“That horse ride, when you told me you’d stayed away from me after the first time we met—because it wasn’t appropriate to like me as young as I was.”
I tipped my forehead against hers. “I never would have hurt you like he did.”
“I know.” She kissed the corner of my mouth. “Thank you for waiting for me.”
I fingered a lock of her hair. “I would’ve waited nine more years if I needed to, Tally.”
“Oh, shoot.” She smacked her forehead. “I forgot to tell you something kind of big.”
I didn’t know how I could take any more but I said, “All right. Whatever it is, I can handle it.”
“Here’s the thing…” She gave me a sad smile. “…my name isn’t Tally.”
nineteen
I love the ground under his feet, and the air over his head, and everything he touches and every word he says. I love all his looks, and all his actions and him entirely and all together.
— EMILY BRONTË
Finding out that my name was actually Hailey Sommerfeld took Ashton a few days to get over. Every time he said Tally, I could hear the hitch in his voice. As if he felt like he were being disingenuous. But after I assured him, repeatedly, that I didn’t want to go by Hailey ever again—that Icouldn’tgo by that name—he seemed okay.
Though I felt lighter having told Ashton about some of my past, the parts I’d conveniently edited gnawed at me. The fact that I was lying to the man I loved, was never far from my mind. But, as Mom kept reminding me, I couldn’t jump the gun.
The second week in June, I found myself at Ford’s house, helping Ashton move in. Ash had been spending every wakingmoment that he could with us, often driving to his place in Sweet Grass at one or two in the morning. We tried to say goodnight earlier but it never seemed to happen. When he was too tired, he’d sleep at Ford’s. The longer we were together, the more we wanted to be together. Until finally he was spending most nights at Ford’s place. It made sense for him to move in. Ford was thrilled.
Ford had a whole house speaker system and was currently playingSouthern Country Zone, Whiskey and Women’s newest single, at a level that was surely going to make us all go deaf a few years early. It was a fun, upbeat song that made you want to dance.
Pickup trucks and open fields
City lights, they hold no appeal.
Small town roots run deep in me.
But your love sets my spirit free.
I walked into Ashton’s room. Actually, it was a whole suite complete with a sitting area, small kitchen, and a luxury bathroom. With a large box in my hands I couldn’t see where I was going and tripped over Theo who was kneeling on the floor putting back together one of Ash’s Lego sets that had come apart in the move. When my foot landed, I heard the building bricks crash apart.
“Aunt Tally!” Theo yelled in frustration. “I barely got that part back together.”
“Sorry, bud!” I hollered so he could hear over Ford’s dulcet tones. I set the box on the built-in desk and squatted down to help gather the pieces.
Theo’s head hung and his dark hair fell into his eyes. “Sorry.” His lisp caught on thessound. He tipped against me. “I keep calling you Aunt.”
I’d told him and Charlie the truth a few nights ago—with Brianna’s permission and Mom at my side. There had been some tears, but some whoops of excitement too. The hardest part was their questions about their dad. I couldn’t answer them. I wouldn’t. They would never know what kind of person he was. I’d make sure of that. The adjustment was going to take time, for all of us. But I knew the sooner they knew the truth, the sooner we could settle into our new roles. Our new life together.
I put an arm around Theo and pulled him against me. “It’s okay.” I smoothed his bangs over. “It’s a lot to take in.” I offered him a sad smile. “A lot to get used to.”
His nose crinkled. “I like it though!” He boomed over the music. Then he grinned. “It’s kinda cool that you’re my mom.” He looked around Ashton’s massive bedroom. “Cool that we get to live on this ranch.”
“It is cool. The coolest.” I opened the instructions and picked up a white building block. “Okay, so where does this piece go?”
“It’s okay,Mom.” He smiled. “I’ll get this put back together. You can keep helpingAshton.”
I smiled at my cute boy, stood, and carried the box to Ashton’s closet. A room that was bigger than my mom’s entire living room.
“Hey, you!” Ashton said, standing atop a step ladder, replacing a bulb in one of the recessed lights. Two inches of abs peeked out from the bottom of his T-shirt. I couldn’t resist. I set the box down on the floor, walked up, and slid my hands up those abs.
“Heeey,” he said in a warning tone, hands carefully balancing the bulb.
