Serenity Falls(71)

“What’s that?” Mr. Will asks in his deep baritone voice as he walks into the kitchen.

Monday night after I finished helping Mrs. Sandy, I went in search of Wes. I found him in the barn working with Jane and Lucy. I quietly approached him. He must have known I was already there, because he apologized for acting like a child for the second time that day. I didn’t disagree with him. I accepted his apology and offered him my help. He helped me to mount Jane, and I leaned down, silently asking for a kiss with my lips puckered and waiting. Wes, all too happy to oblige my request, deepened the kiss. When we heard a throat clearing, we looked to where the sound had come from, and saw none other than Mr. Will. I don’t know how I expected him to react, but when all he did was nod at Wes and say ‘Good job son’, I couldn’t help but laugh. I figured that Mrs. Sandy had told Mr. Will about me and Wes and the shower incident, but I was wrong. And thank God, she didn’t, because I would have been mortified if Mr. Will knew how she found out about Wes and me.

“I was just telling Kenleigh that I hope my surprise is the beach.” Mrs. Sandy turns around and winks at her husband. I watch his smile widen a fraction as he takes in his stunning wife. In a white, long, flowing skirt, open-toed brown sandals, and olive green shirt, Mrs. Sandy exudes radiance. Her blonde hair’s pulled halfway back in a clip, flowing in soft curls down to her shoulders.

“You and the beach,” Mr. Will grumbles. “Don’t you remember the last time we went to the beach?”

“I told you to put on sun block, you big baby,” she laughs, shaking her head. “William here,” she points at her husband, “did not want to listen to me. I think his exact words were ‘I’m not afraid of a little sun. Hell, I work in it every day’, but he failed to remember that he’s always in long sleeve shirts when he’s working outside.”

“Okay, drop it,” he sighs.

She arches her eyebrows at him. “I will when you say the magic words.” Her tone is taunting, and I can’t help but smile at their playful banter.

Magic words? Oh, this ought to be good.

“I don’t think so woman,” Mr. Will argues as he digs his keys out of his pocket.

“William Wesley Adams… Say it.” Mrs. Sandy throws her hand on her hip. I can see the struggle she’s having as she tries not to smile.

“Fine. Fine. You’re always right,” he grumbles out, but then I catch the corners of his lips tug into a grin.

Mrs. Sandy jerks her head in a nod and chuckles. “And don’t you forget it.”

Mr. Will looks at me and says under his breath, “Those words always taste like poison on my tongue. But as long as it makes her happy, I’ll tell her she’s right every day for the rest of our lives.”

I flash a smile at him as my phone dings with a text message. “You’re a smart man, Mr. Will. If you’ll excuse me, it’s probably my aunt.” I smile and pat his arm before I leave the kitchen and move toward the living room. Pulling my phone out, it’s Wes. Last night, he had to go into town, and asked if I needed anything while he was out. Although I said I was good, he thought it would be a good idea if we exchanged phone numbers, just in case I remembered anything that I might need. We haven’t really felt the need up till now to exchange phone numbers, since we’re always around each other, and our rooms are right across from one another.

WES- Meet me by the truck

Me- On my way out xx

“We’ll see you guys tomorrow sometime. Be safe and call if you need anything,” Mrs. Sandy hollers from the kitchen. I lift my head to catch her and Mr. Will walking out the screen door.

“You too! And Happy Fourth of July!” I shout at their retreating backs as I drop my phone into my clutch.

My eyes roam around, looking at the lock on the front door that no one ever uses to make sure it’s locked. With my check complete, I walk through the kitchen and out the back door, locking it behind me. As soon as the screen door shuts, I spin around, my eyes widen from surprise, and my jaw is agape. My eyes start to water, and a smile spreads across my face when I see Wes, standing against the tailgate of his truck, in a pair of blue jeans, a gray T-shirt, brown cowboy boots, and a white baseball cap. But what catches me off guard is the bouquet of flowers in his hand. I fly down the stairs, across the walkway, and through the lawn. I can’t get over to him quick enough. Right as I get to him, I leap into his arms, and he catches me. With his arms bound around my waist, and mine around his neck, he spins me in circles, and laughs. “If I would have known my baseball cap had this kind of effect on you, I would’ve worn it a lot sooner,” he says, kissing the tip of my nose.