Guess somethin’ about the way Augusta and I came together all those years ago didn’t surprise me that we’d created life. It’d felt like the earth had flipped upside down and inside out, my world never the same again.
The night we met like two stars, combustin’ together in a perfect, beautiful storm not far from the banks of the Whiskey River.
“You wanna see a pro in action?” Augusta Belle’s sweet twang pulled me from my memories.
“Bring it!” Jack called, dropping his towel as soon as the pathway opened up and running as fast as his legs could carry him to the edge of the river. He turned, giving us each a wave before jumping off the small ledge, landing in an almost belly flop, and then coming up for air, radiant grin on his face.
We all erupted into laughter, Augusta already pulling her shirt over her head and discarding it at my feet, rebel twinkle in her eyes. She climbed up the taller slab of stone, Jack’s eyes the size of dinner plates as he watched her from water level.
A teenager launched himself headlong over the cliff and landed in a slow-moving whirlpool of river water below.
I gave Augusta two thumbs up when she reached the top of the stone, pulling her hair back into a ponytail before throwing both of us one last wave and an air kiss.
I sucked in a breath, the familiar sense of knots twisting in my stomach when she backed away from the edge, then sprinted on angel’s wings across the hard stone, launching headfirst over the side and arching like a swan, fingertips reaching above her head as she free-fell.
Jack watched, eyes bigger than the tires on my truck when Augusta cut through the water, disappearing under the current. We both waited, his eyes on the spot she’d vanished, mine on him.
My beautiful boy.
The last week ’Jack had been in my life, he’d brought more sunshine than I knew I was missin’, the thought of his absence becomin’ harder to take.
I still didn’t know what was next for Augusta Belle and me; we hadn’t talked about it. I wasn’t sure how I felt about things, but watchin’ her be a mom to Jack was like watchin’ a flower bloom after the first spring rain.
I couldn’t take her away from that, but what opportunities Landry had for me I wasn’t sure.
The thought of livin’ far away from this kid left a dark cloud hangin’ over my head, but I didn’t know if it was darker than the idea of stayin’ in Landry either.
I had some cash stashed, but I had no plans for retiring anytime soon.
Short of losing Augusta Belle, losing my lifeline—the music—sounded like another idea of hell.
But could I lose my boy?
Jack’s eyes searched the still waters, worry lacing his features before Augusta surfaced just out of reach of him, hair soaked down the length of her back, triumphant smile on her face.
“Dude, how did you hold your breath that long?” Jack looked up at the woman who’d birthed him, displaying the same rebel twinkle, upturned nose dotted with a spray of sweet freckles, deep brown eyes, and honey hair.
There was no doubt on the planet that he was hers.
“You’ve just got to practice. Even a few minutes every day can help build your lung capacity, and that’s the key to outracing the competition.” She pushed a hand through his wet hair.
“Holding your breath?” He ducked away, splashing her as he did.
“Nope.” She splashed him back. “Practicin’.” She splashed again, then turned, eyes set on me.
I held up my arms, shaking my head before she used both hands to paddle as much water my way as she could muster. Jack joined in, and before long, I was soaked to the core, pullin’ off my shirt and divin’ in after them. Jack laughed when I launched more water his way, before ducking and paddlin’ away.
“That boy can swim too.” I stopped as soon as he was out of earshot.
Augusta Belle snaked her arm around my waist, leaning her head against my chest as she sighed. “He’s the sweetest, smartest, most sarcastic human I’ve ever met.” She twined her fingers with mine. “Next to you.”
I grinned, about to grace her forehead with a kiss when a tsunami from hell caught me by surprise and an evil little laugh cackled just out of my reach.
“He’s definitely his mother’s kid,” I hummed under my breath before launching into the water and swimming toward Jack.
Augusta was hot on my tail, teaming up with Jack to soak me to the bones for the rest of the afternoon.
The very best time of my life.
