RAYNA:It’s not optional.
TALLY:We’ll be there!
BABS:Did you hear that ladies? She said WE!
* * *
“You know we don’t have to go,” I hear Walker say as I touch up my lipstick.
“You’re going,” Billie replies.
Their voices get closer, and when I spin around, Billie is walking into the kitchen, rolling her eyes. Walker follows just behind, and I clamp my teeth down on my bottom lip to keep from laughing at his yellow tuxedo. Walker was stupid enough to tell Eli that yellow was his favorite color, and this is the result.
Walker cursed seven different ways when he saw it, but he has no choice but to wear it, seeing as there are no spare tuxes lying around the farm. And we can’t buy a new one because, hell, I’m not even sure we’ve got a hundred bucks to rub together right now. But we’ll be okay. Walker’s plan to turn the rest of the cottages into rentable Airbnbs means we’re only a season away from turning some sort of profit. Even if it’s just breaking a dollar above even for a bit.
“You could come,” Walker suggests.
Billie smiles. “Next year. Tonight Quinny and I have a date with the sunset and some ice cream.”
“Mom!” Quinn calls from outside, embarrassed.
Quinn’s taken over Penny’s room, and Billie is in my oldone. Walker and I moved out to the cottage last week, and my mother is getting ready to move back into her room. She’s just waiting on Walker to finish her shower, which he plans to do next week.
Things are changing, but for the better. The farm has more life now. I like to think that would have made my dad smile.
“But you better promise me that the moment he’s crowned Daffodil King, you’ll get videos and pictures,” Billie continues, bumping my hip conspiratorially. “I need every second of it documented.”
Walker lets out another curse. “It’s Grand Marshal, not Daffodil King.” Both Billie and I glare at him, and he holds up his hands in surrender. “Fine. Whatever. I’ll wear the damn crown.”
“If you’re lucky enough to get selected,” my mother reminds him as she appears in the kitchen.
I smile at her. She’s finally starting to look like herself again. She’s dressed up for the event in a pale blue chiffon dress that drops to the floor, and her hair is in a pretty updo since we all visited A Breath of FresHair earlier in preparation for tonight.
The moment I saw how Babs was doing my mother’s makeup, though, I said I’d do my own. The eighties style is strong with that woman.
The back door swings open, and Quinn appears with a gust of wind. The moment he sets his sights on me, his eyes go wide.
Walker chuckles as he settles beside me, squeezing my hip. “Think you’ve got him dumbstruck, Wildflower.”
Quinn’s eyes narrow. “I’ll let you borrow her for tonight, but remember, she’smygirlfriend.”
It takes everything in me not to giggle. But somehow I manage to maintain a straight face as both Walker and Billie begin to object. Billie’s been trying to let Quinn down easy, and clearly Walker doesn’t know what to do. I, on the other hand, find his crush adorable.
“You tell him, Quinn.” I hold out my arms, and he rushes into them. From my crouched position, I spin us both and look up at Walker. “Doesn’t your uncle look handsome?”
Quinn shrugs. “The yellow is a bit weird.”
—
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Walker growls as he spots Fletcher and Eli walking toward us.
“What?” Eli’s wearing a wolfish grin along with a dark navy tuxedo with black accents. Against his golden hair, chiseled jaw, and blue eyes, he looks nothing short of dashing. Fletcher’s in a classic black tuxedo, the curls on his head giving him a boyish charm that I still can’t quite figure out how Rosie resists.
“You said we were wearing matching tuxes.” Walker points at Eli’s classic navy tux and then back at his bright yellow one. “This is not matching.”
“And you said we needed to wear different colors. It’s the same brand, same style.” Eli stretches his arms, showing off how good he looks. “I just happen to wear it better.”
“Bright side?” Fletcher cuts in with a reassuring smile.
