Page 36 of Take Me Home

Our screams echoed around the holler, setting the dogs to barking and Selena to give an agitated whinny. It had been far too long since I’d seen Brianna, maybe even since my engagement party with Rob the previous winter. Woof. I pushed the thought from my mind as I threw my arms around my best friend’s neck.

“Sorry I stink!” I cried as I smothered her.

“Oh, I missed your musk! I’ll stink soon enough anyway,” Brianna said, burying her nose in my neck and taking an exaggerated inhale. We drifted apart and I pulled her by the hand to where everyone was finishing up work.

“Come meet everybody!”

Becca walked out of the cooler. “Is this the famous Brianna?”

“You must be Becca!” Brianna crooned.

“Damn straight you’ve heard about me,” Becca said, a satisfied look on her face.

“This is Caleb,” I said, flourishing my hand to him.

“Hey! I’m Brianna,” she said, extending a hand to shake. Caleb swallowed hard as he waved. I’d forgotten how men responded to Bri. She had that certain je ne sais quoi that could bring almost any man to his knees. I hoped that didn’t extend to Jake.

“And this is Jake,” I said, keeping my tone even. He leaned against the barn door with his arms crossed, showing just how muscular his arms were. He gave Brianna a nod and a wave.

“Thanks for taking care of my girl yesterday,” Brianna said, patting me on the back. I shot her a murderous look. Jake laughed in a light-hearted, good-natured way.

“She was an easy patient,” he said, giving me a look up and down. Heat rushed to my cheeks. If he’d looked at me like that before, I’d never noticed. That was A Look.

“Are we about done?” Caleb asked, interrupting the daydream I was headed off to. “I have a little get-together tonight and I wanna go put my going-out clothes on.”

“Oh, yeah. Of course. But did we leave out the softer peaches? I think Brianna and I are going to bake some stuff for the market tomorrow.” Caleb fetched a basket out of the cooler and walked it over. I sent him on, calling “make good choices!” in his wake.

Becca was already venting the heat out of her car and catching up on her smokes.

“Alright, girls, I’ll see ya Tuesday. Have a good Fourth,” she said with a tired smile. “Nice meeting you, Bri. Don’t have too much fun without me, Dee. You too, Jake.”

“Honored to be one of the girls,” Jake joked, waving Becca goodbye. “Do you two need any help tonight?”

Oh, geez. Guess it was time for Jake to get to know Brianna. This could be interesting.

“Yeah, if you want, that’d be great. Don’t feel like you have to,” I said.

“Oops,” Brianna said, grimacing. “I only brought enough Taco Bell for two.”

My pupils must have dilated at the mention of our beloved, holy Taco Bell. “Oh my God, did you get me a Baja Blast Freeze?” I shrieked.

Jake laughed at my excitement. “I’ll let you two have dinner and catch up. I’ve got something to do for my thesis. You think you’ll be baking by 7?”

“Yeah, for sure. Just come up when you’re ready,” I said, trying to sound casual.

“Alright, then. See you in a bit,” he said, turning to walk to his trailer. Brianna and I lingered to watch him walk for a few seconds longer. The way he walked was so languid, like he didn’t have a care in the world. His tight thighs and the way his muscled ass shifted made it a show worth seeing. Bri and I got in her car to move it to the house.

“Darcy!” Brianna screeched as soon as all doors were closed.

“Jesus! What?”

“You didn’t tell me he looked likethat. Christ, how have you not jumped his bones yet? I mean I know why, buthow?”

I sighed. “You gotta help me figure it out.”

“Oh, we’re gonna figure it out alright. I’m not letting you go through this summer without at least sampling those wares. From what I can see so far, the feeling is mutual.” Brianna fanned herself with the neck of her shirt.

“Is it? Or is he just a flirty person?”

---