Page 51 of Lead Me Knot

The quick emoji wearing a cowboy hat in response leaves me smiling as I slide the door to the apartment open, with sneakers on my feet and my head bereft of a cowboy hat.

Used to be that this town would eat you alive if you showed up to the peach festival without the standard gear, and I forgot to grab them yesterday when I was out there. So I text my sister:Do you mind bringing my boots and a hat out to the festival for me later?I stare at the phone for a minute, but when she doesn’t reply, I shove it in my back pocket and grab my wallet to get going.

I step out of the apartment to find the parking lot full of vehicles. Not sure what’s going on, I decide to walk instead of drive to the front of Peaches Sundries. I’m met with hordes of people lining the sidewalks on both sides of the street, a sea of peach in both directions. “The parade,” I grumble to myself.

I’d forgotten about it, though I rode the floats every year in high school. Before that, the kids would chase them and collect the candy they threw. My memories of this event have always been good, but I’m quick to turn on it when it’s keeping me from my Shortcake.

I say hi to a few folks I recognize or vice versa while walking to the store. The bell chimes like it always does when I enter, but Lauralee does not greet me. I don’t even recognize this kid. “Welcome to Peaches,” she says. “Can I get you a peach cupcake or a breakfast sandwich?”

Tempting.

Since I won’t be of any use on an empty stomach, I order the sandwich to go and make myself a coffee from the machines by the cola. When I return to the counter, she has it wrapped up, and says, “That will be seven fifty-three with the coffee.”

I tap my card and try to act casual with the inquiry. “I’m a friend of Lauralee’s.”

“Oh,” she says, her expression brightening. “Well, you came at the right time. She should be coming by here any minute. You should catch her out front.”

Nodding, I take the sandwich and coffee, and say, “Thanks,” before heading back outside. I eat, occasionally looking both ways to see if I can spy her coming down the sidewalk, with no luck. It takes most of the sandwich and me finishing my coffee before it occurs to me.

My Shortcake is a beauty queen, a former Miss Peach Festival, to be exact. I’d almost forgotten since I wasn’t around back then. But I’ve seen the photo and remember my mom updating me about what was going on with everyone, including my sister’s friend. I shouldn’t be surprised she’s going to be on a float. She’s earned the spot. But she didn’t tell me. Wonder why that is?

“Hey, Bay.” I turn to see my sister hurrying down the sidewalk, kids in tow. Beck’s eyes light up as he races toward me, and I ruffle his hair a bit as he laughs and steps away.

“I didn’t know you were coming to the parade,” I say, kneeling when Daisy runs in my direction too. It’s then I notice the boots in my sister’s hand. My boots. Turning my attention back to the little spitfire, I toss her up into the air. “How are you, Daisy girl?”

“Bay Bay.” She takes the hat off her own head to put it on mine, pushing down until she covers my eyes. She finds it hysterical. I find her cute as all get-out.

I lift it to smile at her. Those big blue eyes shine, reminding me of my mom’s. Daisy favors my sister in appearance over Tagger, but Christine looks so much like my mom that it’s hard not to feel a little tightening in the chest when looking at her. My mom would have been an incredible grandmother to these kids. “Is that funny?”

She nods but quickly gets distracted when the band rounds the corner onto Main Street. Beckett stands at my side like always, but my sister says, “I brought you a shirt as well. Figured you could get by in your city jeans, but you need a proper western shirt to go with that hat and boots.” She hands me the shirt that had been draped over her arm.

When I examine it, nothing is familiar about it, though I like it. “This isn’t from my closet.”

“I took it from Tagger’s. You guys look about the same size.” Glancing back, she says, “If you’re quick, you can be back here before the final float turns the corner.” I can’t tell if she knows something more than she’s saying, mainly that Lauralee and I are . . . what are we? Sleeping together, in a relationship, or? I’m not sure, but when I look at her face, I think my sister is warning me, so I don’t miss this.

“Thanks. I’ll go change.”

I go back to the apartment and change into my pearl-button short-sleeved western shirt and boots. Topping my head with my summer cowboy hat, I’m back before I’m even missed. “You should get some candy, Beck.”

He looks at my sister, who is quick to say, “Go on. Have some fun. We’ll be right here.”

When he takes off running, another kid launches from a nearby lawn chair, calling his name. They slap their hands together in a high five, then scramble for candy on the sides of the vehicles together.

I say, “What do you think about him coming out to visit me this summer?”

She looks a little surprised, but then she smiles. “He’d love more time with you, and I know he sometimes misses New York. He talks about the pizza.” She shakes her head in laughter. “Hereallymisses the pizza.”

Daisy has wrangled both of us to hold her hand, but I know she can’t see a damn thing down there. I lift her onto my shoulders so she can view the parade fully.

Christine says, “I’ll talk to Tagger, but I think it would be good for him. His mom has been coming to Austin or San Antonio when she flies in from Paris. So he’s not been in the past few years.”

“Just a few days,” I say, “but I think it would be fun to have that one-on-one time with him.”

She points in the distance. “Look, Daisy, it’s Leelee.”

My attention is caught the moment I see her on that giant pink-and-white float. Her hair is down around her shoulders under a sparkling tiara. Wearing an emerald-green fitted gown that almost outsparkles the tiara, she’s fucking stunning.

Daisy claps her hands together and squeals, “Princess Leelee.”

---