Page 18 of Forever in the Country

Fuck.

“Soon,” I relent, and her expression turns smug.

“That’s my boy,” she says and then cackles as her phone dings with an incoming message, reaffirming that I definitely don’t want to know what she’s up to.

* * *

“What do you think?”my best friend asks as he claps his hand on my shoulder. I’m not one to get choked up, but seeing everything come together this week has been nothing short of incredible.

“It looks great,” I say as I stare at the sign Waylon installed over the entrance. It’s massive. A mix of materials that embody the feeling we’d been trying to capture—hope, love of country, and second chances.

A distressed American flag is painted on wood planks that Waylon recovered from a barn in town. The name, Vetted Paws, is centered in front of it, the cut steel masculine and yet still refined.

Tanner clears his throat next to me, and I don’t dare glance at him because I know he looks how I feel and I won’t be able to keep it together. What I said to Miss Thelma was true; this place means something to Tanner and me, and I want that to be the focus—not some salacious spin on our personal lives.

The concept may have been mine but Tanner’s worked just as hard to make this place be everything we need it to be both personally and professionally.

“I’m proud of you,” Waylon says so only I can hear. I nod because now I can’t look at him either. Despite the way our relationship has changed since he started dating and then married my sister, he’ll always be my best friend.

He saw me and he never let me hide. Even when we were fourteen and he was this fresh-faced kid with shaggy blond hair and a smile plastered on his face. I yearned for even an ounce of his carefree attitude back then and relished the days I’d let it happen.

Engines rumble in the distance, and I know our moment of peace is almost over. It’s the right thing to do and Iwantto share this with them, but I still appreciate the quiet that’s so rare when we’re all together.

Tires on gravel and doors slamming is the only warning I have before a feminine hand slips into mine.

“Oh Sorren,” Marlee says reverently, her moss-green eyes looking up to meet mine. Our resemblance is obvious, but her light features are such a contrast to the dark of mine. “This is amazing.”

“It’s hard to believe we’re getting so close.”

Blood, sweat, and tears went into making this dream a reality. I’d recruited the Thayers, and even Briggs had helped out around the place. He’d used the money he made to be the first customer at the grand opening of Hannah’s bookstore, Wandering Pages.

It had been cute as shit. He’d asked Fallon to bring him so he could ask me to hire him—he didn’t want Tanner or Otto to influence my decision. He may be young but man, the kid is going places.

Seeing him pushing a broom around the floor had me thinking back to being barely fifteen working at Darling Farms. We’d done anything and everything they needed out in the orchard. Waylon and I had taken girls out for milkshakes with that first paycheck.

He’d made me promise we’d spend it—said he’d let me save all the ones after but that first one we were going to have fun.

And we did.

I didn’t save a penny, but I also made sure to take Marlee out for an ice cream sundae too. It was the first time I’d ever bought her something simply because I wanted to and not because I had to. Flora had taken a picture of us in the booth, my arm wrapped around her and our smiles wide and carefree.

That picture traveled with me overseas and back home again. I’d been lucky enough to save it from where I stowed it in the pocket of my plate carrier. When the offices are done here, I’ll frame it so I can see every day how far we’ve come.

How far I’ve come.

We stare at the building a while longer before my eyes lock with my favorite pair of blue ones. Rhea stands off to the side, her arms crossed over her chest and a soft smile on her lips.

It’s been days since I’ve seen her, and it’s starting to wear on me. I crave the quiet she brings and after today, I’m going to need it.

Looking around the lot, I take a breath and squeeze my sister’s hand once more before letting go. I have to make the rounds and then hopefully I’ll be able to soak in a little sunshine.

9

SORREN

After texting Rhea, I head over to her place. The drive isn’t far, but I’m antsy after today. Pulling into her driveway, I put my car in park and climb out. Her house is the perfect blend of things to make it feel welcoming—like home.

I knock and when there’s no answer, I let myself in. I’ve been here hundreds of times, so I don’t think twice about letting myself in. She’d even given me a key for when she was at the shop and I needed a place to unwind.

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