Page 24 of Something Tangled Something True
I want to help Lola more than anything, and if I can earn back some of her trust after marrying Lemmon had broken us, for what I’d thought was for good, it’s more than worth the bruised knees and hours of groveling I’m happy to do if it changes her mind.
It’s strange having her back. It’s only been a few days since her arrival, and it’s like she never really left.
I know this life may not have been what she’d been planning, but maybe she could learn to love it.To love me again.
She was my first love, the first andlastperson I’ve ever felt somethingrealand lasting with, and I’m determined to work for what I want.
For now, I have responsibilities to keep my racing mind occupied. I continue up the dry dirt path to the greenhouses, determined to make my last project of the day worthwhile.
The only thing that has ever rivaled my love for Lola has been reworking the world around me in an effort to better theway we do things. For our environment. For the children and grandchildren I someday hope to have.For this town that filled me with hope when I wasn’t sure there was any left to be had after Logan’s death, and then again after Lola left me and didn’t plan to return.
They rallied behind me, and I have every intention of doing the same for them. That’s why this experimenthasto work. This fertilizer has the components necessary to be versatile for all plants commonly grown on farms. It’s safe for cattle to feed on plants sprayed with it. It doesn’t harm the waterways in any capacity or disturb the local wildlife or insects. It also costs next to nothing to make, thanks to recycled materials, and would increase yearly production tenfold, making it so much easier to provide healthy, balanced meals to our schools.
I’m so close to the right formula, I canfeel it.
If only I were as certain about my standing with Lola as I am about this.
Chapter Fifteen
HITCHED OR DITCHED?
Sunday,April 27
I march down to Mayte’s cabin, hearing Isabela’s wailing cries from five yards away as I approach.
I let myself in, not bothering to knock when I know not much can be heard over those crocodile tears anyway.
Mayte stands in her small living room, a red-faced Isabela on her hip as she bounces her, soothing my little niece.
She looks up at me, and a guilty smile curves her lips. “Hey, Lols. About what I said to Ryder?—”
She doesn’t get to finish her sentence before I cut her off.“He proposed.”
Her eyes are the size of saucers, but she kicks her feet on the carpet, jostling Isabela as she does. “That infuriating freaking man. He didn’t even let me be there for it? I could’ve taken pictures!” she whines, her face reddening with outrage.
“I didn’t say yes,idiota!”
Her mouth forms ano, and she says, “You didn’t?” She sounds genuinely surprised, her voice quiet. Her pink cheeks return to a smooth, warm tan as she pouts, waiting for an explanation.
“No! I’m not marrying him for health insurance.”
“Well, why the hell not? You need health insurance, and he has it to offer. Jump on that train, Lols. Choo, choo!” she says, pumping her fist in the air, mimicking a train conductor.
“You cannot be serious right now, Mayte. Didn’t wejustagree I couldn’t marry someone for health insurance?”
“No, we agreed you couldn’t marry someonejustfor the health insurance. You love Ryder! You always have! Andheloves you,” she tries to reason with me in her own, completely ass-backward way.
“Who’s to say he really even loves me anymore? We broke up when I was twenty-one. Newsflash, but I’ll be thirty-two this year. As much as I like to joke that nothing ever happens around here, I’m not that dense.” I throw my hands up, collapsing into her worn-out, black leather loveseat. “Ryder is a thirty-four-year-old divorcé with an ex-wife who has hated my guts since we were kids. He probably just wants to marry me out of guilt. He practically said as much.”
Mayte scoffs at that. “Lemmon’s nothing but a two-faced high school bully with no dreams or aspirations of her own. The only reason she hated you so much was because Ryder always lovedyou. She was jealous of your carefree nature and that you had that man’s eyes locked on you every second of the day. Hestillloves you, and even if he is doing it out of guilt, who cares? You need health insurance, Lola, one way or another.”
I sincerely hate to admit when Mayte’s right, mostly because she’s a tremendous pain in my ass about it, but sheisright. About some things anyway.
“Fine. I’ll think about it,” I tell her.
“Eres más rollo que película,” she mutters under her breath.
I roll my eyes at her, standing and reaching my arms out for Isabela. “Hand over my niece.”
