“Missed you today, “she said.
“Missed you all week,” I said, and she grinned.
“Did you do anything fun today?” she asked.
“Actually, yes,” I said. “I’ve been working on getting everything set for the Fourth of July party.”
The epic celebration was one of my favorite things my parents established years ago on the racing compound. They put together a Fourth of July event including music, food, activities, and custom fireworks. It was far smaller for the first few versions, but after twenty-three years, it had grown tremendously. Now they invited people from all over the community, and it turned into a massive celebration. We looked forward to it all summer.
“Ooooh, I love the Fourth of July party,” Lindsey said.
“You do?” I asked, pretending to be shocked by the revelation. “Would it be too forward of me to ask you to accompany me as my date?”
She managed to keep a completely straight face. “Wow, this is kind of short notice. I only have a couple of weeks. Let me check my social calendar and make sure I don’t have anything planned.”
“You do that,” I said. “Get back to me.”
Yanking her in for another kiss, I gave her a playful smack on her butt.
“Are you ready for dinner?” she asked.
“Absolutely,” I told her. “Do you have something special in mind I could make for you?”
“Actually,” she said. “I thought we could go grab fast food from a bunch of places, curl up on the couch, and watch some cooking shows.”
I gathered her closer in my arms. “That sounds perfect.”EpilogueVince - Fourth of JulyThe Freeman Racing family’s Fourth of July party was always epic. Our whole family was there, and the people who worked on the complex all brought their families as well. We invited various members of the community and it turned into a huge celebration. Each year it just got a little bigger and a little more amazing.
I was sure this one was the best one ever. Not only had we put together an exceptional spread of food, created a sound system to stream music over the complex, and came up with several new activities, but Lindsey was there. It wasn’t the first time she’d come to a Fourth of July party for the family. Nick brought her along several years. In fact, some of my most distinct memories of her from when we were younger were from the Fourth of July party.
But this was different. Much different. Lindsey wasn’t just at the party, and she didn’t arrive with my brother. She was there as my girlfriend, the woman I loved and who I wanted to spend my life with. And along with her came Remy. I was excited for him to experience the party for the first time. He had taken to me well enough that he clung like a little octopus and let me carry him around introducing him to everybody.
I felt a surge of pride. He may not be my biological son, and he might have a father, but that wouldn’t stop me from considering him my own as well. I wasn’t going to compete with Grant. And he had learned there was no room to compete with me. There wasn’t any need to. Just like any other child, this little boy could use all the love he could get. And now that he was going to be part of our family, he was going to get plenty.
I was holding Remy in one arm and held Lindsey’s hand with the other as we watched my family laugh and live and love. They all looked so happy. And I couldn’t help but notice Nick was there with a woman I didn’t know. One he hadn’t introduced to any of us. Any other time, I would carve out an opportunity to harass my brother. Especially after the way he treated me when Lindsey and I were first getting together.
But I was too content to do it. I brought Remy over to one of the quilts spread out across the grass in the large field, and we settled down onto it. As Lindsey dropped down beside me, I poked her with one finger.
“You go talk to him,” I said.
She looked over at me and laughed. “Why should I? He’s your brother.”
“And he’s your best friend. I think meddling girl best friend trumps brother in this situation,” I said.
Lindsey gave me a withering look. “I don’t meddle. I lovingly investigate and voice my opinion.”
“Did my mother teach you that?” I asked.
She laughed and leaned over to kiss me on the cheek. “I’ll be right back.”
I rolled over on my stomach to watch her with a soft smile. I was going to marry that girl. I knew it. I just needed to find the right ring and have the perfect time to ask her. Merry came up to the blankets and handed Remy a thick slice of watermelon. He immediately dove into it. Juice dripped all over him, making his face and hands sticky. I laughed. Then I looked back over at Lindsey.