Page 5 of Unlikely to Stay
Chapter 2
“My love life is nonexistent.”
CC, Annie, and Breckin were seated around the fire pit on Annie and Wyatt’s back deck enjoying a bottle of wine and the Oklahoma sunset over Parker Lake.It was April, so the evenings were finally warm enough to venture outside as the sun went down without freezing to death.One of CC’s favorite places was in her best friend’s backyard.
Two years ago, Annie’s granny had died and left her millions of dollars in oil royalties.Annie decided to take some of those millions and buy Wyatt, at that time her boyfriend, his dream house as a surprise, almost ending their relationship.Eventually, Wyatt forgave her, Annie forgave him for a simple misunderstanding with his ex, and they moved into the dream house Annie bought.Parker Lake was literally their backyard—they had their own private boat dock and beach.If that wasn’t enough, the previous owner had installed a state-of-the-art outdoor kitchen, fire pit, hammock, and hot tub.All that was missing was an outdoor television, which Wyatt immediately purchased the second they moved in.Her friends had also installed a volleyball court on their beach.CC, being horrendous at any sporting activity there was, had taken her fair share of balls to the face on that beach.
“So what?You haven’t found Mr.Right yet.Your perfect match takes time.”Breckin, CC’s other best friend, said, pointing her toasted marshmallow on a stick in CC’s direction.“Trust me.”
CC rolled her eyes.Of course Breckin would say something like that.She’d been living in relationship bliss for a year with Griff, Kelda’s grandson.
“Blah, blah, freakin’ blah,” she replied, sticking her tongue out at her friend.“I’ve been living vicariously through you two for almost three years.My lady parts have probably admitted defeat, shriveled up, and died.”
Annie laughed.“I don’t think vaginas can die.”
“So says your well-worked vagina.”
Annie raised her eyebrows up and down and grinned.“You got that right.”
“I’m serious, guys.I haven’t been on a date in…” CC counted in her head.“Probably two years!People are going to think I’ve become a lesbian!”
“There aren’t that many good, eligible bachelors in our tiny town,” Breckin said.“Not unless you’re willing to date someone double your age.”
CC shuddered.No, thank you.
“Iknow someone she could date,” Annie threw in her two cents.“Too bad she’s too scared to even mention hisname!”
CC sighed.She knew what was coming.
“Oh, do you meanBrant?”Breckin said.
Annie nodded.
“No can do.I’ve been trying to get her to take a bite out of that man for quite some time.She avoids him like the plague,” Breckin said, shoving her marshmallow in her mouth.“It’s ridiculous.”
“No,you’reridiculous for shoving that entire marshmallow in your mouth,” CC grumped.“That’s a good way to choke.”
“She’s not going to choke,” Annie said.“Don’t you remember?She was the fuzzy bunny champion our sophomore year.Stuffed twelve marshmallows in that big mouth of hers.”
Breckin sent Annie a glare.“My mouf iz ot ig,” she said around the marshmallow.
“It is so big,” Annie replied.
“Guys!I don’t care how many marshmallows she fit in her mouth!I care about my lady parts dying on me.And if they don’t die, I’m worried about them forgetting how to functionifthe opportunity ever presents itself again!”
“Talk to Brant!”Annie said.
“Hit on Brant!”Breckin said at the same time.
“You guys!I’mnotgoing to talk to Brant Billings.End.Of.Story!”
Brant Billings was the nurse practitioner who took over when Dr.Harvey retired two years ago.Not only was he great with all the patients in Parker, or so CC heard through other people since she avoided going to the doctor like the plague, but he was also absolutely adorable.He had the intelligent and nerdy but still sexy vibe going.Tortoise shell glasses on his face, Sperrys on his feet, and a propensity to wear suspenders and bowties like an old man.On any other man of his age, it would look ridiculous.On Brant Billings…well, it fit.
She had told her friends time and time again that Brant was out of her league.Like the annoying asses they were, Annie and Breckin never listened.They didn’t understand a medically educated guy like Brant wouldn’t be interested in a simple cosmetologist like CC.Especially one whose mother was quirky at best and flat out weird the majority of the time.Candice Chandler was still living in the time of hippies, free love, and tripping on acid.CC always suspected her mother did a littletoo muchtripping.
CC didn’t even know why her mom and dad had ended up in the tiny Oklahoma town of Parker.CC knewwhyher family left Maryland.The night they grabbed all their stuff and threw it in the back of her mom’s friend, Vinny’s Volkswagen van would forever be burned in her memory.What she didn’t know was why her parents had decided to get out of Vinny’s van in Parker to make a home instead of continuing to California as planned.According to her mom, she saw the “For Sale” sign in the window of Janette’s Curls and More and knew the universe had led her to Oklahoma to cut hair.Like CC said…her mom was weird.
Much like she didn’t know why her parents ended up in Parker, CC didn’t really know why she followed in her mom’s footsteps to become a cosmetologist.Maybe it was all the days CC spent as a young kid sitting in the extra stylist chair watching her mom making other women look pretty.That was one thing her mom’s weirdness didn’t filter into.She could cut anyone’s hair and make them look like a better version of themselves.She was a magician with a pair of scissors.CC figured in some part of her mind she wanted to mimic her mother’s magic.