Blondie (Midland Springs Book 2)

by Joanne Ganci

  He squeezes my hand back, and I pull back a moment later. “Okay. You know I’ll back you in anything you do. You’re my sister, and I will always do everything in my power to look out for you and protect you. Just be careful. Also, I refuse to promise that I won’t, uh...talk to him. You know, let him know that if he hurts you again, I’ll fucking destroy his country ass.”

  I laugh at that. I’m definitely glad that serious moment is over. “No one is stopping you. You might want to wait until after I make a decision on whether I’m actually going to see him or not, though.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “Am I dismissed now, Mr. Teacher Man?”

  “Yes, Miss Lancaster. Feelings talk is over. You may go,” he says, smirking at me.

  “Good, because I’m tired as fuck. Night y’all.” A chorus of goodnights comes my way, and I walk out their door with a huge smile on my face. Brothers. I suppose they’re good for something.

  Lydia

  18

  I started hanging out with Parker for a few hours almost every Sunday. He spends way too much time alone in his shop, so I took it upon myself to keep him company. Mostly I just hand him tools and annoy the shit out of him. Fun times. Sometimes his best friend Riley joins me in bugging him, but she just got a huge shipment in at her boutique shop she had to deal with.

  “Dammit. Pass me the ratchet with the extension rod,” he says, not bothering to look up from under the hood.

  Digging around in the tool box I find it almost immediately. Before I hand it to him I decide to grab a really big screwdriver as well. Making sure I contain the laughter that wants to slip out, I hold out the screw driver, “Here.”

  He grabs it from me, and without paying attention goes to use it. “Lydia. We have been over what these tools are so many times. If you’re going to help me, you need to at least fucking try to remember what they are.”

  “Calm your tits, Park. I’m fucking with you. Here.” I hand him the ratchet, laughing my ass off.

  “Why do I let you come here?” He shakes his head and goes back to working, but I catch the smile he’s trying to hide.

  “Because you love me?”

  “Nope. That’s not it.”

  “Because I bring you donuts?”

  “Ding ding ding. We have a winner!”

  I shove his shoulder and go back over to my chair. “Face it. Donuts or no, you’d be lost without me here. I bet you wake up every Sunday with so much joy knowing that today is the day that your super amazing big sister is going to come hang out with you. In fact, I bet you look forward to it all week.”

  “I know you’re not stupid, but I’m starting to think you might be delusional,” he deadpans.

  “You know I’m right.”

  “Yeah, because Lydia is always right,” he says with so much sarcasm, you’d think it was his life’s mission.

  “See, now you’re getting it. Only took you twenty some odd years.”

  I pick up my book, but he interrupts me before I even find the page I was on. “Wait. Do you really not know how old I am?”

  “No. But you couldn’t always understand words, Parker. How were you supposed to know that I’m right if you didn’t know what I was saying?” I roll my eyes, and open my book.

  ∞∞∞

  “Hey, Lyd, I’m done here. I’m going to head upstairs and grab some lunch. You comin’?”

  “Depends. Whatcha makin’?” I put my book down on the only clean table he keeps in the garage, at my insistence.

  “We both know I’m going to heat up leftovers or make sandwiches. So, take your pick.”

  “You need to get yourself a woman...or man, and soon, Parker. You can’t cook for shit, and even if you won’t admit it, I know you get lonely here.” He’s been living in the apartment above Jenkins Auto Shop since he graduated high school. Old man Jenkins took him under his wing when he started poking around the shop every weekend asking questions when he was 15. A little over a year ago, Mr. Jenkins retired and signed everything over to Parker, much to his surprise. Honestly, it shocked everyone, we all thought he would work every single day until his last.

  “Lydia, I’ve already told you I’m not gay. And I’m just fine. I’ve got Jenkins and my family. Plus, my big sister comes to visit me on Sundays, how could I possibly be lonely?”

  “Hardee har har. If my visits are preventing you from dating, all you had to do was say so.”

  He opens the side door and starts heading up the stairs to his apartment. “Who said I’m not dating?” That sneaky fucker. Parker has always been so private. I never understood why, but it’s been that way since we were kids. Maybe it’s my fault for not hanging out with him more growing up, but I’ve learned more about him over the last few years than I ever knew when we lived in the same house.

  “Spill! I want to know everything. You never tell us anything about your dating life.”

  “Is that really such a surprise? I didn’t even say I was dating someone, and you practically jumped down my throat for details.”

  “Okay, that’s fair. Tell me everything, anyway.”

  “You’re impossible,” he says, laughing. He unlocks the door to the apartment and goes directly to the fridge. “I’m not dating anyone seriously. You’d know if I was, I promise. But I date, I’m not nearly as lonely as you think I am.”

  “You know, Brody never lets me in on his sexcapades. Never mentioned them once. Why do you and Julian insist on your gross little truth bombs? You both know I have an overactive imagination. It’s torture, pure torture. Do you two have meetings to conspire against me?”

  “No, but that’s a great idea. We’ll have to set those up.” He reaches into his pocket to grab his phone, laughing hysterically.

  “Parker Joseph Lancaster, you better fucking not!” I make a mad dash over to him. I can barely put up with them on their own, if they were to team up, I’d be doomed. He holds his left hand out stopping me from getting any closer, while he raises his right in the air with his phone. I hear the ding that indicates a message has been sent and scramble to get the phone. He gives in, practically handing me the phone when a new text comes in.

  Parker: Hey, what are you doing Wednesday?

  Julian: Nothing. Why? Does my reclusive little brother want to hang out with his favorite sibling?

  “You jackass!” I look over at him bent over, laughing his ass off. “You suck. But I think the bigger issue is that Julian is convinced that he’s everyone’s favorite. Poor guy. Clearly I am the superior sibling. He doesn’t even come bug...I mean visit you weekly.”

  “That’s because he’s firmly attached to one of his lovers during all non-working hours. They’re so fucking adorable, it makes me gag.”

  “Glad I’m not alone. I’ve never seen anyone so fucking cute at all times. It’s gross.”

  “I have. And it was just as gross, maybe even more so.”

  “I find that hard to believe. Who could possibly beat out those lovebirds?”

  He gives me a pointed look, then rolls his eyes when I don’t catch on. “You, moron. You and Max were that adorable, and I witnessed most of it as an angsty pre-teen. I wanted to gouge my eyeballs out every time the two of you entered the room.”

  “Oh, stop! We were never that bad!”

  “Oh, Max, I love you sooooooo much,” he mimics in a high-pitched voice, then drops his voice back down to add, “Not more than I love you, Blondie.” He then proceeds to turn around and mime making out, with his arms wrapped around his body, hands running up and down his sides.

  I shove him, “Whatever. Get back to heating up leftovers, you boob.”

  He throws a dish into the microwave and leans up against the counter, “Speaking of Max. What’s going on with that? I know you were helping out his Mom.”

  “Ugh. Do we really have to talk about that? I just had a feelings talk with Julian and everyone yesterday. And Mom the day before. I’m pretty tapped out.”

  “We don’t have to. I’m just a concern
ed brother. No need to get your panties in a twist, Lyd.”

  “Fine. I’ll talk. Fair warning, nothing makes sense.” Thanks to James’s base clarification, this update is at least a lot less awkward than yesterday’s. Parker patiently listens to every word, while performing the incredible act of reheating food. He slides my plate over to me and sits down across the table just as I’m finishing my story.

  “Well, your assessment of nothing making sense was pretty accurate.”

  “I know.” I sigh and start picking at my food, not sure what else to say.

  “Are you really considering getting back with him? With everything he put you through, I never saw that coming,” he says through a mouth full of food.

  “Chew, swallow, talk. In that order.” He sticks his tongue out, displaying the mess of chewed up food he’s working on. “God, you’re gross. I don’t know why I bother.” I roll my eyes and consider his question for a bit, taking a few more bites of my own food. “I guess I am considering it. I don’t know what the hell my decision is going to be. But I am considering it. I’ve been in love with him for so long. Even after he hurt me, I still loved him.” I get up and bring my plate to the trash can, I don’t think I can stomach any more food right now. Food needs to come before feelings, that’s for damn sure.

  “That’s why it hurt so bad. If you didn’t love him, he couldn’t have made you feel that way. The fact that you still couldn’t handle the anniversary tells me you still love him, even now.” I freeze, nearly dropping the plate as I rinse it off. When did Parker get so wise? I put the plate down and shut the water off. “What? I know things. Don’t act so shocked.”

  I turn around, leaning up against the counter. “No, it’s just...I guess I underestimate you sometimes, Park. You’re so quiet, I forget how observant you are. You’re right, I do love him. I don’t want to, but I do. I just…” Tears prick my eyes and I look down at the floor, away from him. “I just don’t know how to quit him. What’s wrong with me? It’s been nine fucking years, and I still love the dumb asshole just as much as I did when we were together.”

  Parker gets up and crosses the room and turns my chin up, forcing me to look at him. I hate that I’m crying right now. I hate that he has to witness me like this. “Lydia, let me make one thing really fucking clear. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you. Now, this never leaves here, because I can’t have anyone thinking I like you or anything, but you’re an incredible, beautiful woman. If that piece of shit can’t see that. He can fuck right off. He doesn't deserve you, there is nothing that can change my mind of that. But if you love him, and you think he'll treat you right and stick by you this time, then I support you. If he steps out of line, I will kick his fucking ass, though. I promise you that.”

  I start crying even more, and he pulls me into his arms. We stand there for a while, and he just lets me cry. Between his words and how he holds me up, I know that I can always rely on him. I’ve made a huge mistake in discounting Parker most of our lives. I don’t know how I got so lucky. They may annoy me, but I have the best brothers in the world. Brody included. Honestly, he’s always been more of a father figure than a brother in my mind. He always felt obligated to take care of us, being the oldest. I make a promise to myself that I’ll stop underestimating my little brother, he’s definitely not some dumb kid anymore. I start laughing to myself, and Parker pulls back giving me a funny look. “I just realized that you’re not a dumb kid anymore. I mean, you’re still dumb, just not as dumb.”

  He laughs along with me, “Does this mean we’re done with all this feelings shit?”

  “One more thing. I love you too, Parker.” I give him one last squeeze before punching his shoulder. “Now we can go back to being all tough and closed off and shit,” I say, giggling.

  “Good.” He puts me in a headlock and gives me a noogie.

  “Whoa. Hey, I’m the big sister. It’s my job to do the noogieing! Quit!”

  “Well, you should have thought of that before you stopped growing. I’m bigger now. I have every right to noogie. Payback's a bitch, ain’t it?” He keeps on digging his knuckles into my head, and laughing uncontrollably. I squirm around enough to slip out of his hold and try to jump on his back to get him back. He ducks out of the way just before I can get a hold on him, then spins around and creeps toward me.

  “Okay, okay. Truce? Truce. You got me.” I throw my hands up in a defensive gesture. He really is bigger than me now. There’s almost no way I can get him unless it’s a surprise attack.

  “Truce.” We dissolve into a fit of laughter. “Damn, it feels good not to be the pipsqueak anymore.”

  “I resent that. I’m not a pipsqueak.”

  “Sure looks like it from up here.” I roll my eyes and flip him off, making my way back down to the garage. His laughter follows me down the stairwell.

  Brothers.

  Max

  19

  It’s Sunday, and it’s been two days since Dad’s memorial. Two days since Lydia ran off. She hasn’t reached out at all, and I’m getting antsy trying to give her some space. After my ride I wanted to go after her, but I knew that wasn’t the right move. If I went right then, she would have come at me kicking and screaming. I know I have to wait, but it’s been nine years, I don’t want to wait anymore. I’m fixin’ to go pay her a visit after I get done with my work for the day. I just need to make it through breakfast, then throw myself into the chores.

  “Should we talk about what you said during your speech?” Mama asks me after she finishes her food.

  “What’s there to talk about?” I grumble, in between bites of toast.

  “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe the fact that you confessed to the entire town that you’re still in love with Lydia?”

  “I am. Always have been, Mama. You knew that.”

  “Did I?”

  “You and Dad always knew she was it for me. Don’t act like you didn’t. That woman has had my heart since I was 15 years old. Dad was more than right when he said: when a Weston man gives his heart, it’s for good.”

  “Hmm. Interesting.” She picks up her plate and moves to the sink to wash it.

  “What’s so interesting about it?” I growl out.

  “Boy, don’t you take that tone with me.”

  “Yes, ma’am. I’m sorry. Guess I haven’t had enough coffee.”

  “That ain’t no excuse. And it’s certainly not why you’re so surly. What happened between you two after I went to lie down the other day?”

  “Mama...I don’t really want to talk about it.”

  “Well, that’s too damn bad.”

  I sigh and run my hands over my face. There’s no way I’m leaving this table without telling her. I may be a grown man, but when a southern Mama asks you to talk, you talk. No ifs, ands, or buts. “We, uh...we got a bit friendly. Then she ran off.”

  “Son, I know what sex is. It’s how I made you.”

  “Mama! First, I don’t want to hear about that. EVER. Second, we didn’t have sex. We were about to, but she...she freaked out and ran off. Can we please just leave it at that?”

  “Fine.” She laughs and sits back down at the table. “What are you planning on doing?”

  “I have to check in with Tommy about the crops, then do some stuff in the barn. Then I’m gonna go by her house.”

  “You sure that’s a good idea?”

  “No. But I don’t know what else to do, Mama. Things were going great, then she just ran off. I don’t even have her phone number anymore. I have no idea what the right move is. The only thing I know for certain is that I want her in my life. I want the life we always talked about. I want...I just want her, Mama. I really fucked up when I left.”

  “Watch your mouth. But, yes, you did.” I look up at her, eyes wide. That’s the first time she’s ever outright said something negative about me leaving Midland. “Don’t look so surprised, Max. I always supported you, and I always will. You are a great singer, and you make good music. I don’t think you should have
skipped out on that. I just wish it had come about differently. Even with all the success you had, I don’t think it ever really made you happy. Every time you would call us on the video chat or come visit, you never looked truly happy. Sure you put on a smile and enjoyed your success, but it never met your eyes. I don’t really need to say anymore, because I think you know all of this.”

  “Unfortunately, yes. And you’re right. Every time anything good happened, I wanted to turn around and tell her, but she wasn’t there. And it was my fault.”

  “Now, not all of it was your fault. You were both young and stupid. All of that is in the past now. It won’t be easily forgotten, but if you really want a future with her, you’re going to have to start from scratch. You need to get to know each other and fall in love again. If that’s what’s in the cards for y’all.”

  “You’re right. I gotta go, Mama. I’ll get all that stuff when I get back.” I shove up out of my chair and make my way out of the kitchen.

  “Boy, sit your ass back down.”

  I stop in my tracks, “But—”

  “Sit down, you fool.” I drag myself back to the chair and sit down. “I said you’re going to have to do those things. I didn’t mean right this very second. Give the girl a few days, baby. You made the decision that you want her back, and I’m sure this has been brewing in your mind for quite some time. Am I right?”

  “I guess so. I mean, I think it’s always been in the back of my mind in some form.”