Resolved to do something—anything—I finally scoop him up and put him in the car. It takes twenty minutes to figure out how to get the car seat in properly. When I finally decide to go see Bess, I can breathe.
On the way, I let the wind massage my scalp and promise myself it will be okay. Through my open window, kids laugh and scream “you’re turn!” and “give it back, it’s mine!”
At Bess’s, Tristan stops to pick a wilting dandelion. He puts it close to his lips and blows its fragile seeds across the sky. I want to catch them too, like Pappy’s smoke rings and the bouquet I don’t expect to be throwing at my wedding now. Instead, I pick one of my own and make a wish. I wish Grandma was here. She’d know what to do. I wish we could go back to the way things used to be, even a few hours ago.
“Everyone makes mistakes. And that Hannah, she sure was tempting, dear. I doubt it was serious. Probably just a little fling. I wonder what your grandmother would say?”
“Well, I can’t exactly ask her,” I snarl. “I really need your help…”
Tristan dances, arms stretched out, spinning in circles on Bess’s lawn. I wonder if Grandma and Pappy can see the dandelion seeds flying above his head. I kick off my flip flops, tuning out Bess’s rambling. Who cares if you hate kids? I didn’t come here to talk about you. I came here to talk about him. Big mistake. All of it. I’m supposed to be with Julie, working on my something blue.
Little do I know, I already am…
“I think we’re all set. Herbert has the balloons. You should see it, Cal. I’ve never seen that many balloons in one place. Bess is freaking out. It’s hilarious. I just—” Julie stops, mid-sentence, when she spots Tristan in his tux. “Oh. My. God. Precious! Look at him!”
“I know. Adorable. But he’s going to make me late for my own wedding. He won’t keep the bowtie on and keeps trying to feed it to Rocky.”
“Why don’t you let me bring him to Austin? He looks ready enough.”
“Yeah. Smart thinking. Let’s do that.” I rub Tristan’s head and smile. “Julie’s going to take you to Daddy. Are you all ready?”
He nods, his head bobbing up and down eagerly.
“Now, do you remember your job?”
“Yep! I gotta do the rings.”
I hand Tristan the pillow. Attached to it are two plastic rings. The real ones, from Grandma and Pappy, are safe in Austin’s pocket. But Tristan doesn’t need to know that. “Be sooooooo careful! Remember, you have the most important job, bud.”
“Yep! The most-est!”
“Okay, bud. Come with me,” Julie says, extending her hand. “Let’s go see Daddy!”
“Fun!”
“Cal? Do you need anything?”
“No, I’m okay. I just need to get my dress and jewelry on. Don’t be gone too long. I feel like I’m going to puke.”
Julie laughs. “Normal.”
“For once.” I laugh, too.
“I’ve got you. Once you get that dress on, everything will change. You’re going to be such a beautiful bride,” Sonya says. “Austin’s a really lucky guy.”
Tristan breaks free of Julie’s hand, running toward me for a hug. He squeezes me and smiles with dimples even wider than his daddy’s. “I love you!”
My heart melts and all the butterflies in my stomach fade. A tear drops onto the buttoned shirt Pam told me to wear so as not to mess up my hair. I don’t bother to brush it away. “No. It’s me who is the lucky one.”
* * *
THE END
USA Today Bestselling Author ERIN LEE is a multi-genre author and therapist living with her family in southern New Hampshire – the most “southern” thing about her. A lifelong Yankee about to send her son south for college, she spent countless hours learning about southern slang and trying foods like fatback, greens and grit for this novella. She’s probably still got it wrong but hopes ya’ll understand.
www.facebook.com/gonecrazytalksoon
LEARNING CURVE
Nicole Rodrigues
Copyright © 2020 by Nicole Rodrigues
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Learning Curve
Good girl, Church goer, straight A student, Charlotte Daniels is way too good for me. She follows rules, I was made to break them. Everyone in this town said I would destroy her but I didn’t listen. I wanted her. I needed her and I loved her. Too bad they were all right.
____
Gabriel Gavinwood was my childhood buddy, until the night before High School he lays one on me, stealing my first kiss and claiming my heart. Our love is quick, passionate and we can’t stay away, despite everyone’s warnings about it. Just when I think we can’t be anymore on top of the world, a curveball comes barreling towards us. Can we learn the curve, or are we going to strike out?
* * *
*This is a prequel novella to the first book in the Double Play Series, Curveball.*
1
Gabriel
“Ya know, it's been a year since we started dating, you'd think I'd be able to leave the house without security detail. I wouldn’t be surprised if he showed up here today,” Charlotte says laughing.
I look over at her white ballet shoes, from my place under my truck, no place for a girl like her in this greasy garage but for some reason she decided I’m her guy. I roll myself out from under the truck and smile, getting to my feel.
“Well don’t you just look beautiful today, baby cakes.”
I move my face closer to give her a quick kiss, careful not to ruin her yellow sundress. Charlotte Daniels doesn’t care though, no my girl pulls me closer to her, feasting on my mouth as if she’s never gonna get a taste of it again. I grip her hip, steadying us both before we go toppling onto the dirty floor.
“Now that’s the greetin’ I was hopin’ for,” she says with her sassy smirk.
“I think I got grease on that pretty little dress,” I laugh looking over at her.
She shrugs and walks over to the hood of the car, inspecting the engine.
“Whatcha workin’ on?”
“Just an oil change.”
“Teach me?”
“You wanna learn how to change oil? You ain’t gonna be able to wear that,” I laugh.
“I brought a change of clothes,” she says winking, reaching for her backpack and walking to the offices. “Show me to the bathroom.”
She walks ahead, glancing over her shoulder with a sneaky smile and I shake my head, following her.