Page 2 of One Hot Texas Summer (The Prentice Brothers of Sweet Ridge #1)

“I don’t know about that, Char, but I appreciate your vote of confidence.

Anyway…” She redirected her attention back to Kelly, and immediately Kelly sat a little straighter.

There was a glint of humor and challenge in Macy’s gaze, and she wasn’t sure she really wanted to know what her friend was about to ask of her.

“We’re going to change it up a little bit this year. We’ve decided to hold some events in the town square like always, but we want to have some of the vendors display their wares at another location.”

So far, it didn’t sound too onerous. It was fine by her to have her stand at the other location than the center of town. No doubt Macy had a plan to get people to and from both sites.

“That seems like a good idea. If you’re asking me to relocate to the alternate place, I’m happy to.”

“Well, that’s good to hear, but no, that’s not what I’m asking.

What I want to know is if you’ll oversee the setup at the other location.

You’ll have full control of where you want to place the stands.

How you want to decorate them. We’re going with a red-and-gold theme for the satellite site and the usual red, white, and blue for the center of town. ”

“But I’m not on the committee. Shouldn’t the person in charge of the other location be from there?”

“Well, yes, but I know you do most of the flower arrangements for the weekend, and I just think you have such a better eye for decorating than”—she lowered her voice to a whisper—“Mary-Beth Jones. God, I love that woman, but honestly, her sense of style is so outdated it’s not funny.”

Kelly had to agree. Mary-Beth was a much loved member of the community, but every time Kelly had suggested a different type of flower arrangement for the urns on either side of the stage, Mary-Beth had put her foot down and said, “ You don’t mess with tradition .

” So Kelly had done the same arrangements for the last few years. It would be nice to branch out.

Okay, so maybe the day was going to get better.

“I love the idea of being in charge of the decorations and the other location, but seriously, Macy, I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes. I’ll gladly assist, but it really should be a committee member who does this.”

Macy waved away her concerns. “I’m the chairperson. I can appoint subcommittees and others to help. I want you to do this. You know we need some new blood on the committee, it’s been the same folks for decades.”

“Well, sure, count me in.”

“Fantastic. It’s going to be so good. This year’s Founders’ Day event is going to be the best yet.”

“So was it your idea for the two locations this year? And isn’t it a bit late in the planning to go for two sites?” Kelly asked. Founders’ Day was held on the first weekend in August. It was close to the end of June, so not a lot of planning time.

“Umm, no.” Macy darted a look across to where Tate and Tyler appeared to be having an intense conversation.

And just like that the bad feeling returned. She had an idea of where the other location was going to be, and she hoped to God her intuition was wrong. Which it had to be because her intuition had never been right.

“Whose idea was it?”

“Well, you know the committee needs new people on it. Apart from me, Tyler Prentice took his dad’s place. He was the one who suggested the other venue.”

“Let me guess, the other location is the Prentice Peach Farm.”

Macy grimaced and nodded.

Damn, for once in her life, Kelly’s intuition seemed to be on point.

*

“No way, Tyler. Not happening.” Tate Prentice sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. “I won’t have the whole town traipsing through the peach orchards.”

“It’s not just your orchard, Tate. From what I recall, Dad still owns the farm—you’re just running it.”

Tate clenched his jaw until he almost broke his back teeth.

“That was a low blow, Tyler. I love the farm as much as Dad, if not more. I’m the one who has walked it over and over with him.

Not you or Trey. All you’re concerned about now is your vines.

You don’t give a shit about the peaches.

The very thing that has given you the ability to create the wine you’re so passionate about. ”

It would be so easy to walk out and leave Tyler sitting by himself, but the last thing he wanted to do was cause a scene.

Especially after what had happened with Kelly Turner basically calling him the town playboy.

A reputation he supposed he deserved. But he was done sowing his wild oats.

In fact, he hadn’t even gone on a date in three months.

Of course, looking after the farm and visiting Dad put a crimp in his social life, but he’d gotten tired of the merry-go-round that had become his dating routine.

But it still stung she thought his flowers were a kiss-off gift. Of course, he hadn’t explained why he purchased the bouquets to her, and well, fuck, he didn’t have to explain his actions to anyone. He was his own man and could do his own thing.

Like not agree to the asinine idea of Tyler’s to allow the Founders’ Day committee to hold part of the town’s weekend-long festival at the farm.

“Look, I’m really telling you as a courtesy, Tate. It’s a done deal—the committee thinks it’s a great idea, and Macy was excited to breathe life into the event. You know it’s been the same for decades. It’s time to liven it up a little bit.”

A sneaking suspicion wove its way into Tate’s mind. Tyler was so passionately defending it and trying to convince him it was the best thing since peach jam. “It was your idea, wasn’t it? And I bet it has something to do with your wine.”

Tyler’s expression didn’t change, but Tate caught the slight tic in his right eye. A giveaway he’d gotten something right. Tate wasn’t even sure Tyler was aware of the little tell, and there was no way he planned on mentioning it to his brother.

“So what if it was?” Tyler sat forward. “Look, Tate, I want this wine to succeed. I want to bring something to the family. Yes, this is my dream, just like Trey’s is baseball and yours is following in Dad’s footsteps and running the farm.

Wine is my thing. By having the festival at the farm, I’ll be able to create a little buzz for the business.

Even have a couple cases of wine for people to sample before it releases in the fall. ”

Tyler’s indifferent wall he’d encased himself in cracked a little, letting Tate see his brother for the first time in a long while.

Never would he have imagined that Tyler would all but beg Tate to do something for him.

Tyler had always walked to his own drumbeat, even more so since their mom had died.

Could he do this for him? Could he let the town hold part of its festival at the peach farm?

What would Dad do? That was the million-dollar question, because Trenton Prentice had closed in on himself as well after his wife’s death.

They all had. The Prentice family had splintered when Mary Prentice had died of a sudden heart attack.

She’d been the glue that bound them. He, Dad, and his brothers had yet to find their way back to being the unit they’d once been.

Life went on, and now Tate was faced with making a decision that would normally have been Dad’s.

He wouldn’t ask Dad’s opinion on this scheme of Tyler’s.

Tate wanted his father to concentrate on his recovery after his stroke, not on matters related to the farm.

And he was getting better, but the stress of having to play mediator between his two sons wouldn’t do him any good.

“You know Dad is due to come home soon. Don’t you think all the people traipsing around the farm will cause him undue stress?” Tate asked.

“It’s not like they’re going to go through the house. Besides, maybe seeing the farm flourishing will help his recovery.”

Tate highly doubted that, but this was his brother asking, and even though their relationship was strained, he would do anything for his family—including this.

Why argue the point, especially if Tyler said the whole committee had agreed on it.

The choice had been taken out of his hands.

“Fine. You win. I’m okay with part of the festival being held at the property. ”

Tyler smiled, a genuine happy smile, something he rarely did. “Thanks, bro, it will be good for all of us, I promise.”

“I hope so. Just don’t involve me too much, will you? Between making sure Dad is keeping up with his rehab and dealing with the harvest schedule, I won’t have time to mess around with things.”

Tyler fidgeted in his chair and couldn’t meet Tate’s eyes. “Well, here’s the thing. I’d arranged for a trip to California to look over the wineries there. See what’s happening and latest techniques. The trip has been booked for months. I can’t be the liaison with the committee.”

Tate felt like a bull charging a matador.

Just when he thought things between him and his brother might have a chance of changing, Tyler had to go and make it all about himself.

For too long, Tyler had been self-absorbed with his wine venture.

Tate totally understood the need to follow dreams, but not at the expense of others.

It wasn’t like Tyler didn’t know how busy this time of year was at the farm—hell, he’d grown up there and helped with the harvests.

“Why the hell did you volunteer our farm to host the event when you knew you were going to be away? What exactly are you expecting of me, Tyler?”

He shifted again, and Tate was glad to see his brother looking uncomfortable.

“Macy said she was going to arrange for someone to be in charge of setup and decorating the place. You’ll need to work with them to make sure you’re happy with the placement of everything.

It won’t take up too much of your time. The committee will be doing most of the hard work. ”

Tate scrubbed his hand down his face. This was getting worse with each passing second. “I’ll still need to oversee what they’re doing, make sure they’re not going to places where they shouldn’t be. I can’t believe you’re expecting me to do this when it was your idea.”

Tyler actually looked sorry. His normally stoic brother had shown him some chinks in his armor today. “I know it’s a lot to ask, and I know I’m being selfish making you deal with it all…”

“Ya think?”

“I admit I got carried away when I was at the meeting. I thought it was a good idea to showcase all that Prentice Peach Farm is. How we’re expanding.”

“Again, it’s all about you and what you want, Tyler. Everyone in Sweet Ridge knows exactly what Prentice Peach Farm is. I bet not once did you even think about what this means to me.”

Silence descended between them. He’d come to Silver Spurs hoping to have a nice lunch with his brother. Why had he ever expected that to happen?

Misplaced hope, that’s what.

But maybe if he did this for Tyler, it would be the start. Tate was ever the optimist, and it was his biggest flaw, too. He always left himself wide open to be hurt.

He looked around the room, and his gaze went to Kelly.

The pretty florist was laughing at something Macy was saying.

Tate had no idea what it was about her that drew him in, but he needed to get a handle on it.

There was no time in his life now to even consider a relationship of some sort.

Not that she’d give him the time of day after her earlier declaration. Yet…

“I think Macy was going to ask Kelly to be the liaison. She does all the flower arranging for the festival. Macy thought she’d be a good person to help with the setup.”

“What?” Had he said Kelly was going to be his liaison, or had he imagined Tyler saying Kelly’s name because he’d been thinking about her?

“Kelly Turner, the woman who thinks you’re the town playboy, she’s going to be the one you will be working with.”

“Great,” he muttered. How much more complicated was this event going to get?