Page 60 of Teach Me How

“He tried to win the entire estate?”

Dad nods. “He wanted everything.”

My dad is many things, but a liar isn’t one of them. If Uncle Don really was trying to take the entire farm, I can understand why they have lingering resentment towards him. “Why’d you let it get to that point? Why not split things up fair and square before he ever took it to court?”

Dad frowns. “We were trying to honor your grandpa’s wishes. It’s called loyalty, son. Maybe someday you’ll understand the meaning of it.”

Someday? How about today? And yesterday and all the days I’ve spent rotting away in a one-stoplight town?

He’s right to think I don’t understand it. Not his version of it, anyway.

I was taught you stay loyal to family, come hell or high water. But that didn’t apply to Don. Would they dump me too if I committed some imagined sin they couldn’t get over?

This loyalty he speaks of is a one-way road.

39.

Reese

Halloween has historically been a cozy, if unexciting, event for me. Growing up in the country, we never got trick-or-treaters. Our church obviously never celebrated the holiday. Some parents even boycotted it. Silver Bend hosts the annual Harvest Festival instead.

Even in college, I spent the night watching scary movies in my dorm room, while the other girls got ready for a night at the bars.

I had some serious sexy costume envy.

When Skyler invited me to a costume ball, it was like I was getting a do-over. It’s not just a frozen bar crawl in a skimpy dress, it’s a costume ball. Full stop.

…In a skimpy dress.

I didn’t think twice about what I wanted to wear when I was getting ready. I’ve been fantasizing about dressing up for a party like this for years.

But now that we’re walking up to the country club, I’m starting to second guess myself. We passed a chicken and a Frankenstein in the parking lot, and I’m wondering if I misunderstood the assignment. This is a charity event and I’m pretty sure Skyler intended to do some networking while we’re here. If I was smart, I would do the same thing.

But I’m the girl who wanted to wear something sexy.

Maybe I should have gone with the Kim Possible costume.

The closer we get, the faster my heart beats. I’m having flashbacks to that night after the game and that handsy asshole. Nobody would bother me here, would they? Skyler is completely unaware. He holds the door open for me, ushering me in with a hand on the small of my back. I pull my coat closer to my body with one hand, a paper bag in the other.

I criticized his original costume idea, a cowboy hat with regular clothes, so he let me choose for him.

I’ve been keeping it a surprise, and remarkably, he’s letting me.

We stop at the coat check, and I watch him pull off his thick wool coat.

My only instructions were to wear a white shirt, and he surprised me by wearing a crisp, white button-down and black trousers.

He steps around me, slipping my coat from my shoulders. It’s just a white bodycon dress, but the ultra-short skirt and spaghetti-thin straps reveal more skin than I’m used to. I can feel the heat of his gaze on my neck. Bending down to distract myself, I fish a pair of fuzzy bunny ears from the paper bag. Fitting them over my loosely curled hair, I turn to him and hold out my hands. “Voila.”

He just stares at me.

My cheeks heat and my palms start to sweat. “I’m a bunny.”

“I can see that.” His voice is low and husky. He snakes a hand around my waist and tugs me against his hips. “I have a new suggestion. Let’s skip the party and go straight to Cody’s place.”

I frown. “Cody’s place?”

Skyler’s nose trails along my neck, sending shivers spiraling down my spine. “He’s gone for the weekend.”