“Aren’t you going to wave?”
“And make them think I want to say hello?”
She laughs as she waves at whoever said hello and I keep my focus on the road, though my lips lift slightly. I like seeing her like this. Hell, I’d say hello to everyone in this town if it would make my sister happy.
“Is your roommate home?” I can feel Billie’s intense gaze as she tries to read my thoughts.
“Don’t know.”
“Should you call her and let her know we’re coming?” We’re stopping by the house to grab one of Quinn’s school folders that he left earlier in the week before heading to dinner.
I glance at her. “Why should I let her know that I’m coming home tomyhouse?”
“Because you’re bringing guests.”
“You’re not guests,” I grumble.
“Why is everything so difficult with you?” she asks playfully. “Just text the woman. Or do you not have her number?”
She reaches for my phone but I’m quicker, pulling it out of the center console and tossing it into my lap. Obviously, I don’t have the woman’s number, but I don’t want my sister going through my phone and seeing how few people I talk to. It’s mainly just her and Quinn. Okay, it’s only her and Quinn.
“Do I look like I text?”
“I have no idea what you do when I’m not around.”
I shake my head and focus on the road. I do nothing when she’s not around. I work. And find ways to avoid Tally. And I work some more.
I take the left over the small bridge that leads to the farm.
“She just seems nice is all,” Billie says almost wistfully.
“You could text with her,” I blurt out. I don’t know why I say it, but I hate the tone of my sister’s voice. The yearning I saw in her eyes at the girls in town. The loneliness that I understand more than I let on.
“I don’t know her,” Billie replies, matter-of-factly.
Gnawing on the inside of my mouth, I try to stop myself from my next offer but I could never stand to see my sister sad. “I’ll invite her to dinner and you can get to know her.”
My sister practically bounces in her seat as she turns to face me. “Really?”
“Really,” I mutter with a resolute smile.
Guess I’m done avoiding Tally Darling.
CHAPTER 13
Tally
My entire body is sore, and my arms feel like they are on fire. I’ve never worked so hard in my life. Carrying one-hundred-pound sandbags from the meadows to the storage barn was more effort than I’d bargained for. Dirt coats my hands and stains my fingernails. It’ll take at least two showers to feel clean. Maybe three.
But I can’t help but smile.
The tarps are off, folded, and put away. The sandbags are organized. It barely looks like we’ve been here. Even though, for hours, we’ve worked to get the last of the blankets off the tulips. In two weeks, when they are fully bloomed, all this work will be worth it.
Eli and Fletcher, along with a few guys from the fire department they’d wrangled to help, all sit on the edge of our porch enjoying the iced tea, beers, and homemade sandwiches I’d provided. The sun is just dipping behind a bank of cotton candy clouds, leaving the entire farm in a hazy pink hue.
“So what’s the story with you and my best friend?” I ask Fletcher as he tosses a piece of his sandwich to his dog.
Eli perks up. “You and Rosie?” He waggles his brows. “Definitely didn’t see that coming.”
