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“I doubt it. Listen, I’m not saying it would be all rainbows and fucking puppy dogs or whatever, but you two . . . it feels like you’re meant to be together.”
“Why, just because we’ve known each other since I was 17? We were close, yeah, but we’ve grown apart. She’s dated other people.”
“Yeah, and so have you. She might be feeling the exact same way as you: scared.”
“I’m not scared,” I correct him, but actually, yeah, I am scared. “It wouldn’t be right. I don’t feel right about it, Deck, okay?”
“Okay.” He raises his hands. “All I’m saying is, nobody would judge you.”
“It’s not that,” I mutter. “Let’s just drop it, please.”
I don’t elaborate on what it really is, because I’ve never told anyone that the night I met Dolly, I was head over heels for her. She was the new girl in school—hell, probably the new girl in the whole town. Her family had relocated to our middle-of-nowhere Colorado town because her grandfather had become ill and her mom was taking care of him. Dolly was bright-eyed with a laugh bigger than her petite frame. Her short, brunette curls bounced as she sang karaoke animatedly.
I tried to play it cool—didn’t want to scare her off—plus I could see she’d had a few drinks. The next day at school, when I saw her in the hallway and approached her, I could hear my heart in my ears. I had planned on asking her to Homecoming, but I got nervous and chickened out. I went to the bathroom, splashed cold water on my face, took a few deep breaths, and gave myself a pep talk to get back out there and ask her. But when I rounded the corner, I was too late. There was Dean, laying it on thick, and she was eating it up. Dean had a way with the ladies, way more than I did. He was charming and outgoing, and had a smile all the girls in high school would go on and on about.
I remember feeling like my heart hurt, and it was the first time in my life I felt that kind of pain. It wasn’t rejection, but it felt like I knew right then what I was losing. And since that day, I’ve been smiling through the pain . . . so to just take the chance and confess to her my feelings and either not have them returned, or worse, only be a passing fantasy for her, I don’t think I could live through that.
“Okay, we’ll drop it. I just want to say one thing: I think you owe it to yourself to be honest with her and take a chance. I’ve hated seeing your pain over the years. I just want to see you happy, brother.” He reaches over and grabs my shoulder.
“I know, thank you. I’m sorry, I’m just—”
“Don’t apologize. It’s a rough time with the anniversary and everything, and all this stuff with the ranch and the brewery. Maybe we need a guys’ night . . . wanna go out with all the cousins soon?”
“That sounds like a good idea. Just don’t tell Milly, because she’ll be salty she wasn’t invited and the next thing you know, it won’t be a guys’ night.”
“She does have a knack for always showing up.” We both laugh. We’ve never once thought of Mill as our half-sister. She’s always been our older sister who’s always right by our side.
“You know she’s doing that bachelor auction thing again this year, right? This time it’s going to be during the Fall Fest.”
“Oh shit, she’s going to want us to do it again, isn’t she?” I hang my head. I can’t bear the thought of the humiliation again this year.
“You know it.”
“I’m out. I’m not doing it this time. I looked like a damn fool last year with the fuckin’ sparkly cuffs and bow tie and no shirt.”
“You really put on a show last year . . . I remember flexing, and I think at one point you did push-ups?”
I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to erase the memory from my head. “Yeah, I was three solid sheets to the wind that night. Plus I was trying to impress some blonde who offered to suck my dick if I won the highest bid.” I laugh.
“Classic Ranger. Well, good luck getting out of it with Milly. You know she also has a knack for convincing us either through guilt or brute force to get her way. On that note,” he slaps a bill down on the bar top and nods toward Buck, “I’m out of here, gentlemen. Have a good night.”
I stay behind a few more minutes, Deck’s words lingering as I picture the way Dolly was looking up at me tonight. It wasn’t the first time I’d noticed her looking at me like that, but it was probably the first time I was seconds away from grabbing her by the back of her neck and shoving my tongue down her throat. She’s only gotten more beautiful with age, and her big, beautiful eyes still captivate me every time I look into them. Her plump lips make my heart do a flip when they curl upward into a smile, usually followed by her loud, unapologetic laugh. And her body,goddamn, her tight body would drive any man to insanity. She’s built like Salma Hayek, petite with curves that dip and wind, causing my eyes to linger longer than they should. I push the thoughts of my hands exploring her body from my head to save myself an embarrassing situation.
“I’m heading out, Buck. Have a good night.” After I settle my tab, I walk back outside to my truck, pausing to look up at the crystal-clear summer sky, wishing I knew what the right next step was for my life.
Am I a fool for not even giving my heart a chance with Dolly? Or am I a fool for not taking this opportunity to start over fresh in Texas, letting my past stay exactly where it belongs?
3
DAHLIA
“You have no idea how much I needed this.” I stretch my arms overhead as I recline in my deck chair. The last few days of summer have been abnormally hot, perfect for a day at the pool with my girlfriends. “I thought Mill was coming?”
“She is.” Brooklyn adjusts her top and lies back in her lounger. “She said she’d be here a little later.”
“Good. And I needed this, too. I haven’t had a day off from work or mommy duties in what feels like ages,” Amelia, Trent’s wife and owner of one of the most prestigious wineries says as she sips her iced tea. “Too bad this isn’t a pina colada.”
“The outdoor bar will be finished in time for next summer, I promise. We wanted to get the little kiddie portion finished first,” Brook replies. She and Tyler put in a custom pool this past year, complete with a built-in hot tub, cabanas, and an area for the kids.
