I shake my head as if that will clear my thoughts. “Did you want a soda or something? I’m going to…” I don’t finish the sentence, just point toward the kitchen of the rec area where everyone’s working on the parade plans.
“I’m good, thanks,” he says before getting right back to work.
A few hours later, I sink into the warm, bubbly water in my tub. I need to soak my muscles after all of the physical labor from today. I also need time to sort my feelings…did I just say feelings? Since when did my thoughts about Blake turn into feelings?
Since Trevor came back to town, we haven’t spent that much time together, and when we did, it was different. I expected it to be. We aren’t the same people we were in high school, no matter how much I don’t want to admit it. The truth is, I don’t even know him anymore. How would a life with him even work? I love Grand Lake, Colorado. I can’t imagine my life anywhere else.
A smile spreads across my face as I think about how things with Blake and I have progressed. He seemed so mean and gruff, but it’s just a façade. I know he’s jaded. He’s bitter about his football career. I still don’t know the details, but I know he got injured in college. I also know he’s hurt or angry, or both, about Tracey. The one who got away.
The song “Almost Lover” starts to play through my phone on the edge of the tub. “Seriously?” I say aloud to myself.
Alison Sudol’s haunting voice echoes through my bathroom as the words sink in. A small tear slides down my cheek as I let out a shaky breath. It’s time to let Trevor go.
The next morning, I stop by the Bean and Bun, grab some lattes and fresh croissants, and make my way over to Jade’s apartment to apologize and grovel. She’s going to lose her shit when I tell her I think I’m falling for the other brother.
Eight
Blake
I look around at the parking lot full of cars and families gathering coolers and lawn chairs as they make their way toward the parade. I still can’t believe Pearl pulled it off. I just renovated the cabins. She put in countless hours, most unpaid, to get the word out about the cabins. We are booked solid for the foreseeable future.
I’ve come to notice how helpful and caring Pearl is. She takes the time to listen to my mom tell the same story for the third time in a row, and she stops and talks in earnest to all of our tenants, often bringing in fresh baked goods to share with everyone. Don’t get me wrong. Her incessant nagging about me drinking enough water while I work gets old, and she doesn’t seem to understand space.
I look up and see her on the porch talking to my mom. She’s pointing out the red, white, and blue banners adorning the cabins. She sees me and a soft smile spreads across her lips. It’s different than the one she usually has on her face. This one seems genuine and warm, like it’s meant for me.
I shake my head at the thought. I know better. She sees me as another conduit to Trevor and someone to talk to when she’s out here. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy having her around. She’s been a breath of fresh air in this town. She’s always been here. I just never spent any time around her. Doesn’t matter anyway. I’ll be back on the road soon with my business. I’ve been negotiating a big project in Alaska, which is set to start next month.
I give her a nod before turning to head back to my cabin. I need to grab a few things for the parade before I make my way to Main Street.
“Hey, Blake. Your brother still here?”
“Hey, Mayor Higgins. Nah, he had to head back to the big city. Apparently, his woman needed him. You know how that goes.”
He lets out a hearty laugh and slaps my shoulder. “That I do son. Well, next time you talk to that boy, you tell him thank you for the budget software recommendation he made to the comptroller’s office. He was always a smart kid.”
The parade goes off without a hitch, the floats look great, the marching band sounds in tune, and the fire department manages to not scare any kids with their sirens this year.
I watch as a few remaining children pick up the leftover pieces of candy still in the street. I feel my chest tighten. If Tracey hadn’t left a year ago, I wonder if she and I would be having a around this time. The few times I brought up children, she didn’t seem too eager to indulge in the conversation other than to say she wasn’t ready and it was a long way off.
I make my way back to my cabin and strip down before stepping into the shower. I need to sort through my clothes and try to find something semi “nice” for the barn dance tonight. My wardrobe mostly consists of Levi’s, flannels, and work boots, but I still have some of the clothes Tracey had bought me a few years back.
I pull on my jeans and start rifling through my closet. I pull out a wrinkled blue button-down from the back of my closet and the dark blue vest that Tracey had bought to go with it. “Shit,” I mutter to myself, realizing I don’t have an iron. A knock on my door interrupts my thoughts. Without thinking, I walk over and pull it open to see Pearl staring back at me.
“Pearl?”
She’s standing with her mouth open staring. That’s when I realize I’m shirtless. I look down to see small beads of water still on my skin before inviting her inside.
“Uh, sorry. I just got out of the shower. Whatcha need?”
“I wanted to ask you if Trevor was coming in tonight? Last time I spoke to him, he mentioned that he might make it back in time for the barn dance, but he never confirmed so I was just curious?”
Of course that’s why she’s here. I can’t help but roll my eyes and turn back to duck into my bedroom. “No, Pearl, lover boy won’t make it tonight. He said something came up and he’s going to be staying in Chicago for a while.” I turn around to read her face, but she’s followed me into my room.
I see her glance at the bed, and I can’t help but wonder if she’s remembering that night. I pull a T-shirt over my head.
“You’re not wearing that tonight, are you?” She points to my outfit.
“Well…I guess not now. Why? What’s wrong with it?”
“Seriously? Blake, you look like you’re going to muck stalls,” she says, pushing past me.
“It’s a barn dance, Pearl…as in we are dancing in a barn.”
“Here. What’s wrong with this?” She holds up the shirt and vest combo I had pulled out.
“It’s wrinkled and I don’t have an iron.”
“You do know each cabin comes equipped with an iron and iron board in the hall closet, right?”
She walks out of my room, and I hear her pull something out of the hall closet. “See!” She holds them up before dipping into the bathroom.
“I can do that,” I say, reaching for the iron in her hand.
“I highly doubt that.” I watch out of the corner of my eye as she meticulously gets the tip of the iron in all of the corners and seams of the shirt and vest.
“You’ll make someone a lucky man someday.” The words come out before I even realize I’m saying them.
“Why? Because I can clean and cook and iron? This isn’t the 1950s anymore, bud.” She gives me a playful wink before handing me back my perfectly ironed clothes and walking back toward the front door.