The silver Dodge Ram that Henry bought me is sitting beside the barn when the airport limo pulls into the driveway to drop me off. Jed stands next to it, shirtless and deeply tanned, smoothing a soapy sponge over the hood.
I thank the driver and, leaving my suitcase on the grass, I make my way over. “Looks like you took good care of it.”
“Of course I did. I want you to keep letting me drive it.” He flashes me a grin as he scrubs the grill. “It got pretty dusty out here on these roads. Lots of dead bugs.”
I giggle. “Trust me. This is nothing compared to the trucks in Alaska.” The truck I used to drive around in with Connor and Ronan had a permanent, thick layer of corpses on its hood.
Thoughts of that bring me to thoughts of those two guys, and how much I miss working—and laughing—with them every day.
“So?” Jed tosses the sponge into the bucket. “How was France? I mean, I know the trip was cut short and all, but you must have had a great time.” He may have finally relented to the idea that we’re better off as just friends, but I know Jed well enough to know it still irks him that I’m with Henry. Or, maybe more specifically, that he will never be able to compete against a guy like Henry and win.
I smile. “It was incredible. If you ever have a chance to go, you should.”
“Yeah… one day, maybe.” His hands run through his shaggy blond hair. Not for the first time do I notice how much more muscular he is. The old me would have been drooling over him. Now? Not a skipped heartbeat, not a flicker of desire.
“How have things been around here?”
“Same old. Busy.” He throws a hand toward our original barn, to the new shiny silver metal roof that I fought with Mama to pay for. “They just finished putting that in two days ago. Looks good. Solid.”
“And just in time. I have a lot of work to do.” I tell him about Margo and her ideas.
Jed’s mouth is hanging open by the time I’m done. “Margo Lauren? You, like, actually know her?”
“I do.” You can’t even imagine how well.
“Dang. This new life of yours is something else.”
“Tell me about it.”
“If you had any idea how many times I’ve jerked off to her picture—”
“Jed!”
He gives me a sheepish smile and shrug. “What? You don’t think when she’s standing there in her panties and bra posing that she’s not aware what guys are gonna be doing to the end product?”
“Oh, she’s aware. I’m sure she’d gladly watch,” I mutter under my breath, but not quiet enough.
Jed’s eyebrows spike.
“Where’s Mama and Daddy?” I ask, changing the subject.
“They went into the city. Your dad’s getting the rest of his casts off today.”
“Really?” Has it been that long since the accident already?
Jed reaches for the hose. “Yup. Slowly but surely, he’s on the mend. The golf cart you had delivered will be super helpful for him to get around. I think he’s going nuts from being cooped up with Bernadette.”
I frown. “What golf cart?”
“The one over there.” He points to the side of the house, where a shiny new black cart is parked.
“I didn’t…,” I begin to say, but my words drift off as I clue in. Henry. He is, as always, five steps ahead of me. And Jed’s no doubt right—Daddy needs his independence back before Mama drives him to drink.
Jed begins spraying the soap off the truck.
“Okay, well, I’ll be in the barn if you need me.” I hope I have enough supplies. My herb garden is severely lacking. I may have to run into town to purchase some of the annuals that I didn’t plant this year, having been in Alaska.
“So, can I still drive this while you’re home?”
“Depends how nice you are to me,” I holler over my shoulder, heading for the house to drop off my things.
I shriek as a spray of cold water from the hose hits my back.
~ ~ ~
The familiar, musty smell of my little workshop in the barn brings me an odd sense of comfort as I wander around, surveying my supplies and making a list of ingredients to rush order. Margo demanded a dozen sample kits, minimum. The packaging should be arriving tomorrow by courier, so at least I’ll have that. It’ll take a few more days to get up and running.
The soft whirring sound is the only warning I have before I look up to find the golf cart in the middle of the barn, my dad in the driver seat and grinning like a fool. “I thought I heard someone tinkering in here.”
“Daddy!” I dart around the table and rush to him, trying to be gentle as I wrap my arms around him in a hug.
He squeezes me back, some of that strength I’ve always associated with him back. “I’ve missed you, girl.”
“I missed you, too. What did the doctor say?”
He spends a few minutes giving me the rundown—the lung that collapsed is at about 75 percent, and he’ll need the walking cast for his left leg for another two months, but things are looking up. Then, he slides his hands around the steering wheel of the golf cart. “This was some surprise to come home to,” he begins, in that tone I know too well. It comes with gentle scolding. “These aren’t cheap, Abigail.”
I offer him a tight smile. “But you need it. It’s giving you some of your independence back, right?”
“No doubt about that.” His gaze lifts to survey the new roof. “I haven’t actually seen this place up close until now. Looks good. And it was needed, so I appreciate it. But you need to stop spending all your money on me. This cart was too much.”
I can’t take credit for this and I don’t want to. “Actually, it was as much a surprise to me. Henry arranged for this. I didn’t know he was doing it.”
“I wondered about that.” He heaves a sigh. “How is he doing?”
“He’s… Henry. He’s on his way to Barcelona now, and likely Alaska after that to sort out problems with the gold mine.”
“He’s a hardworking man, that’s for sure.” He hesitates. “Maybe too hardworking?”
“Maybe,” I agree with a sad smile. “But he’s a hardworking man who I love.”
“Yes. I’m well aware.” He peers around the kitchen. “So, what are you up to here?”
I fill Daddy in, just as I did Jed earlier.
“So you’re actually friends with Margo Lauren now?”
“Yeah. Why? You know who she is?”
“Everyone knows who she is, thanks to your mother’s fretting.” He gives me a look and I roll my eyes. “Come on, hop in. She’s waiting for you on the porch.”
I oblige, settling in next to him on the cushioned bench. He pressed down on the pedal and the cart lurches forward.
“It’s sure got some kick to it for an electric thing,” he murmurs as we sail out of the barn and down the path toward the house. Sure enough, Mama’s there, in a flowing blue floral dress, her short curly brown hair looking freshly cut. “Maybe let’s not tell her exactly where the cart came from?”
“As if she doesn’t already have her suspicions.”
He chuckles. “Oh, no doubt she does.”
“How’s she doing anyway?”
“Better, though she was cranky as all hell for about a week, going through caffeine withdrawals. But she’s over that now and your aunt May has been coming by, making sure she’s cooking healthier and getting out for two walks every day. She’s lost about twenty pounds already.”
“That’s great!” She’s got a long way to go as far as weight is concerned to be healthier, but it’s a good start. “And how is she… otherwise?”
“Oh… she’s coming around, very slowly. I wouldn’t expect her to welcome Henry with open arms quite yet, but I think she’s finally realizing that the only thing she’s going to succeed at with all this nonsense is driving you away from us.”
“She could never do that.”
“I sure hope not.”
I pat his hand with reassurance as we coast up to the house.
“Just remember, it’s always coming from a place of love,” he mumbles as the cart comes to a stop.
Mama sets the watering can down and eases her way down the rickety steps. Her breaths are still labored, but I can see a subtle change in her. The bags under her eyes aren’t so pronounced, her face isn’t quite as swollen. “You heard the doctor, Roger! Your lung is only at 75 percent! What are you doin’, whippin’ around in that thing at warp speed!”
I lean in to kiss him on the cheek and whisper, “Just remember, it’s always coming from a place of love.” I climb out of the cart. “Hi, Mama!” I offer with as conciliatory a voice as I can.
“Hello, baby girl. Come here.” She ropes her arms around me, squeezing me tight against her, as if nothing out of the ordinary has happened between us. “You know, getting him that thing so he could go gallivanting around wasn’t the best idea.”
“I’m sure he needs the freedom.”
As if to prove his point, he backs up and takes off, hollering over his shoulder, “Going to pick some corn for dinner!”
“You’re gonna roll that thing! And then what!” Mama screams after him.
“I’ll make sure he doesn’t, Bernadette!” Jed runs across the field and Daddy slows down just long enough for him to jump in.
She shakes her head. “See what I have to put up with? That man’s tryin’ to give me a heart attack!”
I bite my tongue before I remind her that she nearly gave herself a heart attack. Or at least, something that looked like one. “So, how are things around here?”
“Oh, where do I start….”
I follow Mama up the steps and into the kitchen as she prattles on about everyone and everything, as if I’ve been gone for two years and not two weeks. So and so is pregnant, so and so is splitting up. “Oh!” Mama exclaims, and then hesitates, as if afraid to tell me. “Celeste said that Jed has been talking to Laura Lox a lot lately.”
“Really. That’s good. I remember her being nice.” She was a couple years younger than us in school.
“I suppose so.” Mama sniffs her displeasure as she begins rinsing a head of lettuce in the sink. The truth is, Laura Lox could be an anointed saint and Mama probably wouldn’t approve.
“Henry wanted me to pass along his thanks for the flowers.”
There’s an exceptionally long pause, as if Mama is deliberating how to respond. “Yes, well… it’s the least we could do after all he’s done for this family.” She begins shredding the lettuce into a bowl, her back to me.
I smile to myself.
Yes, it’s definitely a start.
