Feels Like Home (Southern Bride 5)

Mindy giggled. “Lord, I don’t know how they handle it. The reporters and such snooping around. The only reason no one has put you with all those songs Anson writes is because he’s the male version of Taylor Swift, and he’s never mentioned you…at least not by name.”

“It’s because he had no reason to mention my name, silly.”

She shrugged. “Maybe. Or he could be like Sam Hunt 2.0. Didn’t he write a whole album about his ex?”

I laughed and shook my head as I made my way back to my setup.

As I adjusted the flowers and added a few more props, like my Currently Reading bookmark, the words from the song Mindy quoted replayed in my head.

“Sittin’ on the flat rock, that night we fell so in love. She is the only woman in my heart, the one I still pray for to the man up above.”

My heartbeat picked up a bit, and I tried to ignore it. When his first single came out, “Let It Burn,” everyone in Comfort talked about how the lyrics were about me. I didn’t leave the house for a month. Every time I did, someone would ask me what it was like to have an ex-boyfriend write a song about me. A break-up song. A song that basically told me and the town he grew up in to go to hell.

The line that had been repeated over and over to me popped into my head.

“Oh sweetheart, I will be your biggest regret. Watch me now, the crowds will shout. You’ll see what you let slip through your fingers, there is no doubt.”

“Asshole.”

“What was that?” Mindy asked.

“Nothing, I think I’ve got enough photos.” Turning, I forced a smile. “Will you be at the tea room today? The Comfort Hat Society will be in for their monthly afternoon tea. I heard their hats for April are going to be unique.”

She snarled her lip. “More unique than the hats made from armadillos that they showed up in last month? They couldn’t do anything for spring, like bluebonnets or something? No, they had to wear dead animals on their heads and act like it was appealing.”

This time I did laugh, hard. Mindy followed my lead. Both of us laughed so hard we cried.

“Oh, man, those hats were indeed ugly,” I said, when I was able to speak.

Mindy wiped her tears away. “To put it mildly. But yes, I’ll be there, so if you need any help, I got your back.”

I shook my head. “I got there early this morning and helped my mama and Terry with the baking. I think I’ve finally perfected my blueberry scones.”

“Good! I can’t wait to have one. I think I’m starting to get cravings.”

Mindy rubbed the little baby bump that barely showed through her flowy white shirt. She was five months pregnant, and as the months went on, the more excited I got to spoil her little girl. Or boy. Whichever. Secretly, I hoped for a girl, though. Because who wouldn’t want to have an actual tea party in a tea room with a little girl?

“Don’t most women have cravings earlier on?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. My mom said she never had weird cravings. Or any cravings, really. She liked all food.”

We both laughed.

“Are you going to the barn dance this weekend? That new band you like will be there playing.”

“Country Roads?” I asked.

She nodded.

“I’ll probably go. Maybe Drake wants to go too.”

My brother, Drake, had thrown himself into his job as a firefighter after his wife—the bitch who shall not be named for any reason—left him for another man. Drake was more relieved than upset. The only reason they had gotten married in the first place was that she claimed she was pregnant in college. Drake did the right thing. Turned out she wasn’t pregnant at all. Drake stayed with her in hopes they could make it work. Clearly, the divorce papers she had delivered showed that they couldn’t.

Mindy frowned and looked away. That was a crazy situation. The fallout wasn’t fabulous either. When Mindy found out Drake had married the bitch, she ended up saying yes to her good-for-nothing boyfriend. The baby hadn’t been planned and was a result of a night of drinking and partying at a mutual friend’s wedding.

“It would be good for him to get out,” I said. “Maybe meet someone finally.”

Mindy glanced at her watch. “I should head on home. Jim will probably be there soon. If I’m lucky, he’ll stay at work again until midnight.”

“Is he still not happy about the baby?”

She shook her head. “No. I really don’t think this is going to work. Me and him. I hate to say this, but I feel nothing for him. If it wasn’t for this baby…”

Mindy looked down and sighed.

“It’s going to be okay, Mindy. I promise. Always remember, I got your back too.”