“I love you, Coll, baby.”
“I love you too.”
She positioned the pink cowboy hat on her head. She looked cute in a pink graphic tee, pink shorts, a long denim-colored cardigan, and my denim, peep-toe thigh high boots. The pink cowboy hat set everything off just right.
I wore jeans, a white button-up topped with a caramel-colored leather bustier, and caramel-colored thigh high boots.
“We look cute but do you think we’re overdressed?” she asked as I packed my cross-body bag with everything I would need.
“Nope. There will be a lot of tourists there, and tourists that come to this resort… they have money. And I know they’re gonna dress the part. You ready?”
“Ready.”
Beckham told me to meet him at the food trucks. I figured he knew the chances were that I would be hungry. I was only a little surprised to see him standing there with Bayliss.
Bayliss’ face cracked with a wide grin when he saw us. I could only guess that it was because he was able to see my mama’s thigh meat.
I ignored him and went straight to Beckham, giving him a big hug that I finished with a kiss to his lips. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
I turned to my mother, who wore a smirk.
“Beckham, this is my mother?—”
“The future Mrs. Strong,” Bayliss interrupted. “Your future sister-in-law.”
Beck chuckled as he shook his head. “I apologize for my brother.” He reached out a hand to her. “It’s nice to meet you. Should I call you Ms. Kingsley?”
“I just told you that her name is Mrs. Strong. Stop playing with me.”
My mother gave Bayliss what I considered a “love tap” on the bicep.
“Relax,” she told him before turning to Beckham. “Hi, Beckham. It’s nice to meet you. You can call me Alisha.”
Beckham nodded. “Sounds good.” He turned his attention to me. “You hungry?”
“I could eat,” I said before giving him a grin.
I watched Bayliss thread his fingers through my mother’s. “Let me feed you, Ms. Alisha,” he told her. “Tell me what looks good.”
“And on that note, let’s get tacos,” I told Beckham.
After we’d eaten, the four of us headed to the stage to catchLondynville Steele. They were my mom’s favorite country band, so I knew that we would be at that stage for the duration of their performance.
“Aye, Bay told me that he showed you some of Jackson Falls and the surrounding area today,” Beck told me, while my mother and Bayliss had their own private conversation.
“He did. He showed us the big box stores and an apartment complex and stuff.” I looked up at him. “Thank you for having him do that, Beck.” I pushed some hair behind my ear. “You make me feel heard and seen. You make me feel like you listen to me.”
“I definitely listen to you, Coll. Check it out. I don’t know what you’re used to, but I’m a man who was raised by a man. I don’t know any other way to be other than the way my dad raised me.”
“He did a good job.” I sank into his embrace.
After about thirty minutes ofLondynville Steele, I was kind of over it. My mother, on the other hand, was still grooving. She seemed content to enjoy the concert with Bayliss by her side, so Beckham and I blew the spot.
“What do you want to do?” he asked.
“I’ve never been to a ‘fall festival,’” I told him. “I want to do everything.”
