Spencer hung up, and Buck started the van, pondering one of Spencer’s assertions.
Tabitha loved Spence, faults and all.
Huh.
Even though love had never been declared between Buck and Bobbie back in the day, there’d been a…closeness. Wasn’t understanding what he’d expected from her? That once the hammer of blame had landed squarely on him, she’d have at least heard him out before nailing the door shut on what they’d been building?
Yeah.He’d assumed that.Idiot.
But that’s not what had happened.
Instead, he’d gotten run out of town on a proverbial rail. So much for Bobbie giving him the benefit of the doubt and letting him plead his case.
The trip from Bobbie’s business to home was only ten minutes, and when he got there, he realized he didn’t know what to do with all the stuff in his vehicle. Was he supposed to find willing hands and get it unloaded? Did some of it need immediate refrigeration? Did he just park and walk away, hoping Bobbie’s staff would show up soon and take care of it?
Shit. He had two choices.
He could either find his mother and have her take charge, or he could call Bobbie and ask what she wanted him to do.
The former might not be wise, since he was currently harboring a little irritation toward his mother for her busy-body tendencies. He might go off on her, which would spoil the whole festive mood the compound had going. The latter choice? Not a viable option, either. Bobbie would probably just tell him fuck off, and he’d be right back where he started.
Buck looked around and spotted…
Everlee.
His brother Mason’s take-charge wife was helping with table and chair set-up. Mason must be looking after their toddler. She’d know what to do.
Buck opened his door. “Ever,” he called out.
She sent a huge smile in his direction and walked his way.
“What can I do for you, Buck?”
Buck couldn’t have asked for nicer sisters-in-laws. Between Everlee and Rowan, his two older sibs had hit the jackpot.
“I have a van full of stuff from the caterers, and I’m not sure what to do with it.”
“Let me see.” Everlee gestured for him to open his van.
He got out, unlocked the back door, and lifted the tailgate.
She leaned in and took a peek, gently moving a few things around. “It doesn’t look like any of this is perishable. I’d say it’s mostly table-settings and cooking station paraphernalia. You should just leave the back open and let the catering staff deal with it when they get here.”
“Thanks, Ever.” Buck gave her a quick hug before she walked away to take care of her other tasks. He was relieved. He wouldn’t have to cause immediate turmoil with his motherorBobbie. He’d take that as a win.
Doing as Everlee suggested, he left the hatch ajar, and went inside the house where he hustled upstairs to his room for privacy and to get dressed for the rehearsal dinner. Tonight’s event was touted “business casual”, which he’d had to look up. But Buck was happy to see that BC meant pressed chinos and a button-down shirt.
That, he could do. It was bad enough that he’d have to wear a tux on the morrow, without having to dig out some old suit and tie from his closet tonight that absolutely would not fit him.
The last time he’d had his good suit on was…
Yup.There he went again thinking about high school, and graduation, and the couple months following.
He’d had so many plans for himself…as Bobbie also had forherfuture.
But that was before the summer had gone to crap.
Buck had been accepted at a college in Vermont, and was pumped. He’d be far enough away from his family that he’d no longer be a familiar face in every crowd, but he’d be close enough to the fam that he could visit whenever he wanted.
