can totally tell you’ve modeled before. It’s obvious,” Darla says. “And your tits look amazin’.”
“Thanks!” she gushes and turns them around to show us. “What do you guys think? About the pictures, not my tits. That would be awkward with your wife right here, Carter, but Rhett, you’re free to give your opinion later.”
Carter and I exchange a look, both agreeing with Darla’s statement without saying a word. Surprisingly, I don’t look half bad in them, either. “These are pretty cool.”
“Uh, the lady says they were paid for,” Carter says. “D-did you already pay, Dar?”
“Oh, I did,” Brynlee says with a smile. “I forced you by twisting your arm into doing this with me. Please don’t be angry.”
“Let us pay you back,” Darla insists.
Her eyes widen, and she points towards the main area. “There’s a Ferris wheel!”
I know immediately what she’s doing. She’s letting them off the hook and changing the subject, and I appreciate her for it. “Come on, inexperienced one.”
She wrinkles her nose and sticks out her tongue, but she lets me take her hand and walks with me to the ticket booth. “You know you won’t be able to say that after we leave here, right? I’ll be a county fair veteran.”
“You didn’t have to pay for them,” I say once we’re out of Carter’s earshot, and I signal for tickets.
Glancing back at my best friend, she lowers her voice. “I overheard him. I’m serious when I say that I’m just incredibly thankful you brought me here. Buying these pictures I strong-armed him into taking was the least I could do.”
Brynlee heard Carter and wanted to save him from added stress. Except, if Brynlee heard him, that means Darla probably did, too. “Whatever you want the rest of this evenin’, you get it.”
“Ferris wheel! Ferris wheel!”
Laughing, I shake my head and let her pull me towards the ride with a long line. This has to be one of the best dates I’ve ever been on, and I know without a doubt, I’m falling head over heels for her.
Lord, help me.
Chapter Nine
Brynlee
