Page 87 of Lone Star Longing
“At the motel. It’s been in my family for years.”
“I don't remember there being a pool there,” Hailey said.
“The insurance got too high, so they had it filled in.”
“We’d all go swimming there,” Poppy said wistfully. “’Sofia’s parents didn't mind. The guests might have, but her parents didn’t.”
Sofia made a sound in her throat, floating on her back and looking up at the sky. “I’m just thinking about the families I see coming into Broken Wheel. Wouldn't they like a park, you know, with a swimming pool?”
“Well, my dad is working on the park idea, you know, a playground in the area where we set off the fireworks. Broken Wheel wasn't laid out to make a public area like that, so it’s taking some time to get people to go along with it. And even if they wanted to put a pool there, there’s not a lot of space, and digging into that ground isn’t easy, either.”
“Yeah, but I imagine pool companies who work in this part of the state have equipment for that. It’s not like we have to go out and dig by hand.”
Lacey shrugged. “You can float the idea to the council, but I don't think they’re prepared to go to the expense. Just building the playground was a fight, since the elementary school already has one.”
“I can see that.”
“But the school won’t let people on the grounds after hours,” Lacey said. “Again, insurance purposes. And people with little kids don't have a place to take their kids to play.”
“That makes sense. I still wish we had a pool. Something everyone could enjoy.”
They broke for lunch, and Lacey was pushed to the front of the line, since she was eating for two. Well, three, but no one but Poppy knew that. To be honest, she was pretty hungry, so she didn't argue too much. She had argued that they should make the sandwiches ahead of time, so they didn't have a mess, but she’d been talked down, the others saying the sandwiches would be soggy by the time they ate. She really didn't care at the time, but when she sat on one of the blankets Poppy had brought, and bit into the fresh sandwich, she was pretty glad she’d gone along with the plan. Beck, who got his sandwich last, plopped down beside her when she was licking chip crumbs from her fingers before wiping her hands on her damp suit.
“There’s still more,” he said, motioning back to the table.
She glanced back to see Con pouring the last of the chips she’d been eating into his mouth from the bag. “So much for that.”
“So, yeah, I’ve been wanting to talk to you since the Fourth of July,” he said when she turned her attention back to him.
“Yeah, I’m sorry. You’d said. What did you want to talk about?”
“Beck! When you’re done with your sandwich, can you blow up my tube?” Hailey called.
He blew a breath through his nose. “Sure!” he called over his shoulder. “It’s like they know I’m trying to tell you something.”
Her stomach tightened. He was going to move to Midland to be closer to his job. That had to be what he wanted to talk to her about. And if that was it, she would welcome all the interruptions she could get. “Maybe we shouldn’t be trying to talk with all our friends around.” That’s why she hadn’t told him she was having twins. She wanted to have his complete attention.
“Maybe.” He twisted when Poppy came over with a sleeve of cookies.
“Want some?”
Lacey gave her friend a look. Was her friend interrupting on purpose? And why? What did she know that Lacey didn’t? Or was she just oblivious? No, she knew Poppy better than to think she’d insert herself into their relationship. “We’ll come get some later.”
“Okay, great. Don't forget. Our little mama can’t go hungry.”
Lacey vowed she’d give Poppy hell when Poppy got pregnant. She would annoy the patience right out of her. Poppy lingered a minute, but when neither of them engaged her in conversation, she took her cookies back to the table.
“Okay, what?” Lacey asked.
But now he looked cautiously back at their friends. “Maybe it should wait.”
“Are you leaving?” she asked, knowing she didn't want to wait until later to hear bad news. “Moving closer to your job? The commute must be terrible.”
“It’s not great, but no. I don't want to live up there.”
“Even temporarily?” She knew she was pushing. “I mean, you said you’re not going to work there long? You don't want to live there temporarily if it means saving you hours a day?”
“No, I mean. No. I don't want to live there."
