“How are your ribs feeling?”
“They hurt.”
“Well, be sure to take your pain pills and rest today.”
She nodded. “Hopefully they’ll feel better by this evening for your mom’s dinner.”
Our eyes met and there were unspoken words between us.
My phone beeped, and I pulled it out. It was a text from Mallory asking if we could meet early…a late breakfast because she had to get her hair done for tonight.
I stood. “I need to leave.”
Her eyes watered and she turned quickly. “Just leave your plate. I’ll get it.”
“Harley, about earlier.”
Holding up her hand, she shook her head. “It’s okay, Tripp. Don’t worry about it.”
“You don’t understand.”
She faced me, her face in a hard, neutral expression. “Just don’t. Please don’t. Not when you just got a text from your girlfriend. I can’t do this…not right now.”
Her voice cracked, and it about killed me. My stomach twisted in knots. I walked over to her and placed my hands on her arms. She pulled away, wrapping her arms around her body. I knew it had to hurt because she winced.
“Promise me one thing, Harley.”
She swallowed hard. “What?” she whispered. Her voice barely audible.
“Promise me we’ll talk. Soon. I need you to understand about what happened earlier.”
Her eyes dropped to the floor. “I think it’s pretty clear where we stand on things, Tripp.” Jerking her eyes back up to me, anger turned them almost black. “You can show yourself out.”
And like that, she walked down the hallway to her bedroom. When I heard the door shut, I scrubbed my hands down my face. I wanted to fix things with Harley, but I needed to get things straightened out with Mallory first.
Time to face the music.
“Fuck,” I groaned as I picked up my truck keys and wallet. My feet felt like lead as I made my way to her front door. Turning the handle, I glanced over my shoulder.
“I love you. I’ll always love you,” I whispered before walking out her door and closing it behind me.
“You did what?” my mother asked as she gently placed my shoes next to my bed.
“I told Toby I couldn’t go with him tonight. It wasn’t fair to continue to date him when I had feelings for another man.”
She was attempting to hide her smile and failing. Big time.
“Don’t act like you’re not happy, Momma. I see it in your eyes.”
With a simple shrug, she motioned for me to sit in the chair in front of my vanity.
“You don’t see a thing in my eyes, Harley. Now, if you were in my head, you’d be hearing a heck of a lot things.”
I chuckled.
Sitting in the chair—carefully because of my ribs—I stared at my reflection. My grin faded as I looked at myself. I looked tired. Stressed to the max, and more confused than I had ever been in my entire life. The once-determined woman looking back at me who’d had it in her mind she would move back to Oak Springs and get the life she wanted, was nearly an empty shell. Ready to give up and pack her bags.
My mother brushing my hair instantly relaxed me, even more than the hot bath I had taken after Tripp left to go meet with his…girlfriend.
“Do you want to talk about it?” my mother softly asked.
My chin trembled and I pulled my lip between my teeth, gently biting down to keep my emotions in check. My mother knew Tripp had stayed here last night because he had told my parents he was going to. The moment she walked into my house, she was chomping at the bit to get me to tell her what happened.
I closed my eyes, feeling a single tear slip down my cheek.
“Oh Momma, I think I’m more in love with him now than I was the day I left him with that stupid lie.”
She paused what she was doing. When I opened my eyes, she was smiling at me. There was no pity, just plain ol’ happiness.
With a gleam like she knew something I didn’t, she replied, “I believe he feels the same way.”
The lump in my throat grew bigger, and I found it hard to form any words…so I shook my head.
When I was finally able to speak, I told her. “Earlier this morning, there was a moment between us, an intense moment, and I wanted more than anything for him to act on it, but he didn’t,” I choked out.
“Did you think he didn’t act on it because he’s seeing another woman?”
I wiped at my wet cheeks. “I thought of that. Tripp isn’t the type of man to cheat, but I also know we wouldn’t have let it go that far. I just wanted something from him. Anything that told me he might still feel the same way about me as I do him.”
Burying my face in my hands, I found myself crying yet again.
Holy shit, I’ve cried more in the last few months than I have in the last ten years.
“Oh sweetie, don’t cry.”
My hands fell to my lap in defeat. “I don’t think he feels the same way as I do, Momma. I think he’s attracted to me, but that’s it. He brushed it off and acted like the moment never happened. That one brief moment when I swore we both felt something from our past and maybe a hope for a future. Oh God, how could I be so stupid to think I could show up and things would fall back into place?”
The brush started to move across my long brown hair again.
“The first thing you need to do is take a deep breath and let it out. Then, you need to get yourself fixed up and walk into the benefit dinner like you don’t have a care in the world.”
I laughed. “Even though my world is falling apart?”
She scoffed. “It is not falling apart.”
I stared at her like she had lost her damn mind. “Where have you been the last few months? I’m going to lose the vet clinic, I’ve lost the only man I’ve ever loved, and I just broke up with a really great guy.”
I let out a long groan.
“You’re not going to lose the vet clinic, not with Tripp helping you. And don’t give up hope, Harley. We never raised you to be a quitter. Now, as for Toby…”
She placed her hands on my shoulders and leaned in. Our eyes locked in the mirror. “You wouldn’t have been satisfied with that boy. He looked like he wasn’t packin’ a big one.”
My cheeks heated, and I turned to face her, my Latino heritage taking over my astonishment at what she’d just said. “Momma, dios mío! Eres increíble!”
“Don’t chastise me in Spanish, young lady. You know I don’t know what you’re saying!”
We both laughed. “Mom, you’re married to a Mexican man. When will you learn Spanish?”
She rolled her eyes. “He refuses to help me learn.”
My father used to tell me he refused to teach my mother because when he complained about her in Spanish, she had no clue what he was saying. There were so many times my father would complain about my mother for one reason or another, but he would smile at her when he spoke. She would melt on the spot and kiss him, thinking he had just said something romantic to her. It saved many a fight in his mind.
“You know…you could learn on your own.”
Giving me a wink, she shook her head. “Now where would the fun be in that?”
I stood in the front of the floor-length mirror. A small smile lifted the corners of my lips. I looked damn good, if I said so myself. I took a pain pill to hopefully get me through this night. A dull ache in my side was currently the only reminder that I had a bruised rib.
“You are stunning.”
My eyes lifted to my mother. Her light brown hair was pulled into a ponytail and her blue eyes looked into my green. She was stunning. The fact that she didn’t look a day older than forty gave me hope that I would be blessed with the same gene of looking younger than my age.
“You have to say that. You’re my mother.”
She nudged my shoulder. “You look like me when I was your age.”
I turned to face her. “You were and still are beautiful.”
I was reward
ed with a wink. “And so are you. I would have killed for your sun-kissed skin.” Her fingers twirled one of the curls that framed my face. “I need to say just one thing. Don’t get mad at me or curse me out in Spanish like your father does.”
My smile widened.
“When you walk into that room, Tripp Parker’s eyes will not leave you the entire evening.”
And like that, my smile faded. “Then I’m sure his date will be rather pissed.”
Again, she looked like she was privy to information I was not. I wanted to quiz her…but I didn’t. What good would it have done to my broken heart?
Dragging a deep breath, ignoring the pain, I turned back and gazed at myself again. I had splurged on this gown a few months back in Dallas. It was very rare that I spent this sort of money, but it was a gift to myself, and I’d known I would be wearing it to this event.
My hands ran down the dress. There were two things you noticed first with this dress. The leg-flaunting slit that ran up the side of my left leg and the plunging neckline that was framed with intricate beadwork. All hand sewn. The silk felt smooth against my hands.
“Touche finale!” my mother said in French as she placed the ombré-looking Jimmy Choo shoes on the floor. They were the most expensive pair of shoes I had ever bought, but when I purchased the clinic, I splurged on them. I loved how the light mocha blended in with the black. The glitter look made them even sexier. At least, I thought it did.
Slipping them on, I took another look at myself. From my pinned-up hair, dangling diamond earrings, and sexy-as-hell dress all the way to my expensive ass heels, I looked like a damn movie star.
Admit to yourself, Harley. You want his eyes all over you tonight.
“Do you think the red lipstick is too much?” I asked, leaning in and licking my lips.
“No! It’s sexy.”
My eyes darted over to my mother. “Are you hoping I hook up tonight, Momma?” I asked with a lifted brow.
“You said it, not me. I don’t know how much you’ll enjoy it with your rib being hurt, though.”
I shot her a frown, but a small grin lifted at the corners of my mouth.
“I better go so I’m not walking in late.” Turning to face my mother, I tilted my head and pouted. “I can’t believe you and Daddy aren’t going. You’ve never missed this dinner.”
With a sad face and a long sigh, she replied, “I know. But your father has the flu. I already called Melanie and told her we couldn’t make it, but we’ll send in a donation.”
Last night my mother had told Tripp she thought they were both coming down with the flu. She wasn’t fooling anyone. She was feeling fine and could have stayed with me last night.
I kissed my mother’s cheek. “Well, wish me luck. I’m going to be the only pathetic person to walk in without a date.”
She laughed. “You’ll be fine. Enjoy your evening.”
The last time I had come to one of Melanie and John’s benefit dinners I walked in on the arm of Tripp Parker. I was young and naïve. Not a care in the world.
Tonight I was walking in alone. No longer the clueless girl, but a grown woman who was both heartbroken and scared to death of what her future held.
My, oh my, how time can change things.
As I pulled up to the front of the house, a teenage boy came up to the car. I smiled when he handed me a ticket.
“Here you go, ma’am. May I get your phone number?”
After giving him my number, I made my way into the Parker house. It was the same set up each year. You were walked through the house by a host or hostess, again, a young teenager who was volunteering their time. After being taken into the den where you could leave your donation and your coat, you were escorted to the backyard. I could see the giant tents set up as we walked into the den. The floor-to-ceiling windows showed three giant tents. I couldn’t help but gasp at the sight on the other side of the windows. It was exactly like I remembered. People had worked non-stop all last night and today to transform the Parker’s backyard from yesterday’s Spring Fling barbeque, to an elegant, breathtaking sea of white twinkle lights. It was a warm evening so the sides of the tents were up, giving you a view of the people inside. It looked like a five-star restaurant and not a tent in the backyard of someone’s home.
I dropped my donation in the box and wrote a small note in the journal that Melanie had set out. Each year she put a new one out and notes were written to someone you had loved and lost to cancer. I wasn’t sure what Melanie did with all the journals, and for years I had wanted to ask. Maybe this year I would get the chance to.
“This way, Ms. Carbajal,” the young girl said with a smile.
I followed her through the French doors in the den. A pathway led from the house to the first tent. It was the mingling area that also contained the bar—which would be my first destination. I was going to need to a stiff drink to get through this evening. Especially after I saw Tripp and Mallory together.
Ugh. I thought about what would happen later, when it was tradition for all of the Parker family members to dance the first dance. I would have to find an excuse to either leave before then or conveniently head to the bathroom. My stomach twisted as I thought about it.
Over the years I had been absent from the benefit dinner, my mother had still managed to tell me that Tripp had always danced with either Amelia or Waylynn. Even if he had brought a date, he always danced with one of his sisters. It had brought me to tears because I knew why he never danced with his dates.
The memory of that last dance together rushed to me.
“You look beautiful, Harley.”
“And you look very handsome, Tripp.”
His blue eyes seemed to shine brighter under the twinkle of the hundreds of lights that were strung up around the inside of the tent.
“This first dance is so important for my mother,” he said, glancing over to Melanie.
“You’ve never told me why y’all always start the dance off before any of the guests.”
Tripp gazed down into my eyes. “My grandparents met in a jazz club. My grandfather asked my grandmother to dance to this very song, and during the dance he told her he would never dance with another woman for the rest of his life. She was it. The love of his life. His future.”
I smiled big. “That’s so romantic.”
“That’s why my mom’s only request from us is that we dance to this song with the one person we love with our whole hearts. If we haven’t found them yet, we either don’t dance or we dance with one of our sisters.”
My stomach dropped as our eyes stayed locked.
“I love you, Harley. And just like my grandfather made that promise to my grandmother, I’m making it to you.”
The tightness in my chest caused me to take a deep breath, which reminded me of my rib.
Damn cat.
“Oh my gosh! Harley!” Waylynn’s voice drew my attention to her.
She made her way over to me. She was dressed in a beautiful blue strapless gown that was covered in what looked like small crystals. Her hair was swept up into a French twist and she was carrying two flutes of champagne. The sight of the pale cream, sparkling wine made my fingers itch for it. I was for sure going to need a few more of these…in case I got stuck and had to watch Tripp and Mallory dance.
“You look stunning, Harley,” Waylynn stated, handing me the glass.
Taking it, I gave her a wink. “So do you, Waylynn. You look like you just stepped off the red carpet.”
She laughed. “Well, living in New York all those years I bought my fair share of gowns.”
“I bet,” I said, taking a sip of the liquid courage.
“Where’s Jonathon?” I asked, glancing around, hoping to catch a glimpse of Tripp but not having any luck.
“He’s with Steed and Tripp.”
And that was all she said. I nodded as I looked back over our surroundings. “It’s so beautiful. I had forgotten how amazing this all is.”
Waylynn looked back with a
huge grin. “My mother does a great job with this event. Dad lets her go crazy once a year, and let me tell you, she takes advantage of it. Wait until you see what’s for dinner.”
The cost to attend the benefit dinner was three hundred dollars a plate, and was also your donation. Those who didn’t attend the dinner still made donations. My parents had bought three plates every single year since I had turned thirteen—the age when the kids got to join the grown-ups at the big fancy party the Parkers threw every spring.
“I’m starving,” I said, taking another long drink of my champagne.
Waylynn’s brow lifted. “Do you need something stronger?”
“Is it that noticeable?”
The corners of her mouth lifted into a grin. “Slightly.” Hooking her arm with mine, she guided us through the room and toward the bar.
We stopped a few times to say hello to people either Waylynn knew, or we both knew. Most welcomed me home and almost all wished me good luck on my fight for the clinic.
Yep. Small town living. Everyone knows everyone’s business.
As we made our way past the local town gossips, I saw Corina, Paxton, and Amelia standing with Melanie. They were talking to some men I didn’t recognize.
“That is the Worthington family.”
“Who are they?” I asked.
“They are a family from Austin who bought about five thousand acres outside of town off of Ranch Road twenty-three.”
“Please tell me they’re not going to make it into a subdivision.”
She shook her head. “They want to raise cattle on it. They’ve been trying to talk my father into helping them get things started by hiring him as a consultant.”
“Wow. Do they know anything about cattle?”
Waylynn chuckled. “Not a goddamn thing. Which tickles Daddy. But they’re loaded and were all too happy to throw down some serious money for this event. Hence why my mother and sisters are all currently kissing their asses right now.”