Serenity Falls(87)

Something’s off. I can feel it. I don’t know what, but I’m sure I will find out. I look from Wes, who will not meet my eyes but squeezes my hand in reassurance, to Mrs. Sandy, who’s smiling at me over the rim of her coffee cup as she takes a sip, to my Aunt Brenda who also wears a smile and pats my knee. “How about we go and get mani/pedis?” My dear aunt is up to something.

“Okay.” I decide to go with the flow.

Then, the impossible happens. “Here, take my truck.” Wes pulls his keys out of his pocket and hands them over to me.

“All right. What’s goin’ on?” I ask skeptically.

“Nothing,” Wes answers too quickly.

“You’ve only let me drive your truck once. Why are you letting me drive it now?”

“Because it’s your birthday. And because I love you and trust you. Is that enough of a reason for you?”

“Uh-huh. Sure.” I turn my gaze to Mrs. Sandy in hopes that she’ll answer my question, but instead, she snatches up my half-eaten plate of food, and heads into the kitchen.

“Kenleigh, just go have fun,” Mrs. Sandy says as she turns on the kitchen faucet, drowning out my response.

I nod and look at my aunt. “You ready?”

“Whenever you are.”

I scoot my chair away from the table, and look at Wes before I get up. “Thank you,” I whisper, leaning in for a kiss.

“For what?” he mumbles against my lips.

“For this. Everything.” I smile at him as my heart swells with the love I feel for this man.

“Like I said, there isn’t anything in this world I wouldn’t do for you. Now, go have fun, and I’ll see you in a few hours.” He kisses me once more before he starts helping clear the rest of the dishes off the table. “By the way, my manager called this morning and asked me if I wanted to ride next weekend.”

“And what did you say?” I ask, a little nervous and concerned. I’ve never seen Wes ride before, and it would devastate me if something happened to him like what happened to his friend.

“I said yeah. All the proceeds go to charity. There was no way I could turn it down.”

“Okay. Thanks for telling me. Now I have a week to prepare myself for seeing you ride for the first time.” Did he really have to tell me this today? Now, I’m going to worry all week.

“Babe, I’ll be fine. I promise. Now go and have fun.”

“All right,” I reply before looking at my aunt. “Just let me get my purse.”





The massage chair in the nail salon kneads my back while my feet soak in the basin below. My eyes roll into the back of my head as I groan with relief. “I think this was the best idea you have come up with in a long time.” I look to my left where my aunt sits next to me.

“I know. I needed this, too.”

I nod, agreeing with her. “Me, too.”

“How’s camp been going?”

A smile tugs at the corners of my lips. “Great. It’s just gone by too fast. I can’t believe it’s the last day already.”

“Are you okay?” she asks, sensing something else is wrong.

“I’m just worried what will happen between me and Wes when this summer is over. I’m only here for another two weeks before I have to go back to San Antonio.” I groan, because I sound like a broken record, but I just can’t quit obsessing over this.

“Have you talked to him about it?”

“I’ve tried. Every time I bring it up, he finds a way to evade the conversation. I don’t know what to do anymore.”

“Well, dropping out of school isn’t an option.” My aunt reminds me that school needs to come first.

“I know.” I lean my head back against the chair and stare up at the ceiling tiles. “This so wasn’t what I was planning on when I came here this summer.”

“Planning on what? Falling in love?” I nod, turning my gaze to meet hers. “Oh, honey!” She chuckles. “No one ever plans on falling in love. That’s why they call it falling. It’s unexpected, scary, fun, exciting. Falling in love isn’t a bad thing. Many people wish for what you’ve found every day.” For some reason, I think she’s speaking from experience.

“Are you one of those people?”

“Yes. But my time will come. I decided long ago to quit looking for love, and let love find me.”

My eyes flutter open, and I just sit here for a few seconds, taking in my beautiful aunt who has given up everything for me. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“When Wes called me, I didn’t know who he was at first, but then he told me about the ranch and who he was to you. It made sense. You know, all of this was his idea.”