I STOOD AT the kitchen sink staring out the window as I dried off a plate. I felt someone pull the plate from my hand and turned to see my mother. She was so beautiful, like always. Her hair was pulled up in a simple ponytail and her blue eyes sparkled as she looked into mine.
“Follow your heart,” she whispered. “I promise, it will always lead you down the right path.”
I felt the tears building in my eyes. “Mom,” I whispered as she took me into her arms. I fought like hell to hold my tears back as she held me. I’d missed her so much. Did I really want to leave all of this? Leave my family? I pulled back and wiped a tear away. “Thanks, Mom.”
“I’m always here to talk, sweetheart. Please know that.” She pushed a stray strand of hair back and behind me ear.
I nodded. “I know that, Mom.”
She smiled said, “Now go play pool and show your brother Jase how it’s done.”
I laughed as I set the towel down and made my way through the house to the den. When I walked in, Ava and Jase were arguing about some rule.
“Ava, if an 8 ball is knocked to the floor, it’s a loss. Period.” Jase said.
Ava stood firm with her hands on her hips. “I don’t think so, Jase. Stop trying to kick me out of the game.”
Jase threw his hands up and sighed in frustration.
When I looked to my right, I saw Walker. He was leaning against the wall watching Ava and Jase fight. He was wearing that drop-dead gorgeous smile of his. He had on a light blue T-shirt that made his chest look massive and his biceps even bigger. I licked my lips when I saw the tattoo again. I checked out his pants—Wranglers. Tight Wranglers. I smiled when I noticed he was wearing the same boots he’d always worn when he worked on the ranch. I imagined what it would feel like to have his lips against mine again. Would that same spark still be there? Would it be lost because he was in love with Jessica? And I was with Keith.
Walker saw me and pushed off against the wall. I touched the ring that was still on my necklace. Walker’s smile wavered for a moment.
“You don’t have to keep that ring if you don’t want it,” he said.
My heart dropped. I wanted to tell him I hadn’t taken it off since the day he’d given it to me. Not until today. “Of course I want it,” I said. “You gave it to me.”
He smiled, then turned to Ava and Jase. “All right I’ve had enough,” he said. “Ava, Jase is right. Let’s just rack ’em up and start a new game.”
Ava rolled her eyes and made a sour face at Jase. “Ugh, when are you going to Italy?”
He laughed. “You know you’re gonna miss me,” he said as he mussed up Ava’s hair.
She pushed his hand away and said, “Yeah, don’t count on it, ass wipe. If I had to push the airplane down the runway to get you out of here, I’d do it.”
I giggled and reached for a pool cue. Jase and Ava acted so much like brother and sister. I asked Ava once if she’d ever had feelings for Jase, and she told me they’d once snuck behind the bleachers to make out. When I asked her what happened, she said they’d both ended up laughing and had spent the rest of the night talking about the future.
We’d grown up together, but all had different plans. Ava wanted to be in design and planned to develop her own clothing line. Wedding couture was her dream. Jase loved ranching. It was in his blood, for sure. He planned to return to Llano after next summer’s trip to Italy to help our father with the ranch. Walker had more love for the racehorse side of the business and was planning a trip to Kentucky with our fathers in a few weeks.
“So are you looking forward to Italy, Jase?” I asked.
I racked the balls and got ready to start and a new game. I smiled when I noticed Walker’s eyes moving over my body. After finding out Walker was home, I’d pulled over and changed into my favorite boots and shorts. Keith didn’t like me dressing this way. He preferred to see me in dresses. He thought boots and shorts together were “trampy.”
I hit the cue ball and smiled when I sunk four balls.
“Shit,” Jase said. “I thought maybe you’d be rusty and we’d have an edge.”
I held up my cue and blew on the end. “I’m on fire tonight, little brother. Sit back and see how it’s done.”
Jase sat down on a stool and rolled his eyes.
Five games later, Jase put up his pool cue. “This is bullshit. I’m heading out. Y’all coming?”
Ava jumped up. “Where are we going?”
Jase looked around. “Luckenbach?”
I smiled. It had been so long since I’d gone out. I just wanted to dance and have a good time. “Let me change and I’m so there,” I said.
But Walker was texting someone. The smile on his face made my heart ache. I cleared my throat and tried to sound like I didn’t care. “You in or out?”
He looked up. “What? I’m sorry. What are y’all talking about?”
Jase laughed, “Dude if you weren’t sexting with your damn girlfriend you’d know. We’re heading to Luckenbach. Get a bit of dancing in. Do you need to ask your woman?”
Walker grimaced as he stood, shoving Jase. “Fuck off. You wish you had a woman.”
Jase chuckled. “Dude, please. I can get a piece of ass anytime I want.”
I heard my mother clear her throat.
Jase’s face turned bright red. He turned to her and said, “Mom, you know I’m just talking shit.”
My mother rolled her eyes. “Oh, I know you are, son. I know you are,” she said, eliciting laughs from the group. “Y’all be careful. I want a designated driver.”
I looked back at Walker. He was staring at me. “I’ll volunteer,” he said, not taking his eyes off of me. “I bet Liza wants to celebrate her engagement.”
My jaw dropped. I was pissed. I cocked my head as I smiled at Walker. “You know, that sounds like a good idea. I think a night of celebrating is just what I need.”
Walker pushed off the wall, coming closer. “Too bad your fiancé can’t join the fun.” He walked away, calling out, “Come on, Ava. We’ll pick y’all up in thirty minutes.”
“Thirty minutes? Hell, I need at least an hour to get ready,” Ava said as she followed Walker out of the den.
My mother winked and said, “Do I sense a bit of tension between you and Walker?”
Jase pushed by and kissed my mother on the cheek before turning to me. “When isn’t there tension between the two of them?” he said.