Here With Me

d people to get out of my head.

Switching off the table, I wave to the rest of the teens. “Be sure to mark your time. See y’all tomorrow.”

I haul the baskets to the office and the crates to the trucks. It’s another two hours of manual labor, hauling and lifting bushels of peaches. Sweat runs down my back, and my mind is lost in the repetitive labor, the heat, and my straining muscles.

Somewhere in the middle of it, Noel sends Dove out with a cooler of food. I eat in between working, and when it’s all finally done, I head to the house exhausted and ready to sleep.

After dinner, upstairs in my bedroom, I stand at my dresser. A cedar box is there, and I lift the lid. My medals and officer badges are inside along with a ribbon and an old monogrammed handkerchief. Under these items is a pistol. I lift it, turning it to the side to be sure the safety is still on.

A card falls out. It’s for a therapist in Nashville. Taron gave it to me when he got back, and I shoved it in here with the rest of the relics.

Turning it over in my hand, I think about Taron’s words. I think about the incident.

And I shove it back into the pile, lowering the gun and closing the lid.

11

Mindy

“You’ve got Ma buying more bees.” It’s Friday afternoon, and I’m sitting on the porch swing with Deacon.

He laughs, pushing us with his feet. “Why don’t you sound happy?”

He stopped by to give her buying tips before she got on the road, and now he’s heading to Dallas for the weekend. I’m having a beer before I make the special dinner I’ve planned for Sawyer.

Noel is a killer cook, but I’ve got Ma’s authentic Italian recipes. I’m baking an Eggplant Parmigiana he’s going to dream about for a week—I know I do every time she makes it.

“Your mom and Noel are sitting on a gold mine.” Deacon closes my mom’s portfolio. “I’m trying to get them to combine forces and go national.”

“Peaches and bees. Who knew?”

“The best ideas are the simple ones. Consumers like simplicity.” He rises, straightening his slacks. “And clean beauty products are huge right now.”

“I didn’t even know beauty products could be dirty.” I take another sip of beer.

“Speaking of dirty. You’re expecting company?” He slants an eye at me.

I don’t even bother pretending. Deacon knows everything anyway. “Yes, and thank you very much for getting her out of the house for me.”

“Does this mean you and Sawyer are officially together?”

“I hope so.” My chest squeezes at the thought. I really hope so.

“It’s about time. Although, what does this mean for your business plan?”

My nose wrinkles, and I’m almost embarrassed. “On hold. For now.”

A hint of concern flickers in his eyes. “I don’t like the sound of that. You told him about your plan, right?”

“Yes? Sort of…”

“Sort of?”

“He knows. I mean, of course he does. Everybody knows I wanted to move to Dallas. They all thought I was going with you.”

“Listen…” He’s in front of me now, and I stop swinging. “I’ve learned whenever you think people know things, they don’t. You have to tell him. Straight out.”

I’m frustrated by this advice. “That feels like a boner-killer.”