Leon takes over supervising the high school team while I prepare for the festival. In the afternoon, when the men are tired, I carry a silver metal pail out to the shed with peach ice cream in it.
Digger is standing at the back, looking over a ledger with Jay, and Taron is sitting on the flatbed watching me like he wants to have me for dessert. I’m convinced this distance between us is killing him as much as it is me. Soon…
I walk right up to him, confident after all we’ve said and done. “See what you think.”
Holding out the spoon, I watch as he slips the bite of peach ice cream between his full lips.
They curl into a smile that reaches all the way to his pretty eyes. “Delicious. Did you dip your little finger in it?”
That makes me laugh, and he catches me around my waist. For the first time in days, I feel light.
“Taron, put me down!”
Digger watches us with a scowl. “What’s that, Noel? Peach ice cream?”
“Yeah.” I give Taron a nudge with my hip and walk to where Digger is standing.
He takes the spoon, dipping it in the pail I’m carrying. “Not bad. You used your momma’s old recipe.” The way he says it, using that know-it-all tone, makes my skin crawl.
I look over my shoulder, and Taron’s frowning as well. “How could you remember that? We were just kids when Momma passed.”
“I remember when you were Princess Peach.” Digger taps me on the nose. “I remember when I took you to your first Peach Festival Ball.”
“You got that wrong. I was never Princess Peach. It was the one time I let my momma down… that I know about.”
“You never let your momma down.” He gives my cheek a little pinch, which irritates me more. I see a light flash in Taron’s eyes, and I know it irritates him. “It’s nice to be with people who know your history and share your values.”
I don’t like his implication. I don’t like his ideas about my place in society. “Just because somebody is from your hometown doesn’t mean that person shares your values.”
“Nonsense. Besides your brothers, nobody knows your history better than I do, Noel.”
“I doubt it.” Does he sit at home at night studying my past?
“You’re so adorably stubborn. Go with me to the peach ball again this year. It’ll be just like old times.”
I’m caught off guard by his invitation, but that doesn’t mean I’m not prepared. “I’m not going to the ball. We’ve got too much to do with Sawyer leaving and needing to prepare and all.”
“Nonsense. You have to go to the ball. It’s tradition. You’re the co-owner of one of the largest peach orchards in town.”
“If it’s a tradition, it’s one I don’t know about.”
“I told you.” He takes my arm in his. “It’s time we re-establish your family’s place in society. This is one of the ways to do it, by going to the ball and showing your interest.”
Reaching back, I pull my arm out of his. “Everybody knows us. I appreciate your invitation, but I’m not in the mood for a ball this year.”
Taron stands up, and Digger releases me.
Digger crosses his arms over his chest, stretching that seersucker blazer. Who wears seersucker to a peach shed? “I’ll talk to Sawyer about it.”
His tone implies my older brother tells me what to do, but instead of letting him get under my skin, I turn on my heel toward the house. I’m not wasting time on Digger Hayes.
“My ice cream is melting.” I trot down the steps and jog up the hill toward the house.
I’ve never been more annoyed in my life. Digger Hayes thinks he’s going to tell me what to do? He’s got another thing coming.
I’m at the door when I realize a tall figure is right behind me. Taron’s large hand covers mine, and I turn as I step into the kitchen. “You startled me.”
“Sorry. I figured I’d better follow you before I did something I’d regret.”
“Regret?” I take down a freezer-safe container and spoon the rest of the ice cream into it.
“Something Sawyer wouldn’t like is more what I meant.” He catches the back of my ponytail, twirling it around his hand. “You really dated that guy?”
“People thought we were a good match.” Shoving the ice cream in the freezer, I’m still pissed at the implications of Digger’s words.
“You didn’t win Princess Peach?” I look up and Taron’s smiling down at me. It melts the anger I’m feeling just a little.
“I never liked pageants. Momma won every pageant she ever thought about entering, but it just wasn’t my thing.”
He leans against the bar with a chuckle. “No wonder you’re so pretty.”
His compliment is like tingling electricity in my veins, and I admire how the sun has put gold highlights in his dark hair. His skin is tanned, and if it’s possible, he’s even more handsome. It’s time, and I’m more than ready.
“I’d better get started on dinner.” Rising on my toes, I kiss his soft lips.
My insides are humming just thinking about the special dessert I have planned. It won’t be long now…
9
Taron
I don’t know how she does it. For Sunday dinner, Noel served us braised brisket with bourbon peach glaze. Tonight, she gave us pork chops with grilled peaches, and when I stop by her bedroom before saying goodnight, she’s back to mixing up her homemade organic beauty products.
She’s amazing, and she dismisses it all out of hand.
“Cooking is just practice. I’ve been whipping up those same meals a couple times a month for as long as I can remember.”
It’s after ten and we’re in the kitchen whispering. I stand behind her watching as she carefully pours candle wax into small, labeled jars.
“You should write them down and sell a cookbook along with all this other stuff.” I kiss the side of her jaw, and she lets out a little noise that registers straight to my cock.
“You’re going to make me spill wax everywhere.”
“Am I distracting you?”
“You know you are.” She lifts the pan and turns her face to kiss me gently on the lips.
I swear, leaving her alone in her bedroom these past few nights has been about the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. It’s taken many cold showers and much jerking off to relieve the pressure.
“So I was thinking about what you told Digger in the shed—about how you don’t want to go to the ball with Sawyer leaving and everything happening…”
Her lips tighten, but she doesn’t respond. Her eyes are focused on filling the small jars.
“Did you just say that to put him off or did you mean it?”
She finishes the last pour then her whiskey eyes meet mine. “What’s it to you?”
Clearing my throat, I look down at my shoes, remembering all the reasons I’ve been doing my best to keep my distance. In a few days I’ll be gone… Is it fair to keep pursuing her?
“I was wondering how you felt about all that stuff he said.”
“He knows a lot about the business. I guess that’s why my brother hired him. Is that what you meant?”