Page 76 of Lone Star Longing
“Well, not all of them,” Beck said. “A few moved away. But the ones who were friends, the ones....” The ones from the bus, he didn't say. Couldn’t say. “They stayed.”
He opened his wrapped sandwich and thought about driving through the storm with Lacey, how scared she’d been. He didn't remember if counselors had been sent to the school when Claudia and Bridget had died, when Mrs. Driscoll had died. If not, there should have been. He didn't think most of the passengers on that bus would have gotten grief counseling otherwise. Maybe that was why they stuck together now, at least Lacey’s group. Beck’s group had drifted away.
Or run away.
Okay, okay, now wasn't the time to be thinking about the tragedy. Now was the time to be enjoying time with his mom, with the town, to be looking forward to the fireworks.
He scanned the crowd as Britt had done, wondering where Lacey was. He figured since her dad had set this up, she would be here, but he hadn’t spotted her yet. Maybe the day was too hot for her.
He missed her. He admitted, he’d made a point of avoiding her since her overshare in the truck. He had followed up on Lacey’s lead about the water recycling plant, and they had a job for him. The position wasn't longterm, or at least, didn't have to be. The salary would refill the coffers he’d shrunk by making improvements to his mom’s house. The hours were long, and work was hard, which might clear his head of some of the ideas he’d been getting about Lacey Davila.
But yeah, he missed seeing her, missed talking to her. Britt’s idea of having a mini-reunion sounded good, until he thought about what seeing Lacey would be like, when he wasn't sure of his feelings, or hers, and he didn't know what to do about the feelings he did have. Because she was already going through a lot, an unexpected pregnancy, a break-up, and she didn't need another guy to run out on her.
This was all temporary for him, this small town guy bit. He couldn't stay here for years, or even months. He needed to make his money back, and then move on to something, and somewhere else.
So yeah, best to keep his distance from Lacey.
Which was going to be hard since they were going to Fort Clark Springs next week.
He’d finished his sandwich, washed down with a watery glass of lemonade from the elementary school booth, when he saw her enter the park with Poppy. He hadn’t seen her in over a week, and her belly appeared to have grown over that time. She wore a halter top that was loose and probably cool, but also the sexiest thing he’d ever seen a woman wear.
Man, what was wrong with him that he was getting turned on by a pregnant woman?
Her hair was in a braid down her back, so her smooth skin was exposed, and when she turned her head to laugh at something Poppy had said, his damn heart just turned over in his chest.
He would not go over to her. He would not. He would stay here with his mom. How would he explain how he’d been avoiding her, anyway? He didn't want to have to do that, so he’d stay in his spot.
She saw him, and gave a little wave, but didn't approach him, either, heading instead to the lemonade booth.
“Ah, hell,” he said, and heaved himself out of his chair to go after her.
“Beck, you’re making a fool of yourself.”
He wasn't sure if his mother had said those words, or if he just heard the words in his head in her voice. Even money.
“I wouldn't do that if I were you,” he warned as she pulled out her wallet in line for the lemonade. “At the very least, get the water.”
She turned her head and smiled up at him, her eyes bright, her cheeks flushed, probably with the heat, but man, she was pretty.
“Hey, stranger.”
“The lemonade is just that powdered stuff, and not even enough to give it flavor.”
“Ah, yeah, but it’s for the school.”
He should have thought of it that way instead of complaining. “How’ve you been? How was the doctor visit? Everything on track? Did you find out if it’s a boy or a girl?”
She and Poppy exchanged a mysterious look.
“What, are you going to do one of those gender reveal parties?”
Poppy narrowed her eyes at him. “What do you know about gender reveal parties?”
“Just what I see on social media. Balloons or cake or, I don't know, didn't some guy start a wildfire by shooting something for the reveal?”
“No gender reveal party,” Lacey said.
“Well? Are you going to share?” Why did he feel so invested in her pregnancy?”
