Page 54 of If You Loved Me

“I don’t think the two of you drunk on rum with power tools in your hands is a good idea,” Johnny said as he clapped Deacon on the back in a hello.

“Psh. Don’t put limitations on us. You have no idea what we’re capable of.”

“Exactly what Sarah said, babe. I think you’re underestimating our talents.”

Deacon looked up at Johnny shaking his head. “No worries, brother. All we’re doing is painting the inside tonight. I’ve already hidden the power tools from sight.”

I stuck out my lip at them as Willow looped her arm through mine. “Painting is more fun anyway.” She leaned in so only I could hear her. “And they’ll be sorry for making fun of us when they end up covered in paint.”

I snickered.

“What are you two she-demons plotting over there?” Deacon asked, his eyes narrowing on Willow and me.

“Nothing!” We both said at the same time.

Willow’s face was covered in tiny speckles of ivory paint. Two drinks in and she was puttingwaytoo much paint on the roller and it was splattering everywhere as she ran it alongthe wall. We’d spent the last hour listening to good music and putting some of the final touches on Deacon’s cabin.

I realized how much I missed this—spending time with my three best friends, getting lost in building memories. Over the past few months I’d hardly seen them because we were all so busy. Johnny and Willow with their businesses and wedding planning. Deacon with his cabin renovation and me with my bakery and hot mess love life.

Willow set her roller down in the metal pan before she grabbed her drink and sat on a five-gallon bucket turned upside down. “Okay, Sarah. I think we’ve earned our right to a little break. Let’s get this emergency meeting going.”

I swallowed the dryness in my throat as Deacon and Johnny shifted their attention to me from the opposite wall.

I set the paintbrush down in the same metal container that Willow set the roller down and looked at each one of my friends. “I honestly don’t know where to start. It all feels like such a mess.”

It was Willow who spoke. “Just start from the beginning.” She looked over to where the guys were standing before shifting back towards me. “And we all promise there is no judgment here. Only support.”

Her words were exactly what I needed to hear in that moment and I was thankful that I had this—the three of them to come to whenever I needed to. My brother was busy carving his path in a brand new career. A dangerous one at that and the last thing I wanted to do was distract him with our family’s melodrama and my massive mistake.

A long breath passed between my lips before I finally launched into the story. “I think you all know that I’ve been dating Ranger Adams for a little while now.” They all nodded and I continued, “But what you don’t know is that I made a deal with my mother to date her friend’s son, Jones Campbell.”

I looked Willow, Johnny, and Deacon in the eyes waiting for one of them to wince or show some kind of disappointment, but they all just looked at me with patience. Waiting for me to explain.

I pinched the bridge of my nose for a brief second before moving forward with the story. “I never would have even entertained the idea of dating someone my mother picked out for me, but she offered to support my bakery in a really big way.”

Willow’s brows rose. “In what way?”

“She told me that if I dated Jones she would tell all of her friends to use my bakery for their needs. Birthdays. Anniversaries. Weddings. She and my father would give me their complete support and would fully endorse me.”

“Damn. Talk about a power move,” Johnny cursed under his breath.

“Yup.” My lips popped on thep. “I’d had just one date with Ranger at that point, but I was already starting to fall hard for him. When my mother first told me about Jones I said I wasn’t interested. And when she told me she would support my business…I don’t know. It was hard to say no to her.”

“So, you’ve been dating both of them?” Deacon asked, concern shining in his eyes. “Does anyone else know about this?”

I shook my head. “Not that I’m aware of. I went on one date with Jones atSauvage, but our second date was at an ice cream parlor on the edge of town. After Ranger came to pick apples with us for my birthday, there was no way I could chance anyone seeing Jones and me in town.”

“Do you like both of them?” Johnny crossed the room and Deacon followed. They both leaned against the kitchen bar.

I blew a raspberry. “Jones is about the furthest from my type. He’s exactly the kind of man my parents would want me to end up with though. All-American looks. Perfect pedigree. Has a college degree and will be taking over his father’s multi-generational business. There’s no doubt he comes from a shit-ton of money too if his mom is close with mine.”

Willow snorted. “Yeah. Mary Lynne isn’t exactly known for hanging out with the riff-raff.”

“No, she is not,” I replied.

“And it seemed like you and Ranger were getting along really well at the orchard,” Johnny said. “Why not just end things with Jones? I’m sure your mom won’t like it, but at least you won’t have to keep everything a secret anymore. Then you can give things with Ranger a real shot.”

“I wish it were that simple,” I murmured, suddenly feeling very overwhelmed by the whole issue.

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