Chapter Thirty-Four
Emma
Saturday
I was out back with Kasey, drinking coffee while we watched Daddy walking around the barn, looking for things that needed set right. I’d come over before the sun rose to help out with the horses and a few other chores on the property. Now I was relaxing for a minute before the sunshine strengthened and the heat of the day set in. I’d told Daddy I’d help him in his garden today. Anything that kept me busy all day was good.
“You were right,” I told Kasey, just coming right out with it because I wanted this part of the conversation over with.
My conversation with Jack had done the opposite of ease my mind. I hadn’t been able to forget the sight of Lacey in Pete’s arms, and nothing Jack had said made me feel any better about it. I needed to hear what another woman had to say. And, Kasey was always there to listen to my problems. She knew me better than anyone, and there was no one I trusted more in this world besides Daddy. If she agreed with Jack that this wasn’t an issue, I might consider talking to Pete. If not, I’d let things lie the way they were.
Kasey glanced over, eyes wide with surprise. She looked fifteen again, with no makeup on, her hair pulled into short pigtails, and wearing a matching pajama set. “What do you mean?” she asked.
“What you said about Pete and Lacey having feelings for each other.” I kept my eyes on the small, solid shape of Daddy as he walked to the front of the barn and then disappeared inside. I could feel Kasey’s eyes burning into the side of my head, but not looking right into them helped.
“I saw them together, hugging like they were in love. I don’t know why they went to so much trouble convincing me they were friends just to turn around and rub their feelings for each other in my face like that.”
I tightened my jaw, swallowing back the tears that were burning in my eyes all of a sudden. I went from being angry to heartbroken in a span of a few seconds. I just wanted to move on with my life, but I couldn’t help how hurt I felt.
Kasey sighed long and low. “I tried to warn you.” But she didn’t sound like she was rubbing it in my face. I looked over at her, and her big eyes were shiny with how upset she was for me. “I’m sorry, Em. Pete’s such a nice guy. I really thought things were good between you.”
I nodded, trying to smile a little but not quite making it. “I did, too.”
“Are you sure it wasn’t just this Lacey putting the moves on him?”
I shook my head. “No. He was hugging her, too. I saw it with my own eyes.”
“Shit.” She pressed her bare lips together, keeping in whatever else she was thinking.
I watched Daddy crossing the yard over to us. He stopped at the foot of the deck, resting one boot up on the step. He tilted his hat back so he could stare up at me from under the brim.
“You mind running up to the feed store, Em? The horses are about out. You can take my truck.”
“Sure, Daddy,” I said with a smile. I turned to Kasey after he walked off. “You want to come?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Hell, no!”
We laughed together as I got up. I went through the house to get Daddy’s keys and then went out to the truck. The feed store was in the middle of town, only fifteen minutes from the house. At this time in the morning, there wouldn’t be much traffic on the road…not that there ever was.
I took the country road into town, the window rolled down so the wind blew through my hair and the radio turned up, some twangy music coming through the speakers. I pulled into the parking lot of the feed store and went inside. Feed for big animals was in back, so I headed that way, saying good morning to the owner as I went down one of the aisles. There’d be a kid back there who would help me load the food onto a flatbed cart and take it out to Daddy’s truck. I told the kid how much I wanted and he loaded it onto the cart, telling me he’d get it outside for me while I paid.
I turned to head to the front and froze solid.
Lacey was walking in the door.
Fuck.
There was no place to go that she wouldn’t see me besides the bathroom, and that was clear across the store. She was the last person in Round Rock I wanted to speak to right now, but I’d be goddamned if I’d let her chase me into the bathroom.
As soon as she saw me, she smiled, waved, and came over. I kept a stony look on my face, not being outwardly nasty, but not friendly either. I just wanted to get this over with so I could get the fuck out of here and away from her.
“Hey, Emma, how’ve things been on the farm this week?” she asked, tipping her cowboy hat back on her head.
I frowned at that, not understanding the question. “You haven’t been at the farm?”
Now it was her turn to look confused, her blonde brows scrunching together. “No, I’ve been down in Galveston with my family all week. Pete didn’t tell you?”
I shook my head.
“My grandmother passed last Monday afternoon. I hadn’t even known she was sick.” Her voice was shaking. She wiped at her suddenly wet eyes. I’d never see her like this before. “I didn’t get a chance to tell you before I drove out that night. I dropped by the house to let Pete know and then got on the road.”
That knocked all the stubborn fight out of me. And it got me thinking. “Is that why you and Pete were hugging on the porch on Monday night before I left for the day?”
She nodded.
“I thought…” But I couldn’t finish because I felt too much like a horse’s ass.
Her eyes went wide as saucers as she watched me. “Wait, you didn’t think Pete was hugging me because we were getting together, did you?”
I reddened to the roots of my hair instead of answering. What could I say? I couldn’t believe how stupid I’d been. I should’ve trusted that Pete and Lacey wouldn’t lie to me for weeks just to end up getting together.
“Oh my God, Emma, you never need to worry about that. Pete loves me, and I love him, but not that way.” She smiled, and I did, too, even if I did still feel like the biggest ass who ever lived. “He loves you that way. I’ve never seen him this happy with anyone in my life.”
I had to make this right as soon as I could. I couldn’t believe I’d let an entire week go by while this festered. I needed to talk to Pete.