A Town Called Valentine(108)

“Except when I’m competing with Dad. The team roping’s next. Dad’s the header, I’m the heeler.”

“So you rope each other?” She grinned.

“No, a steer,” he said, laughing. “Gotta catch him around the horns, then the hind legs. When he’s taut between us, time’s called.”

“Sounds exciting!”

“You can watch with my mom.” He lowered his voice. “Afterward, we’ll find somewhere more private to watch the events.”

She gave him a wicked smile and squeezed his arm against her.

He looked back at the barn. “The hayloft? We’ll be able to see over the competition fields from the window up there.”

“And we’ll be alone.”

“For a while anyway. Then I’ve got to show you how a man line dances at the big dance in the truck shed tonight.”

“The truck shed?” She covered her mouth as if hiding her laughter. “I knew about the dance of course—I made some beautiful flowers for the tables. But no offense, isn’t the truck shed where you house all the big equipment?”

“You bet. But the ladies have been getting it ready for a country dance, complete with lanterns hung like it’s the Old West.”

“Sounds romantic,” she warned. “You up for that, cowboy?”

“Yes, ma’am.”





Chapter Twenty-three



Later that night, Emily invited the girls back up to her apartment to sample some of the goodies that she hadn’t ended up entering, and to celebrate her winning the grand prize blue ribbon in the baking competition. She sat back on her love seat, watching them make small talk with each other, feeling a contentment with other women that was new to her. She savored it quietly as she ate her cookie-dough mini cupcake in two delicious bites.

Melissa pulled a chair over to her. “So did you think any more about the college stuff we discussed?”

Emily opened her mouth, but before she could answer, Monica said, “I think Emily has a career path she’d like more than college. She should stay here and open a bakery.”

Brooke gasped, then clapped her hands together. “That is perfect! When did you come up with that?”

Emily tried to speak again, but this time, Melissa interrupted. “A bakery?” she said, frowning. “Emily, you’re enrolled at Berkeley.”

“And is there something wrong with a bakery?” Monica asked her sister in an icy voice. “God knows you’re always quick to show me how you feel about a mere flower shop.”

Melissa’s brown eyes went wide. “What are you talking about? Your flower shop is cool, and I like how you’ve brought in the local craftspeople.”

Monica gaped at her. “Missy, you’re lying to yourself if you think you’ve ever given me the impression that you approve of what I’m doing. I know it’s not a big high-powered job like yours, but it’s tearing me up inside that you think I don’t measure up.”

Emily and Brooke stared at each other helplessly but let the argument between the sisters play out.

“When did I ever say you didn’t measure up?” Melissa hopped to her feet as if she could no longer stay still. “I’ve always been proud of you. It’s you who didn’t like what I did, wouldn’t even come with me to DC after college.”

“What do you mean come with you?” Monica echoed, throwing her hands wide as she met her sister nose to nose. “You knew I loved Valentine and wanted a life here. And you made sure I felt bad about my choice compared to yours!”

Melissa burst into tears.

Monica glanced at Brooke as if looking for help, but Brooke could only shrug and urge her silently with her hands to do something.

“Why are you crying, Missy?” Monica asked in a softer voice.

“I never wanted you to feel bad,” she said, between sobs.

Emily helplessly handed her a tissue, and she took it to blow her nose.

“Then why were you always talking up your job and the city?” Monica asked plaintively.

“Because . . . because . . . I wanted you to come with me!”

Monica’s mouth fell open.

“We went to . . . college together,” Melissa continued, gasping out her words, “and I just assumed we’d go have our careers together. But then . . . but then . . . you went home, and I went to a city where I didn’t know anyone, where I didn’t have my twin . . .” She gave another sob and buried her face in several more tissues she pulled from the box. “And I’ve been so lonely!”