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“They’ll lose half the undercarriage driving like that.” Wilson flinched. The vehicle hit a large pothole and fishtailed, the dust plume twisting in the breeze as the minivan turned up the drive toward the house.
“Are you expecting anyone?” I cocked my head, considering the list of people already here working on the Fourth of July festivities and all the others scheduled to start arriving in an hour. There wasn’t anyone left in town unless they skipped out on the parade.
Wilson rubbed his chin and considered the speeding vehicle racing toward us. “No. I’m hoping it’s not an emergency.”
The car sent a spray of gravel over the ground as it careened to a stop in front of the house. The driver shut off the car. Dust settled, and for a moment the only sound was the tick tick of an overheated engine.
“I have to pee, so bad.” The car door flew open, and a petite woman about my age in a gauzy blue dress and staggeringly tall wedge heels flung herself out and at Wilson. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she kissed both his cheeks.
“Rae? What are you doing here?” Wilson wrapped his arms around her, but shock delayed the reaction for a few beats. Surprise wasn’t a big enough word to explain the look on his face.
I searched my mind for the name Rae, and bingo—Rebecca. His sister who lived in Chicago. Texas was a long drive for a potty break.
“And you must be Cameron.” She took my upper arms in her small but surprisingly strong hands and pulled me to her so she could air kiss both my cheeks.
The rose-scented embrace, like her arrival, caught me off guard and was over before I could react.
“Great to meet you?” It sounded more like a question than a hearty Elmer welcome.
“Oh my God, yes. But first, I’ve got to use your bathroom. Come, Georgie.” A pile of flowing white hair that could have been either a dog or a dustmop with pink hair bows scrambled from the car and raced after Rae, who sailed up the front steps of the ranch house and through the door like she lived here.
“So that’s my big sister,” Wilson told Jethro and Tracie with a confused chuckle.
“Unexpected visit,” Tracie assumed.
“Looks like she’s packed for a long stay.” Jethro pointed at the vehicle.
We all moved to the minivan and peered inside. It looked like a game of Tetris. She’d shoehorned suitcases of wildly varying colors and sizes into every available cubic inch of space, only leaving room for a driver and a plush doggy car seat—nothing else.
“I’m pretty sure half that luggage is from my parents’ basement.” Wilson sighed and kicked a rock, sailing it beneath the van.
“That’s more than a holiday weekend visit.” Jethro cocked his head this way and that, trying to count how many bags were shoved in the car. Tracie elbowed him and shook her head.
“Huh.” I put my hands on my hips and considered the situation and the pile of luggage. Rae and all that stuff had to be put somewhere. The renovations of the guesthouse hadn’t even started yet. Oh well.
I wasn’t officially living with Wilson, but I was at Blue Star often. We had agreed I’d move in officially when Bailey left for school this fall. Wilson had no clue I hoped to speed up the timeline. Bailey, who was more excited than ever to head east, had enrolled in Vassar’s summer drama camp for freshmen. I’d miss her so much, but the silver lining to the cloud of her early departure was moving to Blue Star this month.
But that secret was for later... when Wilson and I were alone.
“I’d better call my mom.” Wilson reached for his cell.
“Let me text Atley and see if he or one of the hands can bring the ATV and trailer over so we can move all that to the guest house.” I waved at the mountain of luggage and shot off a text.
Wilson had his phone pressed to his ear as we all climbed the steps and entered the house. His eye roll made me think he was listening to his parents’ answering machine message. They loved their landline, much to Wilson’s annoyance.
“I forgot how gorgeous this house is. It might be my favorite of any we shot for the show.” Tracie turned around, head tipped back, to look up at the mix of steel and rough-hewn wood beams. Light spilled in from the massive back windows and warmed the slate floors that stretched from the front door across the kitchen to the open living space.
“It is really one of a kind.” I opened the oversized fridge and passed out bottles of Shiner Bock beer. After a moment’s hesitation, I placed a fifth for Rae on the counter but didn’t remove the cap.
“I left a message.” Wilson sighed.
“With Mom?” Rae emerged from the powder bath in the front hall. Her dog, who’d made himself at home, hopped off the cream leather sectional and followed at her heels. She perched on a stool at the kitchen island. Her serene expression didn’t hint at what was going on. The dog found a place on the braided kitchen rug where he could see Rae. His long hair pooled around him elegantly. He was so well groomed, I wasn’t sure if you could pet him like a normal dog.
“Rae, would you like a beer?” I nodded at the unopened bottle.
“Anything stronger?” She laughed, and a slight hiccup that sounded like the tail end of a sob punctuated her strained chuckle.
“Rae, what’s going on?” Wilson hustled to her side and wrapped an arm around her.
