Page 30 of One Hot Texas Summer (The Prentice Brothers of Sweet Ridge #1)

E xhaustion had been Kelly’s constant companion since she walked out of the hospital waiting room and driven back to the shop.

Her mom had taken one look at her and put the closed sign up on the shop door.

The second Mom’s arms closed around her, she broke down in great, heaving sobs, relaying her confrontation with Tate in the hospital waiting room.

Once she’d stopped crying and rational thought returned somewhat, Kelly acknowledged that fear and worry were probably behind most of Tate’s words, but it didn’t make it any easier to deal with.

Her heart was shuttered with a pile of do not enter signs hammered across it. How many times was she going to allow herself to open up her heart, only for it to be trampled on? Well, no more. Those signs weren’t coming down.

Of course, her worst nightmare had also come to fruition.

Their argument had been observed by a couple of regular customers of Betty Lou’s Diner.

They were quick to relay their juicy gossip to anyone who would listen, and now everyone was talking about her and Tate.

God, she hated living in a small town sometimes.

She couldn’t go anywhere without someone tutting her for being insensitive to Tate’s worry about his dad.

Very rarely did she come across someone who had sympathy for her or her broken heart.

With the festival in full swing, avoiding people wasn’t an easy task either.

Then again, she had the excuse that she was super busy and couldn’t spend time chatting.

She had her group of friends that rallied around her and tried to keep her mind off Tate.

They’d informed her that his dad was fine and had only had a reaction to the medications he was taking.

She was relieved to hear that it wasn’t another stroke.

As far as she was aware, he was already back home at the farm.

Not that she’d seen him—she’d tried to avoid her contact with Prentice Peach Farm as much as possible, preferring to send one of her high school helpers than going out there herself to refresh the arrangements.

The thought of seeing Tate was too much for her to cope with on top of the festival arrangements.

Her cart displays had been a big hit with a lot of people who stopped in at the farm and then headed to town to see what was happening there.

By all intents and purposes, she should be happy that her idea made the festival a success, but everything felt hollow. At least she’d done something right for Macy.

Tonight was the final event. Macy was giving a big concert, and Kelly couldn’t summon up the energy to go.

The bell over the shop door tinkled with a new arrival.

Damn, she really should’ve put up the closed sign, and why was anyone coming to see her anyway?

They all should’ve been heading to the concert.

“I’m sorry, we’re closed. I just didn’t put the sign up.”

“Well, that’s good to hear. I was wondering if you were going to bail out and not come to my show.

” In front of the counter stood Macy, looking stunning and every inch the country rock star she was.

Her hair was curled and teased but still managed to look natural.

Her makeup was heavier than she normally wore, but didn’t look garish.

Her outfit of a flowy green top over a denim skirt that stopped above her knees looked effortless.

She’d finished her ensemble off with a pair of green cowboy boots to match her top.

“You look fabulous, Macy, but I was about to text you. I can’t keep my eyes open. I don’t think I can make it to your show.”

Macy crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. “You’re not doing this to avoid being around everyone, are you?”

“What if I am?” she responded belligerently.

“Everyone has spent the whole weekend gossiping about me and Tate. Talking about the fact that I’m the cougar of Sweet Ridge.

I hate being talked about. Why don’t they do something more constructive with their time?

Like start a community garden or go keep people company at the rehab center. ”

Kelly closed her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths.

Complaining about things wouldn’t make them go away, but being the brunt of the town gossip wasn’t high on her bucket list of things she wanted to achieve before she turned fifty either.

In fact, her worst fears about dating Tate had come to fruition.

But her heart hurt at not seeing him. She’d gotten so used to the text messages they sent each other.

How many times had she picked up the phone only to put it down again? They were no longer Kelly and Tate the couple. They were just Kelly. And Tate. Not that they’d been a couple for long, but long enough for her to fall in love with him totally.

“Look, Kel, I know you’re hurting. I’m not excusing what Tate said, but there were extenuating circumstances.

But I also know you can’t turn your feelings off.

Not when you’re in as deep as you are.” Macy grabbed her hands and squeezed them.

“Come to the concert. It’s the final event of the weekend.

After that you can go home and hibernate all you like.

I’ve already told Gavin I’m going to sleep for three weeks. ”

Kelly laughed and hugged her friend. “You deserve that sleep. You’ve done an amazing job. I’ve heard people say this is the best festival ever. And thank you for being a friend.” Straightening her spine and pushing out her shoulders, Kelly scooped up her purse. “Now let’s go to your concert.”

“Thatta girl!”

Kelly locked the door and wished locking away her feelings was as easy as keeping her business safe.

*

Tate took another swallow of beer from one he didn’t want.

Tyler had dragged him to Silver Spurs to celebrate the end of the festival and the fact he’d received a lot of interest from people around the area for his wine.

Tyler was excited for his launch in a couple of months—Tate wished he could get as excited.

“I should go home. Dad will be wondering where I am, and I’m sure Mrs. Hewitt would like to come to the town square for the last of the Founders’ Day celebrations.

” Tate wanted to get out of the bar as soon as possible.

Less chance of him running into Kelly, although that was exactly what he wanted to do.

He wanted to talk to her, but every time he thought about doing that he almost threw up.

Which was silly considering they had no trouble talking previously.

“Mrs. Hewitt is fine, Tate. She told you she was happy to sit with Dad. Although, I can’t say he was too happy about it. He’s probably being a grumpy ass to her.”

Tate chuckled, the sound rusty to his own ears. He hadn’t laughed much in the last few days. “You’d be right about that, so I probably should go and rescue her from Dad.”

“No.” Tyler slammed his hand down on the table.

“Stop trying to do everything yourself. I know I’ve taken advantage of you recently, and for that I’m really sorry.

I’ve been a shitty brother. We’ve already discussed how I should’ve stepped up more after Dad had his stroke.

I’ve been selfish and made you take a burden you didn’t need to.

But that changes now. I’ve seen how you can juggle everything I’ve thrown at you, as well as what you took on after Dad had his stroke.

I can do more at the farm while still making sure the winery gets the attention it needs with the big launch just a couple months away. ”

Tate stared at his brother. Kelly had said the exact thing; that he always had to take the burden of everything on his shoulders.

“Okay, what have you done with Tyler? Because this isn’t the Tyler I know and love.

” And for all their faults, he did love his brothers.

They’d all just gotten lost and their relationship fractured.

Tate liked that he and Tyler had done a lot of work over the last couple weeks to improve it.

Tyler laughed. “Yeah, I deserve that. But, seriously, I’m proud that you’re my brother.

But I’m not letting you go home tonight.

We’re going to go to Macy’s concert and we’re going to have a good time.

” He leaned forward. “I know that something happened between you and Kelly, and if I was somehow to blame, I’m saying sorry again.

The last couple of days you’ve been walking around the farm in a daze. ”

If only Tyler knew how hard it had been to keep away from the festival goings on at the farm.

Dad’s health scare kept him close to the house, and the only times he left were to oversee the final harvesting of the peaches.

Now that it was done, his life would slow down a little—which left him too much time to think about Kelly and how badly he’d fucked up with her.

Was it too late to fix it?

Tate stuck his hand in his pocket and fingered the bracelet he’d been carrying around.

Somehow the delicate piece of jewelry had become a connection between him and Kelly, even though they weren’t together.

He should put it away, back in his top drawer, but he felt if he did that then it would signify the end of what he and Kelly had shared.

He wasn’t sure if he could do that. But how could he win Kelly back?

Tyler elbowed him. “Come on, it’s time to go to the concert.”

Tate grabbed his beer and drained the contents. The last thing he wanted to do was be around people, and especially happy couples, but Tyler asked, and Tate could admit he wanted to spend some more time with him.

By the time they reached the town center, a huge crowd had gathered to hear Macy sing. Having a famous country rock star for a resident, one who’d grown up in Sweet Ridge, was a huge drawcard, and ever since Macy moved back and married Gavin, the Founders’ Day concert had been born.