Something in my chest loosened. A breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. I didn’t even realize how much Aunt Violet’s approval meant to me. Not that Cheyenne and I were anything yet really, but…still.
“My lord, child, you made this?” She took another deep inhale.
Cheyenne beamed and nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
“This smells absolutely lovely. Thank you. Please, make yourself at home. Would you like some sweet tea? Water? Soda? Cash I’m sure brought some beer.”
“I’m good for now, Mrs. Mooney. Thank you, though.”
Aunt Violet smelled the candle once more. “I can’t wait to show the ladies this at Bible Study tomorrow night. Can you make more of these? I have a friend in town who owns a little shop on Main Street, and these would be ahit!”
Cheyenne’s grin was more radiant than the sun peeking out from behind the clouds after a storm. “Absolutely, ma’am. That would be amazin’!”
“Hey!” Cash all but yelled. “Less talkin’, more cookin’, Mama. You’re gonna burn it.”
Aunt Violet whirled on Cash, snatching up her tongs and brandishing them at her son. “You don’t tell me how to cook in my own kitchen, boy. I don’t care if you’re a grown ass man, I’ll still beat your ass raw with the wooden spoon.”
Cash at least had the decency to look afraid as he all but ran out of the house and into the backyard, earning laughs from the rest of us.
Aunt Violet shooed as all out shortly after. Bringing up the rear, I glanced back to find her sneaking another sniff of the candle before setting it down. There was no possible way Cheyenne could have known that magnolias were my aunt's favorite, but call it sheer luck, a good guess, whatever…she’d won points with Aunt Violet, which made me inexplicably happy.
Cash and Ryder were already setting up for a game of horseshoes as I shut the door. “Mav! You and Trouble over here are a team against Ryder and I!” Cash shouted, a beer already cracked open in his hand.
The old Cash was back, thank God. I couldn’t deal with the sad, depressed version. Call it crazy, but I preferred his usual, wild, pain-in-the-ass antics over him being all morose and shit. That just wasn’t who he was, and seeing the light leave him…especially because of me…I hated it. I don’t know what happened after I’d left with Bad and Goodie, but I was grateful.
Had to be Bad.
Now that I thought about it, I was certain. He was one of the only ones ever able to get through Cash’s thick, stubborn skull.
“Why the hell is my nickname Trouble?” Cheyenne chimed in, drawing my attention.
Cash grinned. “You’re trouble if I ever seen it, darlin’.”
She rolled her eyes, even as a smile lit up her face. “Whatever… Hey, we can’t just leave out Charlie. That’s not fair.”
Charlie already sat in one of the deep-set lawn chairs a few away from the group. “It’s honestly fine. This heat is God awful, Ifeel nauseous as hell, and the thought of having to move around more than I have to right now makes me want to die.”
Cheyenne flashed her a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry. That doesn’t sound fun. Oh! How was your doctor’s appointment today?”
Cason bolted past with Brandy and Dutch hot on his heels as I made my way over to the group. I didn’t know who enjoyed this new arrangement more—Cason or the dogs.
Ryder stepped up to Charlie’s side, placing a hand gently on her shoulder. Charlie tilted her face up to look at him, a loving smile on her lips. He dipped his mouth to hers for a quick kiss. I was happy for him. For them both, actually. The love they shared…I wanted that someday. The type of love that could be seen, be felt, without the need for a single word.
All you had to do was take a moment and watch them together and know they were meant for each other It’s like they were soulmates or something—if you believed in that sort of thing.
I came to a stop beside Cheyenne and opposite Cash. She didn’t look up at me as I approached, but settled into the crook of my arm. Funny how comfortable it felt. I thought of Bad’s question earlier. Was this the beginning of a relationship or just a situation of convenience? I truly didn’t know, and with each passing moment, with every touch, every look, every seductive smile on her lips, I wanted to know the answer more and more.
“Everything looks good,” Charlie replied, dragging me from my thoughts. “Heartbeat’s strong, its measurements are tracking at theright age. We have another appointment in four weeks.” Charlie looked up at Ryder once more. “And then a week or two after that, we can find out the gender.”
Cheyenne smiled. “That’s so excitin’. I’m so happy for y’all.”
Charlie glowed as she grinned back. “Thank you. I just can’t wait until we figure out if it's a boy or a girl. I’ve already been driving Ryder crazy with names.”
Ryder nodded, but an equally as radiant grin sliced across his face.
Talk of potential baby names guided the line of conversation as Cheyenne and Ryder remained on the side closest to Charlie, while Cash and I made our way to the opposing horseshoe pit. We’d barely even started playing when Cason barreled over to Ryder, ruining one of my shots.
Thank God I’d not let the shoe fly or it would’ve hit him straight in the face as he ran across the middle of the game.
