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Amora plops down next to her, and they chat about their plans for next weekend. It's already bad enough I have to share her with my cousin, but soon I'll have to share her with a whole campus of friends.
"I wanted to say a few words and talk about Mama," John says as he stands. "Fourth of July was her favorite holiday for as long as I can remember. It's why we always brought it to the next level and made sure there were as many people here as possible. She loved her family and being around friends. As we got older, each year only got bigger and louder. Still, one of my favorite memories is when all five of us kids were teenagers, and Dad and Evan were in charge of lighting the fireworks. Evan lit a bottle rocket before the big show, and being a klutz, he knocked it over tryin’ to get out of the way. That thang shot off and soared right at Mama. She spilled red punch all over her clothes. We were rolling because we knew Evan was in deep shit."
"Evan Tyler!" Jackson mocks in a high-pitched voice that echoes Great-Grandma’s, and the room bursts into laughter. "Mama nearly strangled him for ruining her dress."
"You always knew you were in deep shit when she used your middle name," Evan confirmed.
The room booms with more laughter. Hearing stories of my great-grandparents is always fun. I wish I’d had more time with them, but they’re talked about so much, it feels like I didn't miss a thing.
Kaitlyn and Payton walk around with Kolton holding their hands between them. He’s three and a half and my little buddy. I’ve been teaching him all about horses and even got him in a saddle when Kaitlyn wasn’t around. We made that our little secret. Kaylee is five and struts around like a little princess wearing sundresses and cowboy boots. She talks to the horses like she’s the boss of them, which is pretty hilarious.
Later that evening, we gather for fireworks on the hill behind the big white house where they lived. My grandparents moved in there shortly after Great-Grandpa Scott passed away so she wouldn't have to live alone. She'd been perfectly healthy till the day she passed in her sleep.
Fortunately, she didn't suffer.
My dad and his cousin Ethan are in charge of the fireworks this year. Before they start, they whistle to grab everyone's attention.
"This year, we're gonna have the biggest show we've ever done, and it's all for Grandma Bishop. May she rest in peace and enjoy the explosions with Grandpa by her side. I know she’s lookin’ over us and is proud the entire family is here celebratin’ her favorite holiday."
And then for the next hour and a half, booms followed by glittery colors fill the sky. Lilia sits on a blanket between my legs, and as I hold her tightly to my chest, I whisper in her ear, "I love you."
She looks over her shoulder with the sweetest smile. "I love you too, Zach Bishop. Forever and always."
We spend the rest of the night proving that love to each other in the bed of my truck. There’s no doubt in my mind that we’ll have a life just like my great-grandparents.
And I can't wait.
LILIA
TEN YEARS LATER
You'd think at almost twenty-eight, I'd have my life together.
Married with children and a career I loved.
Instead, it's crumbling more and more each day.
My boyfriend of two years just dumped me for his receptionist.
My children-bearing days are getting closer to the end with each year that passes.
And I got fired two weeks ago.
That one I should've expected, honestly. I've not been on my A game in a while, but now I'm struggling to pay my rent.
Going to college in California was supposed to be the jumpstart to my perfect life. I was going to marry my childhood best friend and high school sweetheart, have three to four babies, and use my finance degree to help him on the ranch.
All of that went to shit a year after I left.
Now I'm thousands of dollars in debt without my name on a diploma.
I lost the love of my life years ago.
And soon, I'll be homeless.
The only option I have left is to move back to Eldorado, Texas.
My mom has been begging me to come home, and it looks like she'll get her wish.
If only I didn't have to face Zach Bishop, the man whose heart I broke ten years ago when I told him it was over through a text message.
He's never forgiven me, and I don't blame him.
I did what I had to do for his own good.
But I have a feeling he won’t see it that way.
