Love at First Sight

by Kelly Elliott

  “I don’t…even know…what we are laughing at!” Aunt Waylnn said.

  Once I got myself under control, I let out a groan. “Oh God, Aunt Waylynn. I don’t know. Caught up in the moment, maybe? Trying to make our failing relationship work? Finally ready to leave things in the past?”

  “Things?”

  I buried my hands in my face. “I’m so confused. I am so damn confused.”

  “Chloe, you need to take a deep breath and ask yourself, is this guy worth giving up everything for? I’m going to be honest, sweetheart, you don’t seem like the enchanted, excited bride who cannot wait to plan her wedding and marry the love of her life.”

  My head snapped to look at her.

  Her brow rose. “I’m speaking from experience here, sweetheart. Maybe that is the question you need to be asking yourself. Is this guy, Easton, the love of your life?” She placed her hand on the side of my face. “Listen to your heart, Chloe.”

  When she stood, I rose from my seat. “Waylynn, what if my heart is just as confused as my head?”

  Her mouth rose slightly on one side. “Oh Chloe, sometimes you have to cut the strings to make room for what truly belongs in your heart.”

  I forced a small smile back. “Yeah. I guess.”

  After a quick squeeze of her hand on mine, she headed back into the house. I dropped the notebook onto the bench and headed to the barn. I needed a distraction and it was about time for me to see Patches anyway.

  On the way down, my phone rang, and I saw it was Easton.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, baby. What are you doing?”

  “Heading down to see Patches.”

  “Jesus, Chloe, when are you going to get over this weird obsession with that lamb?”

  “Goat,” I reminded him, realizing that he wasn’t kidding with me about whether he thought Patches was a goat or a lamb. He just couldn’t be bothered to remember the difference.

  “Whatever.”

  “Easton, Patches is my best friend. I love him.”

  “I thought Rip was your best friend. Come to think of it, shouldn’t your future husband be your best friend?”

  “Are you trying to pick a fight with me because it sure as shit feels like it!”

  “No. I’m frustrated. I miss you, Chloe. I hate that you’re so damn far away. Can you come here sooner? We haven’t had sex in so long, not even on the night we got engaged.”

  My mouth dropped open. That was what he missed? Sex? “I’m sorry, I can’t. I promised Alyssa we would go look at wedding dresses tomorrow. It’s only been a week, Easton.”

  “And a week is too long not to see you. Do you miss me, too?”

  “Of course, I do.”

  Liar.

  I stopped walking. Closing my eyes, I willed the doubts to go away.

  The moment I walked into the pasture, I saw Patches. He no longer moved like he used to. No more running and jumping to greet me. I dropped to my knees, giving him a hug when he made his way over to me.

  “Patches,” I whispered.

  “Chloe, I’m talking to you.”

  Tears stung my eyes. I would be leaving Patches again. What if I wasn’t here when he was ready to pass?

  “Easton, I told you I could come down on your mom’s birthday. That is in six days. Can you please stop making me feel guilty about wanting to be with my own family? I’m getting sick of it.”

  “Well, I’m sorry if I miss you, Chloe.”

  “Stop doing that. Stop with the guilt trip, East. From the moment you put this ring on my finger you have turned into someone I hardly know, and truth be told, I’m not missing that person. All I wanted to do was be here with my family. Spend some time with them. Love on Patches. Why is that so hard for you to understand?”

  “I’m sorry, baby. I am. It’s just hard. I didn’t think it would be this hard to be apart. I felt like you were growing distant in College Station. I thought if we got engaged it would change. Maybe we would at least start having sex again.”

  My mouth dropped open, and I fell back on my ass. Patches crawled onto my lap and curled up the best he could.

  “Wait a minute. Back the hell up. Is that why you asked me to marry you? You thought I was growing distant? You wanted sex?”

  “No! I mean, that was one reason. I want to be with you. I hate knowing you’re there with him.”

  “With him? Him who?”

  “Chloe, I’ve got to run. We’ll talk about this tonight.”

  I exhaled in frustration. He hadn’t even given me time to respond.

  When the call ended, I looked down at Patches. He was sleeping in my lap. I couldn’t help but smile as I ran my hand over him.

  “Oh Patches, I don’t know what to do.”

  As we walked around the bridal store in San Antonio, I listened to Alyssa talk about the style of dress she wanted for her wedding with Mike. Every now and then I would smile and nod, agree with something, and give the appropriate ohh and ahh when I thought it was what she wanted to hear.

  “Did you bring your wedding book?” Alyssa asked me as I looked at a gown.

  Laughing, I replied, “No.”

  “Chloe, why not? That was your dream wedding planner. You wrote everything down in that thing.”

  I looked at my mother who casually glanced at a dress she was not the least bit interested in. She’d clearly been listening to what we just said. “That was for a dream wedding. This is reality.”

  Alyssa took a step closer and lowered her voice. “We need to talk. Because any normal bride would be jumping out of her skin to try on dresses, and you act like this is a punishment. Your mom is starting to catch on, Chloe.”

  “Catch on?”

  “Yes. It may not be clear to you, but it’s clear to the rest of us. You have no desire to marry Easton. None. Zero. Zilch.”

  Her words rattled in my head for a few seconds before the sales lady walked over. “Okay, ladies, I have your dressing rooms set up with four gowns each. Let the wedding dress shopping begin!”

  As I stepped into the dressing room, I let my eyes wander over each dress. The sales lady had paid attention to the dresses I looked at. I closed my eyes and pointed my finger and then took a few turns. Whichever dress I ended up pointing at I would try on.

  Opening my eyes, I smiled. It was a beautiful Vera Wang gown in a soft white with a plunging V-neck bodice. I stripped out of my clothes and got the dress on. When it was time for help, I rang the small bell and the sales lady came in.

  “Oh, I was hoping you would try this one on first.”

  Outside the dressing room, I heard Alyssa’s mom, Mary, and my mother going crazy over Alyssa’s dress.

  Then I heard Alyssa say, “I look like a princess in this! It’s stunning.”

  I smiled at the excitement in my best friend’s voice. I didn’t have the same level of excitement, and that was only becoming clearer as I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

  The other sales lady said something about trying on the others before Alyssa jumped at the first dress. They all laughed. I placed my hand on my stomach and took in a few deep breaths.

  “It’s normal to feel nerves and not excitement.”

  I turned and faced her.

  Jesus, even the sales lady could read me like a book.

  But then a huge smile erupted on her face. “Okay, let’s go show everyone!”

  I stepped outside the dressing room and Alyssa, Mary, and my mother all gasped.

  Gathering the full skirt in my hands, I walked up the three steps and faced the wall of mirrors. I didn’t even recognize the woman I was looking at. She looked tired with dark circles under eyes that were filled with sadness. I let my gaze wander down the dress. It was beautiful, and probably exactly what Easton would want me to wear… and I hated it.

  “I’m going to marry you someday, Rip.”

  I was on our swing while Rip sat on the ground, an apple in his mouth. He took a bite and chewed it.

  “Okay, but we have
to get married here. At our tree.”

  “Chloe, sweetheart, you look so beautiful.”

  The moment my eyes caught my mother’s in the mirror, I lost it. Tears streamed down my face and I collapsed. The next thing I knew, four women were on the floor next to me as I cried uncontrollably into my hands.

  Rip

  “YOU’RE IN A bad mood.”

  “Why do you say that, Mike?” I asked as I laid back on the weight bench and put my hands on the bar.

  “You keep snapping at me.”

  With a blank look, I opened my mouth to say something, then shut it again.

  “What?” Mike asked.

  “Dude, you sound like a woman. I’m snapping at you?”

  “You are! I ask a simple question and you snap back.”

  I laughed. “Just spot me, will you?”

  Mike stood behind me as I lifted two-hundred-and-twenty pounds.

  “Alyssa and Chloe went wedding dress shopping today.”

  I grunted as I lifted the weights.

  “Struggling? You’re only on six reps, dude. Four more to go!”

  I shot him a dirty look.

  “Looking a little weak, Myers.”

  “Shut. Up.” I grunted as I lifted for the tenth and final time.

  Mike had to help me guide the weights back onto the bar. Jesus, I am a fucking wimp.

  I sat up and tried to will the nauseous stomach away. I was running out of fucking time.

  “Working out too hard?” he asked, a smug look on his face.

  “Fuck you, Mike.”

  “Yeah, you’re in a bad mood.”

  “Jesus Christ, will you stop already? I’m not in a bad mood. Maybe I just need to get laid.”

  He shrugged. “When was the last time you did? A while ago?

  Looking over my shoulder at him, I replied, “No.”

  Mike’s phone beeped in his pocket, and he pulled it out to read a text message. The goofy smile on his face told me it was from Alyssa.

  “Are you going to stare at your phone like a giggly school girl or work out, asshole?”

  Mike looked up at me. “She found her dress.”

  My cold heart melted some, and I gave him a smile. “That’s great, dude.”

  When he laid back, I almost asked him if Alyssa had mentioned if Chloe finding a dress. I decided my heart couldn’t take it, and I didn’t want to know.

  Lifting the bar, he started to pump out his ten reps. When he was finished, he sat up.

  “She also said Chloe picked out her maid of honor dress for the wedding. Alyssa seemed pretty excited about it.”

  “That’s awesome. I’m sure they’ll both look beautiful.”

  He wiped his face with the towel. “I’m more than sure they will.”

  “Listen, I’m sort of nauseous. I think I pushed myself too much. I’m going to head on out.”

  “Are you sure? You only have the one set to go, and we’re done.”

  “Yeah, I’ve got to get going. I’ve got an appointment I need to get to.”

  “For what?”

  We grabbed our water bottles and headed to the locker room.

  “It’s with a real estate agent.”

  “No shit. You gonna buy a place?”

  “I’m looking at buying the old Durham place.”

  Mike stopped walking and pulled me to a stop. “Are you serious? Rip, you’ve always wanted that place.”

  I grinned. “Yeah, found out it was going on the market. Old man Durham passed away a few months back and his daughter doesn’t want to be bothered with it. The house is still in pretty good shape. I looked through the windows. It’s old, so I’m sure there are some underlying problems, but nothing I can’t handle.”

  “Even with a newer place you will get that, though.”

  “Yeah, my folks are pretty excited for me.”

  We grabbed our gym bags and started to head out to our trucks.

  “How many acres of land?”

  There was no way I could stop the smile on my face if I wanted to. “Two hundred and ten.”

  “Damn, dude! That’s awesome. You gonna put some cattle on it?”

  “I don’t know. I’m going to talk to Mitchell and Trevor. I want to get some horses. I know that much.”

  Mike stopped at his truck and tossed his backpack into it.

  “Dude, I want to go and look at it with you.”

  “Come. I don’t care.”

  His phone rang and he answered it. “Hey babe.”

  While I waited for him to talk to Alyssa, I turned on my truck, texted him the address even though he knew were the old farm was located. Then I pulled up Chloe’s number. We hadn’t talked in almost a week, since she’d screamed asshole at me. She was obviously still pissed.

  Me: Hey. You busy? I wanted to take you somewhere. Mike is going, too.

  I knew Chloe would be over the moon if she knew I was thinking of buying the old farm. It wasn’t far from the Frio Cattle Ranch. There was only one other ranch that sat between Chloe’s family’s property and the small farm I wanted.

  Chloe: I’m sorry, but I can’t. Wish I could.

  I stared at her reply. Deep inside I felt like something was very wrong. Even when she was mad at me, she never responded so vaguely.

  Me: Are you okay, Chloe Cat? I don’t know what I did, but whatever it was, you know I would never hurt you purposefully.

  Chloe: I know you wouldn’t. It has nothing to do with you.

  Mike tapped on the window, scaring the shit out of me. I rolled the window down.

  “Shit, you scared me.”

  He laughed. “Alyssa can’t go. They’re back from dress shopping, but she’s with Chloe at her place. Sounds like they are doing girl stuff.”

  “Did she mention if anything was wrong with Chloe?”

  “No, why?” he asked, his brows pulled in.

  I massaged the tension in the back of my neck. “I don’t know. I’ve got a weird feeling something is wrong, and it’s not because she is pissed at me.”

  With a shrug, he took a few steps back. “She didn’t say. Want me to follow you?”

  “That works. I texted the address just in case, but it’s right down from the Frio Cattle Ranch.”

  He nodded. “I remember. I’ll see you there.”

  I stood in the living room of the one-hundred-and-five-year-old farm house. It had so much potential, I could practically see it coming to life in front of me.

  “Man, the bead board runs throughout the entire house!” Mike said as the real estate agent stood off to the side.

  “I know. Look at the wood floors. They used wide planks and crown molding throughout.”

  Mike laughed. “Dude, you sound like you’re looking at a woman and about to have sex.”

  “I feel that way!”

  We smiled and walked into the kitchen. “The cabinets need replacing.”

  “I can make you some.”

  “That’s exactly the answer I was hoping to hear.” We laughed. After all, that’s what best friends are for.

  Mike was a wiz when it came to woodworking. It was no surprise he was opening his own shop. Since I’d first met him in elementary school, he had always loved making things with wood.

  “Mr. Myers, what are your thoughts on the house?” the agent asked.

  “I’d like to put an offer in.”

  She smiled. “Perfect. Do you have a number in mind?”

  “Is anyone else interested in the property?” I asked.

  “There is one other party, but they are from out of town so they are probably looking at multiple places.”

  Drawing in a deep breath, I thought about how much I had in my savings. With what my grandfather left me, and the money I had managed to save, I was comfortable going in full price and even a little above if I had to.

  “I’d like to come in a little above asking.”

  The agent smiled and handed me a piece of paper. “Write your offer and sign it. I’ll call the other agent
now. Let’s feel them out and then we can head back to my office.”

  I wrote the number down and handed it back to her. She promptly went outside and made the call.

  “Wow. You’re really doing this?” Mike said.

  “Even above the listed price, this place is worth it. I’ve already run the numbers. I don’t plan on flipping it, but just knowing within a year I could have a good amount of equity makes me comfortable. And with Steed offering me a position, it only helps with the decision.”

  “What? He offered you a position?”

  I nodded. “Oh damn, I thought I mentioned it. Yeah, he wants me to come in and work part-time doing accounting. He’s hoping to step back a little. Eventually, he wants me to take over that side of the business when he retires. I mean, that won’t be for a good while, but I can’t pass it up.”

  “What did Jonathon say? I thought he wanted you working with him.”

  “As much as I love my brother, I like the business end of things. I enjoy working with my hands and all, but running his construction company was never in my long-term goals. They already have a great girl who is handling both Jonathon’s and Waylynn’s dance studio financial accounts. All they really needed me to do was update things and show Mary the ropes with the new software. She’s catching on fast. So if I worked part-time for Jonathon, part time for Steed, I could make this work.”

  He slapped my back. “Sounds like you’ve been thinking it over.”

  The screen door opened, and the agent walked in.

  “I received an immediate reply. They’ve accepted your offer, Mr. Myers. Turns out the owner seems to like your momma.”

  Laughing, I turned to Mike. “Looks like I have fully entered adulthood.”

  Mike reached his hand for mine, and we shook.

  “Congratulations, dude. I’m happy for you.”

  With a wide smile, I followed the agent out of the house. I was happy as hell, but a part of me felt like something was missing.

  “I’ll meet you back at my office, Mr. Myers, and we will sign the paperwork. You’ll need to put down the earnest money and start the paperwork for the loan.”