Page 28 of The True-Blue Romance

“How long have I been in love with him?”

“Ah, you’re asking the wrong questions, Joey. Maybe ask how I think you can work this all out?”

“So?” I ask hopefully, because maybe Beau has the key to it all.

“I think Lee is a wild horse always ready to run, even though he seems tamed. Good horses return home though, right?” Beau glances over at Trevor with a secret smile, his hand settling on Trevor’s ankle. “He won’t believe you when you tell him.”

“I know. I’ve never… I’ve never felt this way about anyone ever in my life. I thought this was just, I don’t know, best friendship. But I can tell you I have never wanted to hold you as you slept just to keep all the nightmares at bay.” Beau laughs as I shrug. “Sorry, Beau.”

“How long have you had those sorts of thoughts?” Trevor asks, his gaze assessing and firm.

“Probably twenty years,” I answer truthfully.

“Idiots,” Trevor says with a snort. “So what’s the move now?”

I take a sip of the tea, closing my eyes to settle and ground myself. “I have to do this right to not lose him forever.”

Beau makes a noise in the back of his throat, making me look up at him. He nods his agreement before skewering me with his look that’s always said don’t fuck up, kid. “You’ve already proved to him that you love him. Now you have to prove to him that you’ll love him forever.”

And isn’t that the truth of it all.

The car line is endless on early release days. I slowly make my way forward, only vaguely listening to the sports talk on the radio. I wave at the teachers as I pull up to the curb. Savannah appears from the cafeteria, all grins as she sprints toward the car, her backpack swinging to and fro behind her. A teacher opens the door for her, and she climbs into the back seat, babbling about her day as she buckles herself into the booster seat.

“Daddy, you will not believe what happened today. Johnny ate his booger! It was disgusting. I told him that we had to break up if he eats another booger. He got mad and ate another booger. So we broke up.”

I lose track of her boyfriends, but I make a commiserating sound while navigating out of the school parking lot. “Well, you stick to your guns on that one, kiddo. You want a partner who will listen to you.”

“Like Unc-Lee listens to you?”

I’m going to barf. “Well, uh, not exactly like that.”

“But he’s your partner.”

“He’s my best friend,” I say delicately in hopes of avoiding a full-blown meltdown.

Savannah goes quiet, and when I glance in the rearview mirror, she’s staring out the window like a heartbroken girl from a 2000s music video. I’d feel bad if it wasn’t so adorable.

“I have a surprise for you,” I tell her once we’re on the county road heading away from town

She perks up. “Yeah?”

“There’s a surprise for you at the farm.”

Savannah whoops and wiggles in her seat, all sadness from a few moments ago forgotten. I open the moonroof on the SUV to make the wind whip through Savannah’s curls. Her smile blows wide and my heart settles a little at the sight. The next best thing will be seeing Lee’s smile right beside hers. I think back to the conversation I had with Beau and Trevor the other night. I feel like I’ve waited decades to get to the point I am now without even realizing it.

When I pull into the driveway at Lee’s farm, it feels like coming home.

But home settles in when Lee comes out of the house with a wide grin, cupping his hand around his eyes so that he can see Savannah more clearly as she jumps out of the car without waiting for me. She runs full sprint toward him and he grabs her around the middle, both of them laughing while he swings her around. They’re whispering to each other on my approach, smiles wide and delighted. I can’t help but close the space between us three to wrap them up in my arms. Lee jerks a little but seems to settle into the hug after a few moments. He smells like freshly mown grass and strawberries, probably because he was snacking on some before we arrived. His beard rubs against my cheek, forcing a shiver out of me.

“What’s the hug for?” Lee murmurs in my ear.

I sigh against his neck. “I missed you, that’s all.”

“I missed you too, Unc-Lee,” Savannah chimes in, effectively breaking the moment.

I let them go and smile as best I can. Lee sends me one of those confused looks that only makes me want to kiss him more. Lee easily tucks Savannah against his side and carries her back toward the goats.

“Do you think we can camp again this summer?” Savannah asks, fingers playing with Lee’s beard.