‘Yep.’ Tali’s baby face breaks into a huge smile, lips stained blue from what was definitely one of Genny’s homemade juice pops. She scrunches her slightly freckled nose on her next words. ‘Daddy said you should be in Oklahoma, you know!’
‘Oh, did he?’ I watch as Jordan’s eyebrows creep up her forehead, and she throws me an amused look over her shoulder. Back to Tali, she presses a hand to her chest. ‘Well, I’m Jordan, and I thought I’d be in Oklahoma right about now, but I’m workin’ a job with your dad this summer.’
As Jordan and Tali yap away, Genny nudges my shoulder with hers, clearing her throat dramatically. ‘Stop staring at that woman’s butt, Rodney.’
‘What?’ I scoff, but my voice cracks tellingly. ‘I’m not staring at any woman’s butt.’
‘Speak for yourself. I think she has a wonderful butt. I think she’s wonderful.’
‘Genny, shut up.’
‘Aww!’ She sighs mock-dejectedly. ‘Can’t I bother my little brother every so often? You haven’t been by in a while. Rebecca’s how I heard about this development. You could text, you know.’
‘I had no idea,’ I hum through gritted teeth, ‘that she’d be here.’
‘Oh, my God.’ Genevieve literally trills her next words. ‘You’ve got eyes for a woman again.’
‘Genevieve—’
‘Youdo!’ she practically whisper-shouts. ‘Finally! You know—’
Before my sister can scream to the entire world that I have a fucking schoolboy crush, Jordan saves us. ‘Sorry, y’all, I’ve gotta get going.’ She smiles sheepishly. ‘I have a virtual meeting with the Reapers I need to catch, but it was so nice to meet you, Genevieve and Tali.’
‘We’ll see you around, hon!’ Genny waves Jordan off as she heads for her car. Then, to me, and possibly Tali, ‘Oh, I like her. She’s going to do fantastic this summer.’
‘I like her, too,’ Tali chirps, grabbing hold of my empty hand. I sling my duffel over my shoulder with the other, and we head for my minivan. I know, I drive a minivan. Laugh all you want. I relinquished my truck to Genny, to use for her horse farm when Tali was born, and we realized we’d need something safer than the passenger seat of the Silverado.
Genny’s voice practically echoes in my brain the entire walk back. I don’t have eyes for a woman. I definitely don’t have eyes for Jordan. ‘Big chances to have good things’ Jordan. So what if she’s the most spontaneous human being I’ve ever met? So what if she just so happens to have a banging body? So what if I can’t decide if her proximity to me makes me want to break my camp clipboard over my knee or look her dead in the eye, pull her to me by that perfect waist, and—
‘Well, Roddy.’
Apparently we’ve reached the car, because Tali tugs on my sleeve expectantly. Genny smirks, crossing her arms. ‘Mark my words, there’s finally something on your grumpy mug I haven’t seen in years.’
‘Daddy, are you sleepwalking?’ Tali intones with a sassy hand on her hip. She definitely gets that from the Wilson side.
With a wry chuckle, I slide the door to the minivan open, get Tali situated in her booster and help her fasten the belt.
As if proving my point about Tali’s Wilson sass, Genny adds, ‘So, what’re you playing at?’
‘I don’t know what this is, man. She’s about five levels above me in energy. She practically radiates for seven hours straight. I don’t know what’s going on with my head. I’m not even sure if it’s her who’s messing with it. I got no idea what I want. Is it really that deep, Gen?’ I sigh, closing the door.Liar. You sure as hell are figuring out what you want.
‘Nope. It doesn’t have to be that deep. All I’m saying,’ she raises an eyebrow, ‘is it’s okay to have fun sometimes.Letyourself want things for the sake of wanting ’em. No one’s going to penalize you for getting back out there, you know. Least of all this town.’
Chapter Five
Green Thumb
Jordan
The dirt presses against my palms as I pat the seeds down into the earth, just finely enough that they lie on top of the bed of soil. Lavender is a finicky art. I’m lucky enough that Rebecca gave me a row in her garden, but it’s all about the technique, the love with which you plant it. The more love you plant it with, the stronger its scent when it grows.
A smile spreads across my face as the sun beats down, sweat beading on my brow. Zach Bryan and Noah Kahan’s ‘Sarah’s Place’ hums through the speaker on a keychain attached to my gardening bag from behind me. I’m fortunate enough that because of all the work I did on the ranch and farm I fully grew up on, I’ve learned to do these tasks without thinking too much. It lets me enjoy them a hell of a lot more than if I were hyper-focused on every seed I plant in the ground, as I move down the row, sanding the soil and adding the
seeds.
‘When can I expect results?’
Rebecca’s voice calls my attention. I glance up with a grin. ‘Hopefully in somethin’ like two weeks, they’ll germinate.’
