Fall With Me (Sugarland Creek, #3) (37)
I’m relieved I got it written and sent out.
Now we just hope for the best outcome possible.
“Hey, Dad,” I call out when I see him on the four-wheeler outside the stud farm barn. “Whatcha doing?”
“Hey, son. Just ridin’ around to make sure everything’s ready before we go.”
“Yep, I got the stalls mucked and the horses fed. Then I wrote out a list for the ranch hands. Everything’s stocked and good for the next few days.”
“Great. Lookin’ forward to takin’ a few days off?”
I shrug, smirking. “Yeah, I’m not mad about it.”
He chuckles. “Ellie on her way there now?”
“Left yesterday.”
“Oh, okay. Well, I got somethin’ for you and your siblings. Don’t tell your mom.” He pulls out an envelope from his front pocket and hands it over.
Inside are tickets to the VIP Corral. It includes all-inclusive food and beverages for the duration of the rodeo.
“What’re these for?” I ask suspiciously. He’s never done this in all the years we’ve gone.
He shrugs modestly. “I know how hard you and your siblings work, especially training Ellie to get her this far, so I figured y’all deserve the best spot in the arena to support her.”
Wrapping my arms around him, I thank him for all of us. They’re gonna love it.
Plus, it’ll give us a front-row seat to watch Ellie up close.
The drive to Franklin consists of four heavy-duty trucks each towing campers. For three nights, I’ll be bunking with Wilder and Waylon. God help me.
But I’m looking forward to the break from daily manual labor, hanging out with my siblings again like old times, and hopefully watching Ellie win Friday and Saturday.
Once we’re set up on our lot, I check on Tripp and Magnolia’s camper, and then Noah and Fisher’s to see if they need anything while I run into town for bottled water and some beer. The shit they serve at the event is overpriced, so we keep extra at our campsite when we’re not inside.
“Actually, yeah. Can you grab a pack of wipes? I thought I grabbed extra, but I must’ve forgotten,” Noah asks.
“Like…Lysol wipes?” I ask, opening a note in my phone to write this down.
“Like…for your niece’s butt.”
Fisher’s gaze meets mine when he realizes I’m still confused. “Baby wipes,” he confirms.
I nod, typing it out. “Got it. Any particular kind or flavor?”
“Oh my God.” Noah’s tone tells me that was a dumb question.
“I’ll just get the first ones I find,” I confirm.
“Hey, you goin’ on a grocery run?” Magnolia asks, climbing into the trailer.
“Depends. Whaddya need?”
“Use small words,” Noah warns.
“Sorry for not havin’ a baby and knowin’ about that stuff,” I deadpan.
“Oh God, what’d you do?” Tripp chimes in.
“Nothing. Now what do y’all need?” I wave my phone around so she knows I’m impatiently waiting.
“Condoms, extra-large. Lube. Water-based. The strawberry kind.”
The ease of how fast she lists them off has me second-guessing if she’s messing with me or not.
“Had me there for a minute, but I knew you were lyin’ with the extra-large.”
Tripp throws me a dirty look, and I chuckle.
“I’m serious! His parents are keepin’ Willow overnight, and I didn’t come prepared.”
“I mean…would knockin’ you up be the worst thing?” Tripp smirks.
Magnolia’s eyes widen as she shoves him. “She’s not even one year old.”
Tripp shrugs, then points at me. “Then you better add it to your list.”
“No way, man. I draw the line with flavored lube.”
“Don’t knock it till ya try it,” Magnolia teases, licking her lips. “Mixed with the man’s natural scent it’s—”
“I’m gonna take Poppy and see how your parents are comin’ along…” Fisher grabs her from Noah’s arms and then excuses himself.
As soon as the door shuts, Magnolia and I burst out laughing.
“You two are embarrassin’.” Noah scowls.
“You’d think he’d be used to it by now being in the family for the past three years,” I say.
“I’m in this family, and I don’t wanna hear about my brother’s sex life.” Noah shuffles her suitcase around, trying to find room for all the baby shit they brought along. “Plus, y’all are his son’s age. It probably weirds him out.”
I lean against the fridge. “You mean more weird than you sleepin’ with his son before y’all met?”
“Alright, get out. All of y’all. I need to set up Poppy’s pack ’n play.” Noah points toward the door.
Tripp holds Willow as they exit, and I follow behind.
“Okay, for real. Do you need anything from the store before I go?”
“Beer and water?” Tripp asks.
“Already on it.”
He tips his hat. “Then we’re good.”