Under Oklahoma Skies: An Only an Okie Will Do Collection by Becca Turner

Author:Becca Turner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Becca Turner
Published: 2023-10-27T00:00:00+00:00

Everly dressed in a long, teal blue tunic and dark brown fleece-lined leggings. She added a long necklace with blue beads and tiger eye accents and matching earrings, then pulled on her dressy Justin boots. Casual, but flirty. Her nerves rattled as badly as the exhaust on her pickup. She’d curled her hair and let it hang down either side of her face. Put on a dab of blush and a smear of pink lip gloss she’d bought on her way home.

This better be worth it. I spent like a dollar and half on this gloss, buddy.

A knock sounded on her door. Hands shaking, she went to answer it.

Donnie beamed at her over a small bouquet of red and white carnations. “Hi.”

“Hi. You’re right on time.”

“For you.” He offered the flowers. “Happy holidays.”

She forced a pleased smile onto her face. “Thank you. Let me put them in water and we can go. Come on in.”

He followed her through the doorway.

She’d straightened her living room and pulled back the black-out shades that she usually had drawn.

“You don’t have a tree.”

She cringed. “No, I don’t.”

“Are you Jewish?”

She burst out laughing. “With a name like Thibodaux? Not even close. I just don’t celebrate. It’s nothing against religion or tradition.” Her laughter died. “My twin brother died before Christmas a couple of years ago and I can’t seem to find my holiday spirit anymore.”

Telling him was like pushing a bamboo skewer into her heart.

“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that. It’s rough losing a family member this time of year.” Donnie shrugged. “Or any time of year, but I get it.”

“Thank you. Some people find it odd.” She entered the kitchen, drew a vase from a cabinet, filled it, then stuck the flowers inside. “A tree limb fell on him.”

Donnie’s brow furrowed.

“I know that’s what you were wondering. Sometimes people are afraid to ask. It’s been very difficult for me to talk about. It was unexpected. Our parents died in a car wreck several years ago. Not at Christmas. It was also unexpected, and it hurt terribly. Losing Sean, though, well, he was my lifeline and my rock after they passed.” She blinked back tears. “Sorry to be such a downer. We should go before I become a mess.”

A slow smile started across his face. “You’re too pretty to ever be a mess.”

Oh, honey. She returned the smile. “That’s kind of you. In fact, I’m such a mess, I haven’t even been out with a man since Sean died. So I’m not sure what I’m getting into here.”

“Nothing huge. A nice night out with a good guy who loves art. We’ll have fun, I promise. You’ll forget you were ever sad.” He glanced toward the door. “I left the car running so it would stay warm.”

She hesitated. Forget being sad? If only. She’d give it her best. “Let’s go.”

He escorted her downstairs and opened the car door for her. A little hatchback beater with rusty fenders and balding tires. Everly had to hide her laughter. A total college student car.

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