Back to Us (Cameron Falls: A Small Town Romance Book 2)

by TC Matson

  “I don’t like him. That should tell you something. And I’m sure Momma don’t like him either, even if she won’t say so.” She sways the flask in front of my face. “Last chance. I’m putting it up before—”

  “Delaney. Dakota,” Momma calls out through the door. Delaney scrambles to put the flask back into the book and the second she slams it shut, Momma comes barging through the door. Immediately her eyes fall to the book, and she holds out her hand. “Give it to me.”

  Delaney slowly slides the book behind her back. “I don’t have anything.”

  Momma cocks an eyebrow. “If you don’t share with me, I won’t allow you to have a bite of dinner tonight.”

  What! Both mine and Del’s mouths drops open. Momma doesn’t drink… ever.

  Delaney’s eyes slide to mine reflecting the same thing I feel. This is a trap. Regardless of our ages, we are still Momma’s children and we both know the wrath of her punishments. Momma wiggles her fingers. Delaney hands her the book and takes a solid step back.

  Momma removes the flask and I watch shocked, mouth still gaped open as she takes a sip without flinching. “You girls always thought you were sneaky. I used to add water to this thing so it wouldn’t be so strong.” She chuckles.

  “How long have you known I had this?” Delaney asks.

  Momma grins like the devil, her eyes sparkling. “Since you were stupid enough to bring it into my house at fifteen. I wanted to skin you alive, but your father said you were being kids. He tried to get me to pour this cheap stuff out and put in his bourbon just to hear your reaction, but instead we settled on watering it down so you two wouldn’t get into too much trouble.”

  Oh god. If she knew about this, one of the most well-hidden things we thought we ever had, what else did she know? “What else do you know about?” I ask, afraid of the answer.

  There’s a sly edge on her lips. “A lot more than what you think.”

  “Mary! Dakota! Delaney! We need to get a move on,” Dad shouts up the stairs.

  Momma takes a deep breath. “Come on, babies. Let’s get this horrible day over with.”

  The church is packed full of everyone who knew Granny. It’s not surprising. Granny knew everyone and was loved by them all. She met most of the people here because she could make a peach cobbler like it was no one’s business and she enjoyed giving them out. That was always her ice breaker.

  After the preacher spoke, he opened the floor for others. They talked about how wonderful Granny was and shared several funny stories. It broke my heart… Made me realize just how many years I’ve been away.

  When it was time for the pallbearers to move Granny from the church to the hearse that would take her to where she’d be laid to rest, I kept my eyes on the floor, on my parents, and on Delaney in fear I’d see him. Daddy held Momma as she fought hard to keep it together. She only allowed a few stray tears to be seen before slapping them away quickly.

  And now that the services are over and everyone is giving Momma their condolences, I stand in front of Granny’s casket staring at the spray of red roses. She loved roses. Said they were one of Mother Nature’s most beautiful creations. For eighteen years, Granny was a constant in my life, but after I left, I only talked to her once every few weeks. I took life for granted and I’m paying for it dearly…

  “I’m sorry for your loss, Dakota,” a deep familiar voice pulls me from the flowers and my gaze meets the soft, caring brown eyes of Rhett, Blake’s older brother.

  My lips tighten into a melancholic smile. “Thank you, Rhett.”

  “How’s your momma holding up?” he asks, shoving his hands into the pockets of his dark jeans.

  “You know Momma. We’ve been keeping her busy.”

  A smile flits across his lips. “I’m sure she’s excited to have you home again.”

  I laugh under my breath. “She hasn’t missed a beat. So how have you been? I don’t think you’ve aged a bit.”

  Chuckling, he shakes his head. “I’m doing well.”

  “Daddy told me you took over the ranch and got remarried. Congratulations on both. I’m sorry I haven’t been around to tell you in person.”

  Just like the rest of the Helms men, when he smiles it’s bright and brilliant and sparkles from his eyes. He tips his head toward the back where people have gathered in different groups, some around my parents and others just old friends coming together to grieve an old friend. Following his gaze, I instantly know for certain the beautiful woman in a black A-line dress with honey colored hair pulled back into a chic bun is his wife.

  “You’ve always had a thing for beautiful women,” I tell him. “Speaking of, where is Hadley? I’ve heard so much about her and I’d love to meet her.”

  “She’s around here somewhere. Probably with Blake.” My heart shutters at his name. “You’ll meet her later tonight.”

  My brows furrow. “Tonight?”

  “My parents are fixing y’all dinner.”

  “Oh,” I squeak. “I didn’t know.” Of course, Dad didn’t tell me that. “Okay. Yeah. Sure. I can’t wait to officially meet her,” I prattle, my nerves through the roof and my palms beginning to sweat.

  Rhett starts past me but stops at my side, placing a hand on my shoulder. “He’s keeping his distance out of respect.” He pats my shoulder. “You’re still the pretty little sister I’m glad I never had.” He walks away leaving my insides feeling like a mess.

  Before Blake and I started dating, the Helmses were like family. We spent time at their house, they spent time at ours. Our parents were close so we were always doing different things together. And once Blake and I started dating, nothing changed except I spent more time at his house. Rhett became like a big brother to me. Hell, he acted like it a lot of the times too—a protective big brother.

  Emotions swell in my chest and my throat begins to burn when I look back at the casket. “Love you,” I whisper thickly. Then I take a deep breath and pull my shoulders back.

  Delaney’s standing with Willow, Rhett and Blake’s little sister, and I make my way toward them, forcing myself not to seek out the one person I don’t want to see. I know he’s here… somewhere.

  “Hey, weirdo.” I grin as I approach, calling her by the nickname I gave her years ago.

  The moment her gaze lands on me, she flings her arms around my neck. “I haven’t heard that in forever!” She pulls away. “I’m so sorry about your granny. I’m going to miss seeing her smiling face at the store.”

  Swallowing down my emotions, I take her in. “Look at little Willow. All grown up.”

  Just like Rhett’s, her brown eyes light up when she smiles. “Girls’ nights are finally worth tagging along.”

  Chapter Three

  Blake

  Perched up beside my truck, hidden from most everyone, I watch her from the distance. She’s still beautifully stunning. Still enchanting. Still the girl who held my heart. Except she’s not a girl anymore. She’s all woman, every inch, every curve, every peek of skin… She looks every bit of the city slicker she is in a black blouse tucked into a gray pencil skirt and a set of damn heels that would look better in the bedroom than they do here.

  Dakota Jayne…

  Once my everything. Our story is as cliché as it comes. We met in second grade on the playground and I was instantly in love. Not long after that, our parents became good friends and at least once a week, they’d be at our house or us at theirs. Back then, I thought she was the prettiest girl I had ever seen, but as I watched her grow up, she became all I could ever see. No girl on this planet could steal my attention from her. I finally got the balls to ask her to be my girlfriend the summer before high school started and from then on, we were inseparable. I cherished the ground she walked on. Treasured every smile, every kiss, and everything in between. I worshipped her.

  We made plans for after high school, ones that involved us making a life with each other. I knew I’d never go to college. My life was—is—the ranch, but she wanted to go get a degree in
interior design. She was supposed to attend a college about two hours away and come home every weekend. We had it planned that I’d go to her as much as possible. We were supposed to make it work.

  Except she had applied and was accepted into a college damn near seventeen hours away without telling me a single thing about it. When she finally told me, I lost my shit. We fought like hell. How the hell were we going to make that work? Seeing the argument was only getting worse, she went home and I went to a party. That was my first mistake. The second mistake? Mad drinking. Hurt, pissed, and scared, I tossed back shot after shot while chasing them with beer. I got shit faced and when I couldn’t stand any longer, I passed out in Craig’s extra bedroom.

  The next thing I know, Dakota was standing at the foot of the bed, fuming mad with rage-tears burning from her eyes. At some point in the night, Heidi had crawled into the bed. All she wanted was sleep. Nothing happened between us, but it didn’t matter what I said. Didn’t matter that Heidi frantically tried explaining that she just wanted a safe place to sleep and knew I wouldn’t mess with her. Didn’t matter that we were fully clothed and on top of the covers. Dakota wasn’t hearing it.

  Against a raging headache, I scrambled after her when she stormed out of the house, but she got to her Jeep first and locked the doors. I stared helplessly as she burned rubber out of the driveway.

  For days Dakota avoided me. I tried calling and tried seeing her. Hell, I even climbed up that sketchy ass tree to her bedroom window and taped a letter to her window, but nothing worked.

  Then one day… she was gone—packed her bags, changed her number, and left for California. She left me behind, leaving my life a disaster, my heart in pieces, and my mind officially fucked with an engagement ring in a drawer in my bedroom, and a five year anniversary we never got to see.

  Shaking my head, I rid myself of the memories that have replayed too many times to count over the years she’s been gone. I watch as she hugs Willow, her smile wide and as beautiful as it’s ever been.

  “Don’t do whatever it is you’re over here contemplating. Now’s not the time nor place, brother,” Rhett says stepping up beside me.

  “Wasn’t planning on it,” I tell him, even though the thought of confronting her has crossed my mind a time or two.

  In his eyes, he calls my bluff though he doesn’t voice it. “I’m grabbing Hads from Ma and Pops, and then we’re all going back to their house to help prepare for tonight.”

  Tonight, we’ll be forced not only under the same roof but into the same room with one another. I’m not sure how I feel about it yet. Part of me hates her for what she did, for ruining my life and destroying me. She reached inside of my chest, tore out my heart, and stomped all over it in the mud. It’s caused me to steer clear of relationships. But the other part of me? I want to hug her, pull her into my chest, and comfort her. I want to be there to help shoulder some of the grief. Doesn’t matter the years, the distance, or the pain… I still love her.

  I jerk open my truck door and climb in. “I’ll follow you.”

  Surprise. Surprise. Dakota never showed up to the dinner. At first, I was worried she hightailed it back out of town again, but her mother informed me that Dakota wasn’t feeling well and had decided to rest.

  Horse shit.

  The night went by quickly and ended up being a good time. The Jaynes have been in our lives for as long as I can remember. They’re like an added branch on our family tree with Mary being like a second mother to me and Richard a father figure. He’s worked for us as a ranch hand for more than twenty years, so needless to say, when we need to lighten up a mood, we like to bring up funny stories about him. We all needed the laughs.

  After they left, I helped Ma and Pops clean the kitchen and then headed out to Leo’s for some time to clear the heavy day from my head.

  Leo is in his backyard, sitting by the fire pit we built about five years ago, with a fire burning and a beer in his hand. When I round the corner, the goofball gives me a wide toothy Leo-style smile. “Grab a beer.”

  I do and then drop into a plastic chair beside him, twisting the top off my beer and downing half of it.

  “How’d today go?” he asks.

  I stare at the flames. Hot ribbons of light dance freely, one way and the other across the charred wood. Oranges, light and vivid, twirl and flick into the night sky. “Service was nice.”

  “You see Dakota?”

  “Saw her. Didn’t speak.”

  “I know it had to be difficult—”

  “I’m good,” I interrupt him, hoping he takes the hint to change the subject. I’m not in the mood to talk about her.

  Thankfully, he gets it. “How’s Rhett doing with the ranch? You still like working with him?”

  “He’s doing good and yeah. You know he’s always been easy to work with. He still gets out there with us and doesn’t throw the boss card around often. He’s implemented some changes and given me more responsibilities when it comes to making decisions about cattle.”

  “Hell yeah.” Leo has been my number one supporter for years. “That’s good. You deserve that shit. How’s your dad handling all the changes?”

  “He says it’s Rhett’s operation now although he still keeps tabs on everything. He trusts him to make the right decisions.”

  He nods and takes a sip of beer, allowing silence to surround us. Resting my head back, I close my eyes and take in the night air. Dakota being back in town fucks with my head. I enjoy seeing her, but I can’t wait for her to leave. Life was easier when she was gone. My mind didn’t wreak havoc on me constantly.

  Chapter Four

  Dakota

  Shattering glass jerks me out of a deep sleep and I sit straight up. Another loud thud comes echoing through the house, and I throw the covers off me and take off down the stairs.

  “Dammit,” Momma curses, her hands stretched out on the counter with her head hanging low.

  “Momma? You okay?” I ask, cautiously stepping into the kitchen.

  Her head jerks up at my voice and that’s when I see her cheeks are stained with tears before she quickly wipes them off. “Hey. I’m sorry. I just…” Her hands fall to her sides. “All I needed was the casserole dish and I dropped it.”

  “You should’ve come and got me. I would’ve helped you,” I tell her, grabbing the broom as she bends to pick up the larger shards of glass.

  “You were sleeping. I didn’t want to bother you.”

  “Pfftt. Please. I don’t mind at all. Where’s Daddy?”

  “He ran into town to pick up a few things for me.”

  After we finish sweeping, I grab the other casserole dish for her and set it on the counter.

  “Thank you, baby,” Momma says, pulling the stool from the counter and taking a seat.

  “You okay? Like really okay?” I ask, sitting beside her.

  She nods. “I am. I’ll admit I’m having trouble concentrating and haven’t slept well for a few days, but I am really okay.”

  “Is there anything I can help you with?”

  “I was going to wait and talk to you tonight at dinner, but guess now’s as good time as any. I want to start going through Granny’s house while you’re in town just in case there are things you’d like to take back home with you. I’d ask Delaney, but she’s busy with the store.”

  Momma did the same thing when grandpa died. She threw herself into working on things… Just like I do.

  “When do you want to start?”

  “Tomorrow if that’s okay with you?”

  “That’s good with me.”

  “It’ll be just us. Although your dad says he’s retired, he can’t keep away from that ranch,” she titters.

  “You know it’s in his blood.”

  She nods. “At our age, if we quit moving, we might not ever start back up again.”

  “Pffft. You both are still young,” I bump her with my shoulder.

  Momma leans her head onto me and we sit in silence for a long while. For the fir
st time in a very long time, my life doesn’t feel like it’s missing a big chunk of it.

  A knock on the door has my heart rate thundering in my chest. Momma told me earlier that Charlotte and Warren would be coming for dinner, and even though I know it’s just the two of them, I’m nervous. I saw them briefly at the funeral and they were polite, but I’m worried in a more private atmosphere they’ll lean into me about not showing up for their dinner and the way I left all those years ago.

  “I’ll grab it,” Daddy calls from the living room where he’s been watching the evening news in his recliner.

  Moments later, Charlotte and Warren Helms step into the kitchen. Instantly, Charlotte breaks into a smile and gives me a hug. “Hey, sweet girl,” she coos and it causes me to melt with relief into her hug.

  “Hey, Momma Charlotte.”

  She beams at the name I haven’t said in years and pats my cheek. “You’re still so very beautiful.”

  Warren places two dishes down on the counter and pulls me into a hug as my throat tightens. He leans back, leaving his hands on my shoulders and levels his dark chocolate eyes on me. “I wanted to tell you at the funeral, but I didn’t think the time was appropriate. There are no hard feelings between us. We love you as we always have and we’ve missed you like crazy.”

  Dammit. Tears begin to sting my eyes. “Thanks,” I say weakly. “I’ve missed you, too.”

  “Oh, darn it,” Charlotte says. “I forgot the dessert.”

  Warren sighs a chuckle, giving me a “here we go again” look. “I’ll handle it.” And then he strides out of the kitchen pulling his phone out of his back pocket.

  Thirty minutes later, we’re all sitting around the table eating and making small talk. Charlotte has bombarded me with a ton of questions about my time in school, my job, and what life is like living in California. She listens almost mesmerized with a smile as I tell her about my life for the past eleven years.