Tulsi huffed. “And when was the last time I busted your booty, Clementine Rae? I’ve never spanked you a single time in your life, but if you’d like me to start, let me know.”
“Nope, nope, nope!” Clem stood on the seat of her chair and jumped into Tulsi’s arms, giving her a full arm and leg hug. “I missed you, Mama.”
“Me too. I’ve missed you so much, bug.” Tulsi hugged Clem tight. “Do you want to come home with me? Instead of going back to camp for the last night?”
Clem pulled back to shoot her an “are you crazy” look. “It’s just one more night. And they’re having a bonfire before lights out. We get to throw sticks in it and everything.”
Tulsi nodded sagely while Pike chuckled. “I don’t know what I was thinking. How could a boring night with Mom compare to an excitement packed evening of throwing sticks?”
Clem’s eyes narrowed as she smiled. “That’s sarcasm right there, missy.”
Tulsi grinned. “Caught me. Now give me a kiss and let’s go see if there are any wings left for me.”
Clem gave her a loud peck on the cheek, and Tulsi set her back on her feet before turning to see Pike watching her with a light in his eyes she knew she didn’t deserve. But maybe one day she would. Maybe one day she would have put enough love and truth into their relationship to make up for the secret she kept. Until then, she was going to keep reminding herself that all the good that was going to come of their fresh start was worth the growing pains of learning to live with a lie between them.
“You aren’t mad, are you?” Pike asked softly as they followed Clem to the buffet line. “She was so cute when she was begging for more wings, I couldn’t resist.”
Tulsi shook her head. “No, I’m not mad. But you’re going to have to learn to resist the cuteness sooner or later or she’ll rule you like a tyrant.”
Pike wrapped his arm around her waist. “I’ll try, but it’s hard. She’s diabolically sweet.”
Tulsi grinned up at him. “She likes you, too. But I’m going to wait to tell her about you-know-what until the next time you come to visit. Since you’re leaving the day after she gets back from camp, I don’t think she’d have time to wrap her head around us dating and intending-to-get-married right now.”
“Yeah, I was thinking about that,” Pike said. “Leaving is a dumb idea. I don’t want to be away from you again until I absolutely have to. I’m staying here until I’m either fit to play or you and Clem are ready to come visit the ranch.”
“Really?” Tulsi asked, excitement flushing through her. “You don’t have to go?”
“I don’t,” Pike said, hugging her closer. “But I can get a room at the hotel if you think me sleeping at your place would confuse Clementine. I can stay at Mia’s while she’s on her honeymoon, but after I’m sure I—”
“Don’t be crazy,” Tulsi said, waving a hand through the air. “You’re staying with me. I’ll explain it to Clementine when she gets home tomorrow. She’ll be excited. I know she will.”
“Excited about what?” Clem asked, turning around as she stopped at the end of the buffet line. “I have big ears, you know.”
Tulsi nodded. “I know you do, but we’ll talk about it later.”
“What is it?” Clem asked. “Are we getting a puppy?”
“Oh man, I want a puppy,” Pike said. “Why doesn’t this little girl have a puppy?”
“Don’t you two gang up on me,” Tulsi said with a laugh. “No more animals until Clem and I have a place of our own. I can barely afford horse feed as it is.”
“That reminds me,” Pike said as Tulsi filled a plate. “We should open a joint account in town. That way, anything you need, you’ll be covered.”
Tulsi opened her mouth to protest, but Pike cut her off.
“Don’t try to argue. What’s mine will be yours soon enough anyway, and I want to make sure my girls are taken care of.”
The sweet words were both wonderful and painful, but Tulsi decided to focus on the wonderful. Today was a day for happiness and celebration and she wasn’t going to waste another minute feeling guilty.
After Tulsi had her snack, she, Pike, and Clementine hit the dance floor, spinning in wild circles to the bluegrass band until they were hot and breathless and it was time to cut the cake. As soon as Mia and Sawyer were finished feeding each other the ceremonial first bite, Mia cut Clem a big slice. Clementine had just enough time to eat the entire thing and lick the icing off of her fingers before Tulsi’s father showed up in his pickup truck.
Dale had been invited to the wedding, but he’d begged off, citing the heat and that his wife was out of town as reasons he’d rather be in charge of picking Clem up at camp and dropping her back off. As Tulsi buckled Clem into her booster in the passenger seat, while receiving a lecture on the reasons she shouldn’t drink too much, including a reminder of the time she’d vomited in the bushes at her aunt’s third wedding, she was relieved she hadn’t had to put up with Dad for the entire wedding. So far, no one but Marisol seemed to think anything of Pike and Tulsi being joined at the hip, but Dale certainly would have noticed that Tulsi was spending all her time with a notorious womanizer.
Tulsi kissed Clem goodbye, promised Dad she’d be safe, and stood waving as the truck pulled down the drive. As soon as the truck was out of sight, she turned and hurried back to the party, but she didn’t make it past the corner of the house before Pike grabbed her and pulled her into the bushes.
They were still making out like they were kids again when Tulsi heard the sirens coming from the direction of town, but she didn’t think anything of them. She was focused on wonderful things and the bliss she found in Pike’s arms. It wasn’t until she heard Mia calling her name in a terrified voice that Tulsi’s skin went cold and the sound of the sirens filling the air took on a chilling meaning.
“Clementine,” Tulsi muttered, pulling out of Pike’s arms and dashing from the bushes, heading for the sound of Mia’s voice. She found her best friend running up the rise away from the tent, her cell phone clutched in her hand and tears streaming down her pale face.