Page 31 of Reckless
Harvey:If it wasn’t rude, I’d ask if her secret daddy is a monkey.
Winter:You basically just asked that.
Harvey:Where’s the question?
Winter:I’m coming back.
Harvey:No. You aren’t. If I can keep Rhett alive, then Vivi will be a breeze.
Winter:Somehow that isn’t very comforting. Rhett is insane.
* * *
“This is going to be fun, Winter. You’ll see.” Willa pats my shoulder, and I cast her a sidelong glance.
“Vivi is going to have the best time with Harvey.” Summer squeezes my knee.
“Did you guys plan this pep talk?” My arms cross and I stare out at the dirt ring in front of us.
Willa shrugs with a slight grin on her lips. “Sloane told us you might need it, but that we had her permission to drag you out of that house kicking and screaming.”
“Easy for Sloane to say while she’s on a road trip with Jasper. I’m going to FaceTime her later and give her a piece of my mind.”
I lick my lips and peer around at the sea of people before me. Summer and Willa don’t respond, but I’m sure they roll their eyes at me as they too take in our surroundings.
It’s day three of the first annual Chestnut Springs Rodeo and I feel like a sociologist watching it all go down. The actual town is small and charming. But the fairgrounds this weekend?
I don’t even know what the fuck this is.
Wranglers, cowboy boots, rhinestone belts.
Even the children are wearing little cowboy and cowgirl outfits. It’s like I’m at one of those historical re-enactments where all the dorks dress up like knights and kings.
Except here, all the dorks dress up as cowboys.
“There are children everywhere,” I announce. “I can’t fathom why I couldn’t have brought Vivi with me. You’d hardly notice her in the carrier.”
Summer edges closer, pressing her body into mine reassuringly. I’m not about to admit it, but I like it. No. I love it. Getting to know my sister the way I’ve always wanted over the past eighteen months has been a bright spot in my life.
“Younotice her,” Willa says. “She’s nine months old now. You’ve pumped enough to feed an orphanage. I saw the freezer, so don’t try to tell me otherwise. She’s going to have fun and so will you. You need this. The first time I left Emma was hard too, but I...Winter, just trust me. You’ll feel somewhat like your old self after tonight. You can’t do it all alone. You’ll have to go back to—”
Summer cuts her off with a stern glance, and I almost roll my eyes. Does she think I don’t know what Willa was about to say?
Back to work.
One year. The hospital in Chestnut Springs allowed me one year of maternity leave and that is rapidly drawing to a close. September 21is the day I have circled in red on the calendar.
I wish someone had told me that once I had a baby, I wouldn’t give a flying fuck about anything else. They act like I need this night away, but I don’t feel like I do. I already miss her even though I’ve spent the past couple of weeks saying all I want is for no one to touch me for a few hours.
And I don’t want to feel like my old self. My old self was angry and bitter and alone.
Okay, I’m still not a ray of sunshine, but I have turned over a new leaf since moving to Chestnut Springs.
“I’m going to get us all some drinks,” Willa announces, slapping her jean-clad thighs and all I can do is nod while Garth Brooks blares from the speakers while men in leather chaps mull around.
They might be dorks, but I’d have to be blind not to appreciate the things this getup does for a man’s ass. Everyone is on and on about a man in a suit, but I can’t help but wonder if they’ve ever seen a man in Wranglers and chaps.
Suit who?
