Prologue
Prologue:
“Hey Aubry! I knew I’d find you down here.” My brother, Weston, pulls up on his ATV and dismounts.
“Hey, Wes! I just came out here to think.”
We live on a 500-acre farm. Daddy grows corn and wheat. Weston helps him work in the fields. We have some chickens, goats, pigs and a horse as well. Mama and I take care of the livestock. My mama is also one of the best home bakers in town. She has an award winning pie recipe that has taken many ribbons at the county fair.
There’s a pond on the property. The bank is so beautiful. It’s surrounded by trees on one side. On the other, I have planted several varieties of perennials. It’s my private happy place. I come here to be alone and think, basking in the serenity.
“I wanted to let you know that I spoke with Jackson.”
“Oh.” I say.
This spot has so many memories of my relationship with Jackson Lake. He asked me out on our first date, I told him I loved him for the first time, and it’s also where we made love for the first time on the bed of his pickup truck. I come to here and think of him more often than I’d like to admit. I think about what we had and what we lost.
“He’s moving back to town. That big house that they’ve been building on the Jenkins’ old farm, it’s his.”
“Wow. Big house for a single guy.” I wrap my arms around my legs and rest my chin on my knees and stare out over the water.
“It’s going to be alright Aubry.”
“How long Weston?”
“One week.”
“Ok, then.”
Weston sits down next to me. I don’t know how long we sit in silence for. The biggest mistake I ever made was falling in love with my brother’s best friend.
Jackson Lake is the only man I’ve ever loved. I haven’t seen him in years, but he’s never far from my mind. Now he’s moving home in a week.
