“Okay.” She swallowed. “But Mom, really. Tuck’s cousin is building a place for his parents on his farm, and Tuck and I are more than happy to do that.”
She and Tucker had gone across the city to Mike and Gerty’s farm, and they’d seen the construction happening on the new house there. Nothing big, as it was just Tucker’s aunt and uncle. But then, Wes and Bree would be living close to two of their children—and their grandchildren.
Bobbie Jo wasn’t pregnant, and she and Tucker hadn’t even been married for a year yet. But her parents were here, now employed, and she supposed anything could happen at any time.
“I know you are, dear.” Her mother patted her hand, and her third sigh wasn’t one of relief, or frustration, but of…resignation. “We really appreciate everything you and Tuck have done for us.”
Bobbie Jo nodded.
“But we do need somewhere without so manystairs.”
The way she said it made Bobbie Jo feel like the second-story suite—complete with furniture, a made-for-them kitchen, loft, and den—wasn’t good enough.
Oh, and they’d been living there for three months for free.
But you know, thestairs.
Bobbie Jo held her tongue, and changed the words she wanted to say into different ones. “Yeah, Daddy’s knees can’t handle those stairs for much longer.”
“No,” her mother said. “Don’t you worry, Bobbie Jo. We’ll be out of your hair before you know it.”
Bobbie Jo caught her mother’s smile in her peripheral vision, and all she could do was pray that her mother hadn’t just lied to her.
Please, please, please, she thought, sending her pleas heavenward.Please bless my parents—and me and Tuck—that this condo will be somewhere that can give us the answers we all need.
thirty-four
Briar sat in front of the mirror in her bedroom, carefully plaiting her hair into several smaller braids.
Doing intricate up-dos came with the territory of being a cowgirl in stunt riding, and Briar had learned from an early age how to do it herself. She hadn’t been able to count on her momma for such things, and since she’d left her former life at the border, she’d been doing ponytails or letting her curls roam free. But today, she and Tarr would be attending the very formal western wedding of the foreman at the Hammond Family Farm, Mission Redbay, and Briar’s friend and vet, Kristie Higgins.
She smiled at her reflection, because she’d seen the two of them together, and Kristie adored her cowboy fiancé while he made himself a planet to her sun, revolving around her and caring for her in any way he could.
Briar’s thoughts, of course, moved to Tarr, and though a month had passed since her birthday, they’d still only talked about marriage that one and only time. “And wedidn’t even do that,” she said to her reflection.
The reason they hadn’t was because of her, and when Tarr made a promise, he kept it. He had not brought up living in his house with him, or marriage, or anything related to it since.
Briar spent every morning and evening with Tarr, first out in the arena and then either at his place or hers. She’d let him take her to her doctor’s appointment for her scans and subsequent doctor’s appointment where they had not found anything that would prevent her from having a baby.
“How I can talk about that and not marrying Tarr, I have no idea.”
They went by his house all the time now, as the general contractor had just scheduled the final inspection, and anything after that would be cosmetic. Tarr would do the finishes himself before he moved out of the RV and into his new permanent house.
“One of his goals checked off,” she said quietly to herself.
Tarr had been very clear with her. He wanted a permanent home after living on the road, traveling for rodeos, and staying in someone else’s house for way too long.
He wanted a wife. He wanted a family. And he wanted this small-town existence that prevailed here on the farm, with Tucker and Bobbie Jo. Knowing Tarr as she did, Briar believed every goal he’d set for himself would be achieved.
She still felt lost, adrift at sea, not quite sure who she was yet. She’d enjoyed her watercolor class—it had ended only a few days ago—and the same teacher would be doing an advanced class in the fall that Briar had already signed up for. She loved her job on the farm, and with her contract now open-ended, she didn’t have to worry about that going away.
No, the only unknown in her life stemmed from her relationship with Tarr.
As she started to pin and clip her hair to hold it in place until she could twine it all into an elegant updo, she had the distinct feeling that he would not wait for her forever, despite the promises he’d made.
And you don’t need to test him.That thought sat heavy in her mind, and Briar wanted to kick against it.
“I’m not testing him on purpose,” she whispered, but God thought differently.
