Head Over Boots - Jon Pardi

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The following days turn into us waiting for the apartment doorknob to turn and open, with Brooke walking in. It doesn't. The days turn into weeks, and suddenly, it's Thanksgiving break. We hadn't seen Brooke return once.

I peeked into her bedroom, seeing that her essential items were missing, as well as her suitcase and most of her clothes. I sat there and cried on her bedroom floor, sobbing that she couldn't tell her best friend she was having a child.

I tried to find her whenever I was at Colt's, but somehow she disappeared every time. Colt had seen her more than me. He'd tell her I missed her, and she said she missed me too, but why wouldn't she talk? Why can't you come home, Brooke?

She was rarely on social media, didn't come to sorority meetings, no football games, nothing. She was a ghost that wasn't even gone, just in hiding. Everyone asked about her, but we didn't know anything. We knew her biggest secret but would never say anything about it.

I was packing to head home for a couple of days for Thanksgiving, and Colt was still coming home with me. It was Monday morning, and we would return Friday morning for the football game, which he said we were still going to.

I was excited to go home so he could finally meet my family, though it was still a busy time at the farm. I'm not sure what we will do for four days in the mountains besides stare at the bare trees, but we will make do.

Colt insisted that he would drive, but I declined. I was driving since I was showing him where I lived and knew where everything was. I told him he could drive back since he wanted to drive so badly.

I was packing my car when Colt pulled into the spot next to me. He wore a plaid button-down with a brown vest and jeans. "Hey, baby," he cooed, wrapping his arms around me and kissing me gently.

"Hey, handsome. You ready?"

He grins, throwing his bag in the back and shutting the trunk. "Hell yeah, I'm ready." He climbs into my Jeep Grand Cherokee, looking around inside the car. "I guess I've never been in your car before."

"You know, I don't think I've ever driven you anywhere." I pulled out of the parking lot, and soon enough, we were starting our four-hour journey to let Colt meet my parents.

I wasn't nervous. My parents are super friendly; they have to be to run an apple farm since everyone wants to be the best. You have to kiss ass to be called one of Georgia's finest orchards, and that's what my parents had to do. We have had this farm for generations, and business has never been better. More people visit the North Georgia mountains yearly, exploring the tasty homegrown apples.

The traffic was steady this morning; most people were filing into town, not out. "What is Knox doing for Thanksgiving, do you know?" I missed Brooke more than ever, but I knew I needed to give her space until she was ready to tell her secret.

Colt shrugs, fingers over my knuckles, "I think his family and Brooke's are getting together and meeting."

I frown, "Wait, are you for real?" She should be pacing the floor in my bedroom while I calm her down about their family meeting. This is not how it should be at all.

"Yeah, he was pretty excited. He didn't say, but I know they're telling their parents. And then maybe they'll tell us after. It fuckin' sucks they're hiding from us."

Turning onto the freeway, I sigh, "I don't get why they'd hide it from the two people they trust the most."

"I mean, you gotta look at it from their point of view. They think so highly of us as individuals that they think we would shame them for this. We talk about the future and where we will be, but now it paints a whole other path for them." Colt always makes you see the other side of the story, which is why I love him.

My hands immediately grasp the steering wheel tightly, my knuckles turning white. Did I just say? Okay. I'll admit that I'm in love with Colton Dutton. I have been for a while, but I've been secretly hiding it behind the fact I only see Colt on the weekends, and I can brush it off during the week. My life drags on throughout the week, barely getting through the days I don't see him. I feel alive as soon as he pulls up with his dazzling smile across his face. He makes me feel alive.

"Jesus, Charlie, you good?" Colt laughs, breaking me out of my thoughts.

I smile, looking between him and the road, "I just never knew you were so wise; you're getting deep on me."

"Well, babe, we're on a four-hour road trip. The sooner you realize I'm a genius, the better," he laughs, "I've been through a lotta shit these past few years; I've learned a few things."

"I know I need to give her time, and she will tell me, but I want to do nothing but baby plan with her. I want to pick out clothes, paint a nursery, and read her belly books. I wanna do all of that," I whine.

He picked my hand up and kissed it, "Charlie, it sounds like to me you want a baby," he teased.

My cheeks immediately flush. Of course, I want a baby. It's on the post-graduate plan I made. Go to college, find a boy, fall in love, graduate, marry, have a baby, and grow up with the baby. I may have been pushing it when I said this had to be done by the time I was twenty-four. Maybe I'll push it back a year.

I wasn't sure if Colt and I would be together forever, but I hoped we would. We work so well together now, and I know it's just the beginning, but I just can't let a cowboy go. I mean, come on, they're rare!

I scoff at him, "Of course I want a baby. It's every girl's dream."

"Personally, I think we'd make beautiful kids. Your smart mouth and my good looks. Unstoppable."

I roll my eyes, knowing he is exactly right. He was gorgeous and would no doubt make the most beautiful children. "Well, I don't want a baby right now. Ask me in like a year."

"I'd at least marry you before I put a bun in your oven. Or at least try to. No promises. I want to give my kid a sick name like me, like Cash or Dallas." I bite my lip as he hints about marriage. Are we on the same page? I mean, who dates just to date? I'm here to find a husband, and I think I have found mine.

"Dallas Dutton?" I say out loud, trying to see what it sounds like out loud.

"Fuck, that's it. That's his name. I'm coming inside you tonight."

My eyes widen in fear, "Colt! You are not cumming inside me. That's it. I'm turning the radio on." I fumble with my car stereo, flicking through the SiriusXM channels to find a decent song to listen to and pass the time.

We were having a great time. I'm just hoping downtown Atlanta will be graceful with us. I know thousands of people are traveling just like us, headed to their destination.

"So am I gonna have to sleep in a separate room, or do I get to sleep with you?"