Page 41 of Cloud Nine Love

I lifted the bottle to my mouth as I took in the majestic rolling green pastures of his backyard. Two hummingbirds were flitting next to a feeder, and horses roamed in the fields. I couldn’t get over how serene and peaceful the scene was. And I still couldn’t quite believe this was my friend’s life.

Growing up, Wyatt had always maintained that he didn’t like farm work, that he was never going to live in Wishing Well, and that he didn’t want kids. Now, not only was he back, but he’d also bought the house next door to his parents’ farm. He was married, and his wife was the legal guardian of her niece and nephews, following the deaths of her sister and brother-in-law, who were killed in a car accident.

A car accident. Just like Taylor had lost her father. Except she was in the car with him. My heart broke for the little girl she was and all she went through. I wanted so badly to retroactively protect her from all that pain. I knew that I couldn’t do that, but I sure as hell would like to be the one protecting her from any current or future pain.

Unfortunately, she did not seem to share my desire. She’d hightailed it out of Edith Scoggs’ shop so fast that if she were a cartoon character, she would have had motion lines trailing behind her. I’d been standing on the pedestal while Mrs. Scoggs pinned my slacks when a brunette blur flew by us and out the door.

That was yesterday, and I hadn’t spoken to, or seen her since. But I would. Tomorrow night was the bachelor/bachelorette party at The Tipsy Cow, and then there was the wedding. I had a feeling she might try to avoid me at both, especially after our rendezvous at the alteration shop, but I had zero plans of leaving town before we talked. There was something between us, and I was not about to walk away from it without a fight. Even if that meant playing dirty. Which is exactly what I’d done yesterday.

“So, how are things?” Wyatt asked, interrupting where my mind had drifted, which was to Taylor. Since meeting her, I don’t think I’d gone a full minute without thinking of her. She was always there, either in the forefront or background of my mind. Each and every thought led to her.

“Good. Things are good.” I smiled at my friend. “I never thought I’d see Wyatt Briggs living in Wishing Well with a wife and three kids.”

“Me either.” Wyatt smiled as he looked through the kitchen window into the house at Whitney, his new wife, who was washing off vegetables at the sink.

“Congrats, man. I’m happy for you. I’m sorry, again, that I couldn’t make it to the wedding.”

I’d missed so many weddings over the past few years. Not just in my hometown, either. I’d also missed all three of Misty’s sisters walk down the aisle, two of her cousins, her childhood best friend, and her mom getting remarried.

Misty had always been understanding about my job. But hindsight being twenty-twenty, I’d seen a change in her over the past two years. It was almost like a light going out in her eyes. I kept telling myself that once we were married, it would be okay. But I must’ve known that wasn’t the case, and she must’ve known that too since we never managed to set a date.

I didn’t doubt that Misty loved me at one time, and I loved her. I wouldn’t have asked her to marry me if I didn’t love her. But sometime over the past few years, we’d grown apart.

“Have you and Misty thought about having kids?” Wyatt asked as he flipped the burgers.

“No. We, um, broke up, actually.”

“You did?” He looked up at me.

“Yeah.”

“Oh, sorry.” He shook his head and turned his attention back to the grill. “I didn’t know. I ran into your mama at the Spoon last week, and she said you were both coming out for the wedding.”

“We were. It was recent.”

“Are you okay?”

I wished I could tell him the truth, that since I’d spoken to Misty, I’d barely given it a thought. But I couldn’t. For one, because the reason I’d barely thought about it was the mother of our best friend’s child, and two, because the woman I couldn’t stop thinking about refused to acknowledge that she knew me to our friends and family.

“Yeah, I’m okay. Which probably means Misty’s calling things off was for the best.”

Wyatt nodded.

“What about Kane and Ruby?” he questioned. “You good with that?”

“I am. It had to be somebody, and Kane’s one of the best men I know.”

Wyatt nodded. If anyone understood how I felt, it was Wyatt. His little sister had married Hudson Reed, who’d been our friend as well. I guessed that’s what happened when people grew up in small towns. With the dating pool the size of a bucket, little sisters and brothers’ best friends were not off limits.

“And it’s not just Kane,” I continued. “Harper’s amazing. Ruby loves her so much, and she’s really good with her.” It was crazy seeing my baby sister step into the role of a stepmom. In my mind, somehow, Ruby was frozen in time as the eight-year-old girl I’d left when I enlisted in the Army.

“Yeah, she is,” Wyatt agreed. “And from what I’ve heard, Ruby and Taylor get along like a house on fire.”

I nodded. Since he’d brought her up, I figured this was my chance to find out what I could about Taylor Hale. I’d wanted to ask about her but hadn’t been able to find the right time or thing to say. This was my opening.

“Do you know her very well? Taylor?”

“No.” Wyatt shook his head. “I know she’s Milo and Mason’s cousin. And Kane has never had a bad word to say about her.”

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