Page 28 of Courageous Hearts

“Let’s see. Monica Duncan started a petition to hold a fall festival in town this year. She wants to call it the ‘Plum Valley Pum’kin Parade,’ which is kinda a mouthful, but whatever. Jimmy Cook repainted the front of the feed store, and some folks have been complainin’ ’bout the new color. And the other day, Coop caught Doc and Nash goin’ at it in Doc’s barn.”

“No,” I gasp out, a bark of laughter leaving my mouth.

Will nods, grinning. “They don’t know. He hightailed it outta there.”

I shake my head, even though I’m glad Sara’s neighbor, Nash Dupree, worked things out with the town veterinarian. The two of them ran around in secret for quite some time before making things official.

“D’you ever miss it?” Will asks, perhaps seeing the nostalgia pass over my face.

“I miss some of the folk,” I admit easily. “Includin’ you. Sara. Coop. But I don’t regret leavin’.”

“Never thought you did,” he says kindly.

“I am due to visit, though. I’m goin’ to talk to my boss about takin’ a week or so off.”

“Yeah?” Will says with a smile. “That’d be great. Coop will be thrilled.”

Will looks up for a moment, and his eyes widen right before Cooper himself throws his weight against the man. They fall backwards in laughter, and I’m left with a visual of the Plum Valley skyline before their other boyfriend Tru pops into sight. He gives me a grin and a wave, his curly hair falling over his forehead as he leans down to pick up the phone.

“Hi, Bo!” he chirps.

I hear “Bo?” offscreen, and a moment later, Cooper is back in sight, tucking himself against Tru as he looks at the phone. “Bo!” he repeats.

I laugh, and within seconds, all three men are in the frame, smiling faces all around.

“Happy birthday,” Tru says. “Doing anything fun tonight?”

“I went out last night, actually,” I reply, lips quirking. “Rode a bull.”

Cooper squints. “Is that, like, a euphemism?”

Will groans, and I drop my face into my palm, laughing against my hand.

“I don’t think so,” Tru answers seriously. “Unless Bo is in a relationship now and didn’t tell us, in which case maybe they did bring in a better-endowed third. Bo?”

I shake my head in bemusement, rubbing my cheek as Cooper asks, “How the heck do you know so much about this stuff, Tru?”

“Research,” Tru answers simply.

“It was a mechanical bull,” I cut in before the conversation can get any more out of hand. “At a club in Chicago.”

“Oh, fun,” Tru says excitedly. “And it looks like you survived.”

“It was a really slow bull,” I reply. Crickets. “Like with a host that grinds on you…on top of the bull.”

“That’s a thing?” Cooper asks.

“Apparently,” I say around a laugh.

Cooper slow pans to Will.

“We’re not gettin’ a mechanical bull, Coop!”

The three of them dissolve into playful argument, and I sit back, a grin on my face as I watch some of my favorite people so happy and full of life.

When a seagull caws overhead, I shift my gaze, watching as it swoops down low before landing on the concrete of the pier. The white-and-gray bird hops over to half a discarded hotdog bun and starts to pick at the remnants, and I notice more gulls not far off, all taking advantage of the idle wastefulness of humans. Looking over my shoulder, Lake Michigan glitters blue in the sun, butted up against the city. There are a few boats idling near shore and river tours setting off, but somehow, taking it all in, I don’t think this is what Jameson was talking about when he said he loved the beach.

I imagine he likes hot sand underfoot and dipping his toes in the cool water. Going for a swim and watching as the sun sets, painting the sky in shades of purple and orange. I could see him atop a sailboat, wind whipping through his hair, dimple out as he grins against the breeze.

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