AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s okay,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You looked pretty out of it.”
“Oh! I’m okay. It’s just my first time back in this room since I left,” I laugh. “It feels a bit like going back in time.”
“I can only imagine,” Gray murmurs. He gives me a smile, “I should head back to work. I’ll catch you later Bray.”
“Bye Gray,” I smile back.
Setting my glass down, I grab my suitcase to try to find the dress I bought for tonight. I’ve been told by the bride-to-be to dress to impress for the party because apparently she has a surprise for me. I love Piper to death but her surprises are very hit or miss. Sometimes she nails it on the head like my surprise party for my 21st birthday. Other times I end up awkward and embarrassed like when she tried to set up a surprise blind date for me in our senior year of high school. Shuddering, I repress that memory back into the kill me from embarrassment box.
I cringe as I pull out my dress. It’s covered in wrinkles that the saleswoman assured me it couldn’t get. I’m going to have to iron it to make it presentable or find something else to wear. I’m torn between spending some time to make my hair cooperate and lay in waves down my back or saving time and pulling it into a low bun with some curls framing my face. Looking at the dark blue dress with its cute spaghetti straps and the shimmery satin I know I’m going to be forgoing my hair to iron out the dress. I spent so much on it and it’s just so pretty. A cute updo wouldn’t be the worst thing I could do with my hair for the party.
With my mind set, I make my way to where mom used to keep the ironing board. Halfway there she sneaks up behind me like the stealth ninja she is and scares the shit out of me.
“Mom! Are you trying to kill me?” Gasping, I hold a hand on my chest.
“You’re too easy,” she laughs at my dramatics. “What are you looking for, honey?”
“I need the iron for my party dress. It seems that when the saleswoman said no wrinkles, she didn’t actually mean it,” I huff out. “I paid extra for the higher quality dress for this reason. I knew I would be tight for time.”
“You have two and a half hours,” Mom chimes in, showing me her watch.
“Piper wants me there an hour early to help her get ready. I only have a little over an hour when you account for the drive,” I groan. “I’ll have to rush and just put my hair up.”
“Go grab me your dress,” Mom claps her hands together, getting into rush mode. “I’ll do your dress so you can get your hair and makeup done properly. When I finish your dress, I will meet you in your room and help with whatever is left.”
“Mom,” I chide. “You need to get ready too.”
“I have a lot more time than you do,” she smiles. “Besides, I don’t need to look hot for all the sexy, single men tonight. You, on the other hand, do. Go!”
Shaking my head, I turn to head back to my room for the dress. I have no idea what her obsession is with finding me a man, but I’ll indulge her for now. Maybe I can find a sexy, single man to have a fling with this summer. Sow my oats or whatever that saying is. It’s been a few months since my last romp in the sheets and I could use a little vitamin D in my life of the cowboy variety. Just because I sleep with a man doesn’t mean I have to marry him so getting dolled up to catch someone’s eye sounds good to me.
Exactly an hour later, I give my hair a quick fluff with my fingers and double check my eyeliner. I need to leave soon or I’m going to be late to get Piper ready for her party. My honey coloured eyes are framed with long dark lashes and made up with a toned down smokey look. From my brown soft curls to my brown honey eyes, I look party ready. The only thing left to do is slip into my blue shoes that match my dress and put on a touch of lipstain.
“You look stunning,” Mom whispers as she steps up behind me. “You remind me of a young me. You should have no problem grabbing anyone’s attention tonight.” Mom hip bumps me with a cheeky smile on her face.
“Thanks Mom,” I smile back. “I should get going, I’ll see you in a little bit. Love you!”
“Love you too, darling! Drive safe!” Mom shouts from my room as I make my way to the door.
Getting in my car I look around to see if Grayson is still around. I wonder what he would think about the dress. I slam my mind down on those thoughts. If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that I will not be going for any Wild boy this summer. I fell down that hole of lust before and I refuse to do it again. There’s no way in hell I would be able to just be with one of them and not think about the others. I won’t open that can of worms this summer, that’s for damn sure.
Chapter Two
Mason
Stretching my arms above my head, I try to work out the knot I have in my shoulder. When I said I would move back to town with Grayson to help out at the ranch I had forgotten how much work was actually involved. Gray, of course, moved back but got into it with Dad almost immediately and refused to work here. Thankfully Reg Carter let him work at their dairy farm so he wasn’t just twiddling his thumbs all summer earning nothing. I love my brother but he’s a handful on a good day and him and our father just do not get along. We made sure to get our own apartment so that they didn’t end up killing each other if left in the same house for too long.
“Mace!”
Speak of the devil and he appears. “In here!” I yell out from my room.
“You are never going to guess who I saw today!” He raves as he walks into the room. “Little Brayleigh Carter! She is definitely not little anymore.”
“She’s back?” I ask, shocked. “I assumed we’d see her at the wedding in a few months, I didn’t realize she would come back before that.”
“Well, she’s here with all of her stuff and looking as beautiful as ever,” Gray groans. He jumps, flopping on my bed. “I’m going to make a move.”
Spinning around, I pin him with a glare. He raises his eyebrow in a cocky way, begging me to say the words. He knows he can’t make a move, none of us can. We made a pact when we all started thinking about her as more than a platonic friend. It would get messy with all five of us fighting over Brayleigh like she’s a piece of meat. I would never put her in a position like that, it’s cruel and would ruin all of us. We needed to put our brother bonds over Bray, which meant cutting her out. It screwed with Tuck the most out of all of us.
