Here’s the Thing (Seddledowne #4)

Chapter 16 – Tally

sixteen

TALLY

A kiss stops a conversation much better than a comma.

— MALCOLM DE CHAZAL

A s soon as the ceremony was over we—the Hawkins and Duprees—gathered in the shade of an overgrown holly tree. Everyone but Ashton, who hadn’t made his way over to us quite yet. He was trying, continually glancing at me longingly. But Dr. Gibson was gripping his arm, talking to him about something I’m sure she thought was of utmost importance.

Brooklyn squeezed me so hard I thought I would burst. “I’m so proud of you.” She looked at Anna. “So proud of you both.”

I bumped Anna’s hip with mine. “How does it feel to be Dr. Bishop?”

Her eyes sparkled but she clamped down on a smile. “No. Yesterday was my day. Today is about you. ”

Everyone hugged me then. Even the ones who never hugged me. Today was a day for a little more and that was okay. Mom, Theo, and Charlie came back for a second round.

Charlie’s hand was on her hip. “You’re finally going to be home with us?”

“Yes.” I beamed. For the last two weeks, Mom had watched them while I finished my classes. The kids were dying to be at our new house on Ford’s ranch full-time. My work-from-home editing job started Monday morning. Like any working woman, I wouldn’t get to spend every minute with them, but as they ran around Ford’s ranch, exploring and playing, I’d be there to make sure they were safe. We already bought a set of walkie-talkies. And I’d be there for hugs and snacks too. We’d moved in last week and it already felt like a little piece of paradise.

I ruffled Charlie’s hair. “I can’t wait.”

Everyone went quiet, gazes focused on something behind me. I turned my head to see what they were looking at. I didn’t make it all the way around before I was lifted off my feet and crushed against Ashton.

And then his mouth crashed over mine. My eyes widened for a split second and then fluttered closed. My hands slid up his chest and curved around his neck, my lips pliant against his.

Everyone gasped. And then laughter broke out. Ford hooted. And then Holden.

“It’s about dang time!” Brooklyn said.

“Yes!” They all cheered.

“This isn’t the end of the Ashton-Tally Smackdown though, is it?” Christy cried.

“Course not,” Silas replied. “They’re going to be even more spicy now. You watch.”

All the while, Ashton never stopped kissing me. I smiled against his lips and he matched me. For a half second before he kissed me again. I stiffened at the crackle that tickled my entire belly like bolts of energy in a plasma ball. A surge of heady want pulsed through me and my erogenous zones hummed again. I slid my hands up into his hair and kissed him with an intensity that should’ve embarrassed me. But it didn’t. This was what I’d asked for and it was exactly what I wanted.

This was where I belonged.

A low rumbling sound vibrated in his throat before setting me on my feet, reluctantly pulling his mouth away. Then, his arms still around me, his forehead to mine—we stood there, wrapped around each other, savoring this moment.

The moment when Ashton and Tally finally began.

Everyone was quietly watching us. I could feel it.

Still glued to me, Ash lifted his hand, shooing everyone away. “Go. Have conversations. We need a minute.”

They laughed but did as he said, turning from us and talking loudly about how they wanted to get out of the heat and into some AC. And about how hungry they were. And how scandalous public displays of affection are.

I’m pretty sure Ashton didn’t hear any of it, he was so focused on me.

I tapped my nose against his. “So, I guess you liked the chapter I wrote.”

“You were getting that kiss before I read a single word.” His head tipped to the side. “I love you aside from all of that. I hope you know that. The fact that you’re Austen is just a bonus.” His arms tightened around me even more. “And the only reason I stopped kissing you is because there are children present.”

I ran my fingers over his cheeks. “Whatever you say, Professor Dupree.”

“I am not your professor anymore,” he growled.

I laughed. “No. No, you are not.”

“The drought ends.” His breath ghosted over my neck .

I placed another peck on his mouth. “You’ll have to write me a new poem.”

“Mhmm,” he murmured. “I can’t believe you wrote and posted the chapter without my ok.” I’d never done that before. Neither had he. We always went over our chapters together before we published them for the world to see.

I leaned back to look at him. “I wanted to surprise you.”

The way he was watching me was so serious and intense that it almost hurt to look at. “Well, you did.”

“Is it okay?”

“It’s perfect. You’re perfect.” He pressed another kiss to my lips. “ We’re perfect.”

“I love you,” I said. “I’m sorry you had to wait so long to hear me say it. But I’m going to make it up to you every day.”

“You don’t need to make up anything. All the waiting was worth it. You’re worth everything.” He scooped me up in another hug and placed a kiss on my cheek.

I leaned into it, loving the safety I felt in his arms. Until Dr. Gibson walked by. Then I practically tripped trying to get out of them. But he held me tighter, laughing.

“Won’t you get in trouble?” I whispered.

“No.” He chuckled. “She knows how I feel about you. Why do you think I passed you off to her?”

My jaw dropped. “You told her? Everything?”

“Kind of. I started to tell her and Dr. Bell that you and I kissed way back in January, but Bell cut me off and told me to keep things ‘hypothetical.’ And when it was over he just said, ‘Sounds like a difficult situation. Tell your friend I’m sorry he was in a pickle and not to do it again.’”

I snorted. “Seriously?”

He grinned. “Yup.”

I looked at Dr. Gibson who gave us a nod and a smile. Dr. Bell stood twenty feet off, drinking punch with his wife. He caught my eye and clapped, applauding us.

“Oh my word,” I turned to Ash, shoving my face into his shoulder. “Can I die now?”

He chuckled. “Not yet. One more person just found out.”

I turned to see Ashley watching us from the sidewalk fifty feet away, her eyes wide and surprised. I held my breath. But I held Ashton’s hand and gave her an unapologetic shrug. I couldn’t be ashamed of what I felt for Ashton. I wouldn’t.

Standing next to her parents, she laughed, blew me a kiss, and made texting motions with her thumbs. She wanted all the dirty details. I’d give them to her. Well, enough to satiate her. Just all the bantering I didn’t realize was flirting…until I did. She waved and walked off with her parents.

“Glad she took that well.” Ashton grinned and it was like a rush of dopamine to my heart.

I let my gaze linger on his handsome face. “Same.”

“Are we ready to celebrate Anna and Tally?” Ford said loud enough for everyone to hear. “Granny and I got it all ready at my place.” He shot us all with double-finger pistols. “Make sure you have your swimsuits because we are about to christen Lake A.”

“Lake A,” Ashton said under his breath. “When you’re so loaded that you have to label your lakes.”

I snorted and tightened my hold on his hand.

“The one with the water slide?” Theo asked.

Ford aimed his pistol at Theo. “The one with the water slide.”

“Will Cash be there?” Charlie asked and I couldn’t tell if she wanted him there or not. Cash and Charlie were the definition of frenemies. You never knew if they’d be laughing their heads off or bickering like an old married couple. I glanced at Ash and we shared a smile.

“Cash will be there,” Lemon said.

“It’s settled then,” Ford said. “We’ll see everyone at home.”

The group began meandering toward their cars. I glanced around at this campus, my heart in a chokehold. Ashton nodded toward Anna and Brooklyn who had left the group and were off to the side, watching me. Waiting for me.

He pressed one more kiss to my lips. “I’ll wait for you out front.”

As I walked over to my friends, my mouth parted slightly. As never seen before, Brooklyn had tears in her eyes.

She waved me closer. “This is it, guys. We’re done in Sweet Grass.”

Anna’s nose crinkled but her eyes were wet. “I’ve been done but…yeah.” She and Blue were moving to Kansas City next week. Brooklyn had received a master’s in psychology in December. She’d been hanging around Sweet Grass so I’d have a roommate. Tomorrow, she was moving to Durham to be with Jonah. He’d found her a job at the hospital while he finished medical school.

None of us would ever be students on this campus again. Our time here was done. With Anna married, and Brooklyn getting married, we’d never be roommates again.

I forced a laugh but I refused to cry. Not on the day Ashton and I finally got together. “It’s the end of an era.”

Brooklyn put her hands on her hips. “I’m gonna miss you guys.” She hiccuped. “I mean, you’re not gonna miss each other. Tally’s going to be a Dupree before long.”

I choked on a laugh. “Let’s not count our chickens. We barely got together three minutes ago. Besides, you said I was the runaway bride type.”

“Not anymore. You look at Ashton differently. Like he’s your anchor.” Brooklyn swore and shook her head, tears spilling over even as she fought them. “I give it six months.” She wiped her cheeks. “You guys are my very best friends. I want you to know that.”

Anna laughed. “What is happening right now? Who are you? ”

“I don’t know.” Brooklyn blew her breath out in an O.

She opened her arms and motioned for us to bring it in. Brooklyn’s one-armed hug around my neck was so tight I thought my head might pop off. But I’d let it pop off for her.

She sniffed. “You guys are coming to my wedding.” She wagged a finger like it was an order. Like we needed to be told. Then she groaned. “In two years.”

“You know we are,” Anna said. “Double maids of honor.”

“And we’re doing our girl’s weekend every year.” I looked pointedly at them. “No exceptions.”

“No exceptions,” they said together.

“And I’ll be back for Tally’s wedding,” Brooklyn said. “In December.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah. Okay.”

Anna’s head cocked at Brooklyn. “You could always move home to Seddledowne someday.”

Brooklyn snorted. “Seddledowne? The backwater blip where dreams go to die? Where you’re suffocated by cow manure and small-town gossip and nosy parents?”

I laughed. “Tell us how you really feel, Brook.”

Her head started to bob and I knew she was about to do just that. “Where, if you’re lucky, on a wild Saturday night, you might catch Old Man Jenkins racing his mobility scooter down Main Street.” Her hands went to her hips. “And don’t get me started on the dating pool? More like a puddle. I've seen more eligible bachelors in a monastery. Oh, and hungry on a Friday night? Head on down to the Fast Mart and treat yourself to a hot dog that’s been rotating since the Bush administration.”

A snort shot out of my nose. Anna cackled. One man’s trash really was another man’s treasure. Seddledowne was the only place I ever wanted to be. And I knew Anna was secretly loathing the idea of being in Kansas City or anywhere that wasn’t home for the next decade .

“Say three nice things about Seddledowne,” Anna ordered.

Brooklyn crossed her arms and grumped. “No. And you can’t make me.”

“Do it,” Anna demanded. “I need to hear them, Brook. I’m moving next week and I need to know that you don’t hate everything about our hometown, otherwise, I’ll worry that you’ll forget me when you get to Durham.”

“Same,” I said.

“Fine.” She humphed and exhaled loudly. “Seddledowne, where Firefly Fields Farm has so many lightning bugs?—”

“Fireflies,” Anna corrected.

“Lightning bugs. And Blue will back me up on that.” Brook dared Anna with an arched brow. “Firefly Fields Farm, where there are so many lightning bugs that you might forget you’re in the country and think you’re at a Taylor Swift concert from all the flashing lights.”

It was pretty magical.

Anna held up a finger. “That’s one.”

Brooklyn sighed like she was annoyed by the assignment. “Seddledowne, the only place where you can steal your neighbor’s tractor—because you need a ride to homecoming—and you won’t get arrested.” Brooklyn had done that in a fit of anger when her parents told her she was grounded for using bad language. Imagine seeing your bestie roll up to the big dance in a jacked Kubota.

“Yes.” I raised my hands in the air. “Thank you for that memory.”

“One more,” Anna said. “We need to wrap this up and get to the ranch before we melt.”

Brooklyn kicked at the dirt. “I’m running out of good things to say.”

“Pfft,” Anna said. “The woman whose report card always said, ‘talks too much?’ Not a chance. C’mon now. You owe me one more.”

“Seddledowne.” Brooklyn’s voice had lost most of its snark. “Where you can watch your best friend fall in love with her future husband who will one day be an NFL quarterback.” She turned to me. “And your other best friend starts her life over and turns it into something really freaking amazing. And you get to cheer her on when she’s awarded a full ride scholarship.” Her voice had gone softer. “Where your friends go with you to college and become your roommates.” She looked at me, then Anna. “And then your sisters.” She shook her head. “Fine. I guess magical things happen, even in a podunk place like Seddledowne.”

Standing on that campus with so many happy memories, with the two best friends a girl could ever ask for, I thought my heart might burst from gratitude. Fine. The universe, or God, or whoever, didn’t totally suck.

“Moving to Seddledowne is the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” I said. “It brought you two into my life. I don’t think you’ll ever know how you saved me.”

They didn’t know exactly how much. But I would tell them.

Soon.

But first, I had to tell Ashton.