Page 48 of The Hardest Part

Billy looked at her then.

Beaming at him, Emily held onto his arm and laid her head on his shoulder. “I love you, Billy. I’ll bake ‘em for you every day if you want.”

I don’t want no damn cookies, just you.

He let his fingers slip through her wavy locks. “I love you, too.”

The mouth-watering smell of barbecue wafting from the smokers and grills parked in front of the square had Billy’s stomach talking to him. In a friendly competition, Harry Coulter, who ran the diner, and Charlie Tyndall, their ranch foreman, and whose great-grandfather emigrated on the trail west from Texas, attempted to outdo each other every year. One of them claimed bragging rights, but it was the rest of them who reaped the real reward. Best damn barbecue on the planet, bar none.

Everyone here contributed to the shindig in one way or another. The meat came from the ranch, some folks brought desserts or made sides, and others organized fireworks and activities for the kids. Share the work and share the wealth. They shared the fun, too. That was the Brookside way of doing things.

“I’m dang near starvin’,” Tanner grumbled, raising his head from Arien’s lap. “Is it chowtime yet?”

“You’re always starving.” Arien took his hat and put it on her head.

His face breaking into a grin, he waggled his brows. “You know what that means, don’t ya, little sister?”

“Cut the shit, Tanner.” Kellan flicked the hat off Arien’s head.

Her butter-blonde curls shaking, Grams hid a chuckle behind her hand. “I see folks lining up, honey.”

“About damn time. C’mon, Billy, let’s go get us some of that barbecue.” Tanner picked up his hat, and shooting his brother a look, put it back on his head. “Don’t get up now. We’ll bring plates back for y’all.”

By the time they got over there, the line was a mile long, figuratively speaking. It went all the way to Aunt Lilly’s dress shop, though.

“Billy-boy, where’s that head of yours at?” From behind, Tanner nudged him. “Line’s movin’.”

“Sorry, my mind went somewhere else, I guess.” After moving ahead, Billy turned around. “Hey, I was wonderin’…think you and Kel can help us raise some walls tomorrow?”

“Happy to.”

“Great, thanks.” Just as he’d predicted, he and Jake hadn’t been able to budge them at all. “I’m gonna ask Griffin, too.”

“Heh, good luck with that, my dude.” Tanner hitched his thumb out toward the green, where it appeared Archer was playing referee to the spitfire Lewis sisters. “Betcha between graduation and the wedding, Shiloh and Cassie got the poor guy runnin’ round in circles.”

“Serves him right.” Griffin knew what he was in for with those two. Oil and vinegar, they were. Still, he loved them a heck of a lot, and with their wedding less than a couple of weeks away, his wait was almost over. “Lucky bastard.”

“And you ain’t?”

“I am.” Billy blew out a breath and moved up in the line. “Just don’t feel like it much right now.”

“Hey.” Tanner turned him around. “Chrissakes, stop it, will ya? At least you know there’s gonna be a weddin’.”

On Wednesday, after I turn eighteen. The May 29th date was set in stone.

“Three hundred and sixty-seven days from today.”

Yeah, he was counting them.

“See? Lucky.” Then he leaned in close to his ear. “Folks keep askin’ when I’m gonna announce mine.”

“Go on and do it, then.”

They’d reached the front of the line.

“Hey there, Mrs. Coulter. Don’t you look extra pretty today?” And he laid one of his smiles on her. Tanner was such a charmer. That must be why all the ladies loved him. “Can you put ten plates together for me—a little of everything?”

“Go on with you now.” Harry’s wife held her hands to her cheeks, trying to hold back the blush. She failed. “Wait over there by the beer keg. I’ll bring it to ya.”

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