Page 51 of Fall With Me (Sugarland Creek)

“Left yesterday.”

“Oh, okay. Well, I got somethin’ for you and your siblings. Don’t tell your mom.” He pulls out an envelope from his front pocket and hands it over.

Inside are tickets to the VIP Corral. It includes all-inclusive food and beverages for the duration of the rodeo.

“What’re these for?” I ask suspiciously. He’s never done this in all the years we’ve gone.

He shrugs modestly. “I know how hard you and your siblings work, especially training Ellie to get her this far, so I figured y’all deserve the best spot in the arena to support her.”

Wrapping my arms around him, I thank him for all of us. They’re gonna love it.

Plus, it’ll give us a front-row seat to watch Ellie up close.

The drive to Franklin consists of four heavy-duty trucks each towing campers. For three nights, I’ll be bunking with Wilder and Waylon.God help me.

But I’m looking forward to the break from daily manual labor, hanging out with my siblings again like old times, and hopefully watching Ellie win Friday and Saturday.

Once we’re set up on our lot, I check on Tripp and Magnolia’s camper, and then Noah and Fisher’s to see if they need anything while I run into town for bottled water and some beer. The shit they serve at the event is overpriced, so we keep extra at our campsite when we’re not inside.

“Actually, yeah. Can you grab a pack of wipes? I thought I grabbed extra, but I must’ve forgotten,” Noah asks.

“Like…Lysol wipes?” I ask, opening a note in my phone to write this down.

“Like…for your niece’s butt.”

Fisher’s gaze meets mine when he realizes I’m still confused. “Baby wipes,” he confirms.

I nod, typing it out. “Got it. Any particular kind or flavor?”

“Oh my God.” Noah’s tone tells me that was a dumb question.

“I’ll just get the first ones I find,” I confirm.

“Hey, you goin’ on a grocery run?” Magnolia asks, climbing into the trailer.

“Depends. Whaddya need?”

“Use small words,” Noah warns.

“Sorry for not havin’ a baby and knowin’ about that stuff,” I deadpan.

“Oh God, what’d you do?” Tripp chimes in.

“Nothing. Now what do y’all need?” I wave my phone around so she knows I’m impatiently waiting.

“Condoms, extra-large. Lube. Water-based. The strawberry kind.”

The ease of how fast she lists them off has me second-guessing if she’s messing with me or not.

“Had me there for a minute, but I knew you were lyin’ with the extra-large.”

Tripp throws me a dirty look, and I chuckle.

“I’m serious! His parents are keepin’ Willow overnight, and I didn’t come prepared.”

“I mean…would knockin’ you up be the worst thing?” Tripp smirks.

Magnolia’s eyes widen as she shoves him. “She’s not even one year old.”

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