Country Pride (Belle Ridge Book 1)

by Charlene Bright

  She sat down, relieved. “Well, let’s go ahead and start looking through those photos you were talking about. We can set it up at the dining room table. My laptop is already there.”

  He nodded. “Okay, I’ll grab the box from my bedroom and then the scanner from Nikki’s.”

  “And I’ll get a couple of wine glasses from the kitchen. We can finish off that wine that Chance so thoughtfully brought last night.”

  He walked toward her and took her in his arms. “Okay, let’s knock this out and then spend the rest of the night finishing what we started earlier. It’ll give us a good incentive to finish this project.” He kissed her lips as she smiled.

  ***

  Kinsley’s heart warmed each time she saw Jared’s eyes while looking at photos of Nikki. There was such love there and she felt it surround her, especially when he looked up at her and she saw the warmth he had for her as well.

  He laid a photo of a newborn baby on the table. “We should start with this one. It’s the one the hospital took right after she was born. It amazes me every time I look at this, her very first photo, and see her eyes open as if she was just taking in the new world. Of course, babies don’t see that well, but look how bright her eyes are, like she just knows she’s special.”

  Kinsley reached for the image and could barely contain how big her heart felt in her chest right then. Maybe they had gone fast, or maybe this was just right. Either way, she was sure she was falling in love with this man. And even though she had already planned that the relationship would continue after she left on Monday, something clicked and she pictured their relationship with real images instead of just an unshaped awareness that she wanted things to go further. She could now see herself at home with him, their home.

  Her heart pounded at the realization and she pulled herself out of the vision to examine the photo. He was right, baby Nikki looked aware, as if acknowledging the camera and the photographer and giving them permission to welcome her.

  “Of course,” he interrupted her silence as he took the photo back into his hands, “she was a typical baby too. I swear she cried twenty out of twenty-four hours each day for a solid month. So, this guy caught her at just the right moment before she realized she knew how to scream. It was so hard on us—” He looked up at her, suddenly realizing that he was about to reference his late wife. Kinsley just smiled and put her hand on his.

  “Julia,” he continued, “was so afraid something was wrong with her or that she was doing something wrong. I had to try to comfort two crying girls a lot during that time. It all seemed so hard and awful at the same time, but of course, now I look back and wish I still had those moments when she was so tiny and fragile, and the ability to protect her was almost one hundred percent in my power. Now … well, now she—I don’t feel like I can protect her from anything.”

  “Now,” said Kinsley, “you get to see how all that you’ve taught her and all the ways you prepared her for the world will be able to protect her when you’re not there. She can take care of herself thanks to you.”

  He set down the photo and looked into her eyes for a long moment, then took her cheek with one hand and brought her to his mouth. “You are one of a kind, Kinsley Griffin.” He kissed her gently and then turned back to the thirty photos they had picked out and laid out on the table. It was all she could do to keep the tears at bay.

  She looked back down at the images. “I think this is a good number for a slideshow,” she said. “Enough to make sure everyone is crying and not so many that people feeling like hostages in your trip down memory lane.”

  He chuckled. “Okay, then let’s get them all scanned. And the sooner we can get that part done, the sooner we’ll be able to get naked.”

  She laughed and said, “You got it. You’ve never seen the mad scanning skills that I’ll have just so we can get to that next part.”

  It took an hour, but all the photos were now safely on her hard drive and ready to be inserted into PowerPoint the next day. As soon as the last image was dragged into the folder, Jared was reaching for Kinsley’s shirt to pull it over her head.

  Later in his bed, they were catching their breath, his arm around her shoulders and her head in the crook of his neck. When they could speak again, he said, “I’m gonna have to start working out if I want to be able to keep up with you.”

  She chuckled into his chest and ran her fingers through his chest hair. “Oh, you’ve given me a run for my money, believe me.”

  “Do you want me to turn on the TV? We can watch a late show if you don’t want to fall asleep right away.”

  She had been wondering how they might broach the subject of their sleeping arrangements and whether those arrangements would change. No one had actually said that she would be sleeping in his room now and she didn’t want to assume.

  “That sounds good. Let me first go into my room and take out my contacts, wash my face, and grab some pajamas.”

  “Two things,” he said, holding up two fingers. “Number one, no pajamas. Number two, why don’t we just grab your things from that other room and put them in here?”

  She grew quiet next to him and then asked cautiously, “Are you sure? You don’t think we’re going too fast?”

  He shrugged. “I’m not concerned about how fast or slow we’re going. And frankly, it’s more convenient. Plus, do you really think it wouldn’t be awkward now if you slept in the other room?”

  She nodded and sat up, kissing him as she rose. “Can’t really argue with that.”

  He sat up too. “If you’re okay with it, I’ll come help. As my Granny used to say, ‘Many hands make light work.’”

  Since they were alone for the evening, they didn’t bother throwing on clothes. Kinsley was amazed at how comfortable she felt walking around as bare as the day she was born. She was not an overly modest person, but she didn’t usually spend a lot of time in the nude. But now it seemed right and exciting, giving her thoughts that might keep them from turning on the TV for a while.

  She hadn’t really been in the guest room much during the past couple of days. The bed was still made and her bag was at the foot of her bed where she had left it. She went into the bathroom and grabbed her toiletries, while he picked up the bag and looked around the room for items that belonged to her.

  “Hey, was this the flyer from your book signing last week?” He walked into the bathroom holding a piece of paper.

  Confused, she took the paper and looked closely at it. “Yeah, but I didn’t think I had a copy of this. I have a digital version from when I approved it, but I didn’t have much of a need for a hard copy. I must have picked it up with something else at the bookstore. Where was this?”

  “On the bed.”

  She grew still and quiet, contemplating. “You’d think I would remember having this then if I laid it on the bed.” She saw worry start to creep in his eyes and said quickly, “But if it was stuck in one of my books or in a pile of some of my papers, it could have easily dropped out while I was getting what I needed to work on the outline at the dining room table.” She folded the paper and dropped it in the waste can. “Anyway, no need for it.” Noticing his still worried expression, she grabbed up the toiletries and pushed him toward the door, following him and dropping the items in her bag.

  When they were back in his bed, she found a way to keep his mind completely off the flyer for the rest of the night.

  17

  Nikki was home by lunchtime, followed by an entourage of friends, including Chance, all carrying boxes filled with supplies and decorations. A couple of Jared’s friends from town and Julia’s brother were there as well. After Kinsley was introduced to those who had not met her, everyone headed to the barn. Chance helped Jared move a cooler of ice and sodas for everyone to grab while working.

  Tammi and Beth pulled a pickup truck into the driveway just as everyone was setting their boxes on benches and tables Jared had borrowed from his buddies who managed the Belle Ridge Community Center. The two latecomers c
arried in five pizza boxes and set them on the table next to the cooler. One of the group Jared recognized as Nolen kissed Tammi and went to the truck bed to grab another box full of plates, napkins, and wet wipes while two other members of the crew carried in a microphone and stand and two speakers.

  After setting out the food and supplies and letting everyone know what toppings were in which pizza box, Tammi took out her notebook and shared her list of what was needed and where everything went. “Go ahead and eat some pizza and then I want Jason and Chuck to start hanging the lights. Nolen, set the ladder over there by the door and these three boxes with hanging lights next to it.” She turned to Jared, “Mr. Adamson, would you mind taking that box of extension cords and power strips and putting them where they’re needed for the lights and stage, etc.?”

  She continued with the list until everyone had a job and knew exactly what to do. Then she and Nikki started putting yellow, orange, and red tablecloths on all the tables, leaving them folded.

  Though everyone was busy, Jared noticed that somehow they all found time to quiz him about his relationship with Kinsley and ask her all about her life. He was surprised they were able to accomplish everything and learn her life story at the same time by dinner. The barn was transformed with a stage and lights. The hay bales had been arranged, a dance floor cleared, and benches and tables set up inside and outside near the bonfire. The plan was to get the main stuff set up so that they could decorate the next day and be out of the way when the band and caterers arrived to set up. Tammi’s idea was that by getting these things in place the day before, the stress was spread out and not piled onto everyone the day of. Nikki said that if Tammi didn’t go into event planning, she would be wasting her superpower and depriving the world.

  After Nikki thanked everyone for their help more than once, she and Kinsley went inside, talking excitedly. Everyone had left except for Julia’s brother, Bailey. He and Jared each took a soda from the cooler and sat in rocking chairs on the porch.

  Bailey broke the silence. “She’s a real nice woman, Jared. I haven’t seen you this happy in—I can’t remember how long.”

  Uncomfortable, Jared looked into the distance. The sun was low, though it would be a couple of hours until nightfall. He remembered how Julia’s death had nearly destroyed her younger brother. Though no less painful for them, Jared and Nikki had had each other to take care of. Bailey, however, let it darken him. He isolated himself for over a year, finding his own comfort in the bottle … until it no longer worked. The entire family thought they would lose him too, but a soul-searching journey out west had helped him come to terms with his grief and face it without drowning in it.

  Jared knew his brother-in-law had idolized his older sister. There was only eighteen months between them and they looked so much alike they were often mistaken for twins. It had taken a long time before Jared could look into Bailey’s face and not feel overwhelmed with sadness at seeing Julia there. He had focused on the things that were not similar. Besides the obvious differences created by gender, Bailey had his father’s longer nose that bore a slight resemblance to a beak when looking at his profile. His eyes were bluer than Julia’s near-violet ones. And the scar on his cheek reminded Jared of the hardness about Bailey that was so different from his wife’s softness.

  Finally, he spoke. “She really is and I don’t think I’ve been this happy, since …” He returned his gaze to the younger man, who nodded in response.

  “It seems like it could be serious,” Bailey said, taking a draw from his soda can and burping.

  Jared watched him for a beat and then said, “It is. I think I might be falling in love with her.”

  Bailey’s eyebrows flew up. “That serious, huh?”

  “Yeah, I don’t know why I just told you that. I didn’t even realize it truly until just now.” He paused. “That’s really not true. It’s been eating at me for a few days now. And I’m sorry for dropping this on you. You know it doesn’t change how I felt—”

  Bailey held his hand up. “Of course it doesn’t. You don’t have to worry about my feelings. I love you like a brother, Jared. You were good to Julia and she loved you with all her heart, and I know you did too. But she’s gone. You can’t stay married to a ghost.”

  “I just—Kinsley, she’s not Julia.”

  Bailey snorted. “Certainly not.”

  Jared thought he heard something and looked back at the door, then stood up and leaned over the railing, appraising the farm around him. Bailey stood up as well and put his hand on Jared’s shoulder. “No one will ever be Julia. You don’t need another Julia. You need a Kinsley now.”

  Jared chuckled. “You have no idea.”

  ***

  Kinsley, she’s not Julia.

  Certainly not.

  Kinsley was just about to the join the men on the porch when she heard her name. Startled, she stepped back away from the door, surprised at how quickly her eyes were stinging. She turned quietly and walked back to the kitchen. She had encouraged Nikki to kick off her birthday weekend with a relaxing bath while she took care of dinner. After a hot day working out in the barn and eating greasy pizza, Kinsley had thought cold cucumber soup would be refreshing and Nikki’s face had lit up.

  Now Kinsley stood alone in the kitchen, her heart thumping in her chest. She started thinking about how they had moved her things to his room the night before. It had been his suggestion, but maybe he was reconsidering it now, especially after spending much of the day with his late wife’s brother. They had barely known each other for a week. Maybe they had both been fools, so hungry for companionship that they’d latched on to the first thing available. She wiped the back of her finger under her eye, catching a drop just spilling over her lid.

  She sniffed and swallowed hard and willed her mind to move quickly to something else, deciding that she cared enough for Jared to back away if that’s what he needed, while reminding herself that she could not make broad judgements based on six words. Still, the vulnerable child that existed inside her, even though she was nearly forty years old, spoke the loudest.

  She turned suddenly as he came through the kitchen door. He walked by her and sat in the chair across from her, sighing and putting his arms behind his head. “Long day.”

  She nodded and stood to get him a bowl of soup. He grabbed her hand. “Hey, is something wrong?”

  She shook her head quickly. “No, no, of course not. Just tired, and—and I have a headache.” It wasn’t a lie.

  His face turned to concern. “Oh no. Do you need to take something? Need me to massage your neck?”

  She shook her head again. “No, I think I need to lie down. I made cucumber soup for dinner. Nikki’s taking a bath and will be out to eat in a few minutes.”

  He stood up, still holding her hand. “Okay, are you sure that’s all? You seem—it looks like something’s bothering you.”

  She put her hand to the side of her head. “Nope, just this pain here. Some rest should fix it right up.” She pulled her hand out of his and left the kitchen, heading up the stairs. She started to head to his bedroom but stopped and looked over at the door to the guest room, the room that had been hers until last night. Wiping away another tear and trying desperately to regain a mature, objective outlook—and failing, miserably—she turned to that room instead and lay on the bed, staring in the dark room, the setting sun illuminating the soft red curtains, until she fell asleep.

  18

  A soft knock on the door woke Kinsley the next morning. She looked over at the clock. She couldn’t believe she had slept almost twelve hours.

  Another knock, followed by a soft, “Kinsley, you up?”

  She sat up and looked toward the door, the memory of her fear the night before sweeping over her. Before the tears could threaten again, she called out, “Coming.” She opened the door, nearly walking right into a very worried-looking Jared.

  “Oh, sorry,” she said quickly, taking a step back, her hand still on the doorknob.

 
He reached out as if to take her arm but then pulled it back, searching her face. “How’s your head?”

  She ran her fingers through her hair. “Better. Coffee would help.”

  They didn’t move for a moment before he sighed and backed up, allowing her to pass. “Coffee’s ready.”

  She stopped by the bathroom to wash her face and relieve her bladder. Apparently, she hadn’t woken up at all during the night.

  Nikki was in the kitchen, looking through a magazine. She looked up and greeted Kinsley with a smile. “Hey, you. Heard you were feeling bad last night. You must have worked too hard out there. Maybe you should take it easy today.”

  “Nonsense. I’ve been looking forward to this all week and can’t wait to get the party set up. I may enjoy getting it ready even more than the party itself.”

  The younger woman smirked and looked back at her magazine. “I doubt that. Or, if you do, then I suck at throwing parties.”

  Jared came into the kitchen as Kinsley poured herself a cup of coffee. He opened the refrigerator and took out the creamer, handing it to Kinsley as she turned back to the table. Their fingers touched as she grabbed the carton, and she looked up into his anxious eyes. “Thank you,” she said and quickly sat down at the table next to his daughter.

  He remained still for a moment, then refilled his own mug and took the seat on the other side of the small table, absent-mindedly watching his coffee swim around his cup.

  “So, Nikki,” Kinsley said, drawing the young woman’s eyes from the magazine. “What are you most looking forward to about being twenty-one?”

  “All the keggers.” The two women laughed while Jared almost snarled. “Oh, come on,” Nikki told her father. “I’m just kidding. What’s gotten into you this morning?” Then she looked back at Kinsley before turning to him again, her brows furrowing. “Everything okay?”