Cowboy Up (Coming Home #3)

“He did have quite the following, didn’t he?” Leigh agrees, looking at me like she can read between the lines.

“So, who are the lucky men?” I ask, pointing to their bellies and changing the subject.

“You’ll never guess who that one finally landed,” Quinn jokes, pointing toward Leigh.

“No!” I squeak with excitement, catching on immediately. “Maverick?”

Leighton’s whole face lights up at the mention of Quinn’s older brother. Last I heard, he was on the rodeo circuit, making a big name for himself in the sport. “Finally wrangled me a cowboy.” She giggles.

“I’m so happy for you,” I tell her honestly.

“It wasn’t an easy road, but I love my grump.”

“You always did, honey,” Quinn says with a smile.

“And what about you, Quinn?”

“You remember Tate Montgomery?”

“The boy who used to spend his summers at his grandparents’? Sure, I do. You two were practically joined at the hip. What did you do, get married right after the dust settled around me leavin’ town?” I laugh, but my smile slips when she doesn’t join in.

“Nah, took us a while and a lot of distance to realize where we belong, but we finally did. We got married last year. Shortly after I found out about this little one.” She points to her stomach with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

I sense a story that isn’t full of hearts and flowers and, knowing it’s time to steer the conversation away from that, I nod.

“Well, what brings you two into my bookstore?”

They both laugh. “Why am I not shocked that you’d end up owning a bookstore. We never could get you to put down those Fabio books you loved so much back in high school.”

I giggle with Quinn. “Hey, he was a stud.”

“We’re lookin’ for those baby books for daddies. You know, the ones that tell them what to expect when a tiny little demandin’ human comes from their wife and life as they know it is changed forever. Tate, love him to death, seems to think he’s fine because he’s a lady doctor, but no amount of pullin’ babies from other woman’s vaginas can prepare a man for the birth of his own child. Don’t even get me started on my brother. Man can ride the meanest of bulls without breakin’ a sweat, but you talk about his baby comin’ soon and he starts gettin’ pale as a ghost.”

“She isn’t wrong. My husband is hidin’ it well, but I can tell he’s nervous.”

We continue to laugh as I show them where to look, catching up with small talk as they thumb through the selection, pulling a few out to purchase.

“Hey, you should come to the baby shower in a few weeks. We’re doin’ the whole joint thing, since the whole town is basically shuttin’ down. You’d think the president was comin’ to town the way they’re all carryin’ on.”

“I’d love to,” I tell them surprising myself with just how much I want to be there.

They give me the info and we exchange numbers, promising to catch up soon. Seeing Quinn and Leighton only drives home just how much I’ve missed having them in my life. My fears haven’t just kept me from moving on romantically—they’ve also kept me from people who I know, with no doubts, would do nothing but enrich my life. Now that we’ve been brought back together, I can’t imagine my life without them in it again.

“You should stop by the PieHole, too,” Leighton says. “You remember my mama’s pies?”

“Boy, do I ever. Best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth!”

“That’s what she said!” Lucy calls out from somewhere in the back of the store.

We all dissolve into laughter, and by the time Quinn and Leigh leave, I haves a date to stop by the PieHole after I close up tonight. The memory of Leigh’s mama’s pies is so strong I swear I can taste them.

- -

Four hours later, having finally closed The Sequel up, Lucy and I head over to Pine Oak, the excitement of seeing my old friends again bubbling in my belly like butterflies the whole way.

Lucy and I make small talk during the thirty-minute drive, but the second we hit Main Street and pass my mama’s salon, I stop talking. The windows are dark, so I know she isn’t there, but the thought of running into her at Leighton’s bakery makes me feel like I’m going to puke.

“Thinkin’ about your mama?” Lucy asks knowingly.

“That obvious?”

“I understand your history, honey, but don’t you think your mama would be happy to see you and forget about all that stuff that kept y’all apart?”

I shake my head. “I think those kinda hurts are unmendable. I was a kid when I left, Luce, but she was a grown adult who turned her back on me when I came back beggin’ for her help. Sometimes the hurt inflicted by others is just too great to move on from.”

She hums in agreement and we pull into the parking spot directly next to Leigh’s place. Lucy turns off her car and turns to look at me. “I hear you, Caroline, I do, but you’re still holdin’ on to that hurt, so maybe a little closure would be a good thing. Just think about it. Now that you have a reason to come into Pine Oak more, it’s not like you can avoid her forever.”

“Probably not, but that’s a bridge I’ll cross when it’s time.”

She gives me a look of understanding before nodding. “I’m here no matter what. Luke and me. Family isn’t just those you’re connected to by blood, you know.”

“I do, sister from another mister,” I joke.

For it being six at night, things are still pretty crowded inside Leigh’s place. An older woman behind the counter calls out a greeting when we step in, causing every head to turn in our direction. My cheeks heat and my shoulders pull in under the crowd’s scrutiny. Lucy just plasters on her pageant smile and walks confidently in front of me. What I wouldn’t give to have just an ounce of her conviction. I’ve been disgustingly shy my whole life, something that will never change if it hasn’t yet. I look down at the ground while following Lucy’s booted feet farther into the room. She’s used to me being like this, so even if she wasn’t a ball of happiness, she would’ve taken the lead.

“Hey you!” Quinn calls, and I look up to see her waving us toward a big table in the back. The man with his arm around her chair next to her looks just like the Tate I remember. On her other side sits the unmistakable Maverick Davis. He isn’t smiling like Quinn’s husband, but he doesn’t look like the grumpy teenager I remember either. And finally, my eyes land on Leigh, curled into his side, her hand on top of his resting against her belly.

“Hey y’all. I’m Lucy Hazel!”

“Any relation to Luke Hazel?” Maverick rumbles, looking away from his wife’s belly and at my best friend.

“Only the best twin brother a girl could ever have.”

“Good man,” he responds, looking back down to resume his study, his big palm moving around Leigh’s belly a little.

“The best,” Lucy agrees. She looks over at Tate. “Hi! You’re the lady doctor. Taking new patients? Hate my gyno.” She thrusts her hand out. Only she would think that asking a man when she first meets him if he can take a look at her vagina is acceptable.

“Uh, yeah. Call the office?” he responds, a little unsure, but he takes her hand anyway.