Curiosity always gets the better of me, and I’m dying to know what secrets Clay keeps hidden in his closet, but I resist the urge, knowing better than to snoop after he’s been so generous with his bed. Instead, I fill a mug with coffee to go, call an Uber, and leave the cash on the counter before heading home to change.
Thirty minutes later, after a long, steamy shower, I have a plan.I’ve figured out how to fill my free time between interning at the hospital, and online classes this summer and I can’t wait to share it with my dad. Though he means well, he’s always worrying about me and wants to see me live a full life. I want that for myself too, of course, but party of that worrying extends to me not having much to look forward to outside of work and school.
I pick up my car from Lucy’s and drive back to town to put in a few hours of work at the co-op before stopping by the firehouse for dinner with my dad later.
Nourish Co-op is a non-profit started by Jovie Cameron, Clay’s sister-in-law. It provides free produce and other essentials donated by neighboring farms and ranches in Lonestar Junction to families in need.
I’ve volunteered here often throughout my childhood, and for the summer, Jovie had offered me a part-time job between my internship shifts at the hospital—an opportunity to make a little extra cash while home.
The work is straightforward and repetitive—mostly bagging produce, sorting through goods stored in the freezer from previous seasons, and labeling boxes for the delivery drivers to pick up. Since today’s Friday, I’m focused on quality-checking all the crates before the scheduled six p.m. pick-up time.
“How are you doing, sweet girl?” Jovie asks in her kind, always gentle voice.
Today she’s wearing a pair of simple jeans and a soft, yellow T-shirt but I can’t help admiring how beautiful she looks. When I was younger, I used to think she looked just like Belle from Beauty and the Beast, a beautiful Disney princess in real life, married to a beast of a man like Nash Cameron. She and her sister Stevie Cameron, married to Clay’s oldest brother, managed the co-op and truly have a heart for the community of Lonestar Junction.
“Pretty good,” I smile, “school’s going well. I’m interning at the hospital and hoping to graduate in December. Hopefully the hospital will hire me full time after graduation.”
“That’s wonderful. The town misses you. How’s your dad doing? I know he misses you, too.”
“I think he’d love for me to move back for my last semester but the time away has been good.”
She nods knowingly. “Sometimes you need to leave to discover who you really are. Nothing wrong with taking some time to gain your independence.”
“Exactly.”
And to not be constantly reminded of your diagnosis.
One of the main reasons my father wants me home is because of his concern about how I’m handling everything. Despite his demanding schedule at work, he’s always tried to be present more often when I’m around, even though his inclination is to just keep on working.
It’s always been this way—he sought solace and distraction from the pain of watching his daughter suffer and the lingering ache of losing his wife so young by immersing himself in his work and I curbed the loneliness of not having him around by trying to fill my time with my studies. But I don’t need a babysitter anymore. I’m responsible and fully aware of the risks associated with my diagnosis, including the importance of routine checks, even if I occasionally delay them for my own mental well-being.
During our last dinner together, he’d once again asked how I was managing—whether I was keeping up with friends, maintaining a social life, and engaging in hobbies. His constant concern about my ability to maintain normalcy sometimes feels overwhelming and suffocating.
I know it stems from the fact that he’s a single parent, and I have no siblings, but I wished there was a way to quelch his concerns and show him thatI’m going to be okay.I’m already okay.
The door to the shop jingles, drawing our attention as Dallas Golden enters, carrying a large wooden crate brimming with freshly picked blueberries and strawberries.
Dallas moved to Lonestar Junction just over ten years ago, and I still remember his arrival vividly. It was a significant event when he bought and restored the old Evergreen Farm that neighbored Cameron Ranch, renaming it toGolden Farmafter his name. His unexpected friendship with the Cameron family and his marriage to Dove Hart, the town’s beloved famous rockstar, had quickly made an impression.
He's a handsome man closer to Nash and Wylie’s age with a buzzcut, striking eyes, and muscles so big it looks like he’s still on active duty. We’ve interacted mostly in passing but I’ve always been a little intimidated by his looming presence though I’ve heard he’s a cinnamon roll on the inside.
“Hi, Dallas!” Jovie greets him with a warm smile.
“These probably won’t make it into today’s delivery,” Dallas says, gesturing to the bushel, “but I just picked them.”
Jovie’s smile widens at the sight of the vibrant fruit. “Maggie can separate them out into individual containers, and we’ll freeze them for next week’s orders. Dinner soon while Dove is in town?”
Dallas gives a curt nod as she turns with a wave, heading back out towards the front of the shop.
“Maggie,” he nods in greeting.
“Hi Dallas. How are you and Dove doing?”
“Pretty good,” he replies, casually leaning against the metal table as he observes me with a scrutinizing gaze.
When he’d first arrived in town, his intense way of studying people felt unsettling, almost as if he was mentally dissecting each interaction like a mission. But now, I’m used to it and continue to busy myself with the blueberries while I let him dohis thing.
He reaches into the giant bucket of sunflower seeds by the counter and pops a few into his mouth while my mind spins.
