4th of July

This bonus scene featuring Rose and Lincoln takes place shortly after Penny and Royce’s love story in Taylors of Copper Creek Book 2.

Rose Taylor

The second Rose stepped onto the fairgrounds, the smell of fried food filled the air.

She wasn’t anywhere near the food trucks yet, but she could already tell the festival was going to be epic this year.

No one could deny that food was the second most important part of Copper Creek’s annual Fourth of July celebration. Rose used to argue it belonged at the top of the list, but then Zeke Callahan decided to put his money where his mouth was.

Now the fireworks show was everything.

People came from nearby towns to see what he put together year after year. And the best part? Everyone had the perfect view no matter where they stood on the fairgrounds.

Except there was one even better place to watch the light show, and that was exactly where Rose planned to be when it got darker.

Her eyes swept over the crowd as people moved and shifted like waves. Children darted between adults, taking off toward the game area with red, white, and blue glow sticks clutched in their hands. A banner stretched between two light poles near the entrance read Copper Creek 250th Fourth of July Festival, the letters framed by painted stars and tiny flags that fluttered in the warm July breeze.

“Ellie! If you don’t keep an eye on your brother, you’ll be grounded for a month.”

Rose glanced over to see Ruby Baker with her hands on her hips, scowling after a girl who looked to be about twelve.

Ellie skidded to a stop and turned around, her face scrunched with exasperation. “But Dean is too slow. And Brooklyn promised to teach me how to win the baseball game.”

“I’m sure your Aunt Piper wouldn’t be happy to hear her daughter is preventing you from keeping an eye on your brother.”

Ellie groaned, throwing her head back, and Rose couldn’t contain her laugh.

Her reaction caught Ruby’s attention, and their eyes met briefly. The Baker family had grown a lot since Rose was younger. They were all married with kids now. All moving on to the next stage of their lives.

Soon their children would be driving.

Rose offered Ruby a small wave before hurrying to get lost in the crowd. Somewhere, Morgan Meyers was waiting for her. Their friendship was still somewhat under wraps, but after Penny and Royce’s surprise marriage, they might not have to hide it as much.

Off to her left, a large open field surrounded a platform where local musicians were playing. The speakers were loud enough to make it hard to hear anyone speaking, even if they were right beside each other. Morgan had insisted they meet somewhere a little quieter.

Past the concert field was where they’d set up the carnival games. It was a magnet for the local kids—even more so than the food trucks. Funny, because the deep-fried Twinkies had been the first thing Rose wanted when she came here as a kid.

Picnic tables were set up near the games, which was honestly genius. Parents could watch their kids while they ate. One table was filled with several members of the Callahan clan.

Rose slowed, unable to help herself. Their family was similar to her own. All sisters. All married. All starting families. They weren’t much older than Rose and her sisters, and yet they seemed ahead in the game of life.

Eloise leaned forward to wipe something from the corner of Shane’s mouth. Then she kissed him. It was strange to see their local celebrity and billionaire dressed down in khaki shorts and a polo. Then again, next to his brothers-in-law in jeans and T-shirts, he was still dressed up.

Rose let her focus linger on Shane. He’d changed a lot about how Copper Creek operated. Between his equine therapy services and the entertainment businesses he’d brought to town, it appeared he had it all together.

A life. A family. A job he clearly enjoyed.

She frowned.

That morning, she’d had a talk with her father about officially taking over the family business. Their farm had been in the family for generations. She’d known from a young age that she would be the one to carry the mantle. That was why she’d gone to college. Her business degree was supposed to help upgrade what they already had.

It was everything she’d worked for.

So why did she have this feeling that everything was about to go wrong?

Maybe she was just missing her mother. She’d passed away too soon. If she were here, she’d be celebrating with Rose, not letting her get inside her own head.

“There you are!”

Rose startled at the sound of Morgan’s voice. Her best friend pulled her in for a hug before drawing back. Her smile shifted into a frown.

“What’s wrong?”

Rose shook her head and plastered on a smile. “Nothing. Promise.”

Morgan arched a brow. “My brother didn’t do anything, did he?”

“Which one?” Rose shot back.

Morgan didn’t have to answer. They both knew the only brother brazen enough to target Rose was the eldest one.

Scoffing, Rose waved a dismissive hand. “He’s actually been quiet lately. Strange, seeing as the last time I let the goats loose at your place, he didn’t stop lecturing me for a solid thirty minutes.”

Morgan snorted. “You really have to stop doing that. One of these days, he’s going to snap.”

“Don’t worry about me. I can handle myself.” Besides, Lincoln deserved it. More than deserved it. He hated her on principle and for no other reason.

“Are you ever going to let it go?”

Rose glanced sideways at her friend. “For?”

“You know what for.”

Rose folded her arms. “What do you think? He ruined my favorite dress.”

Morgan grimaced. “I forgot you were wearing that when he pushed you in the creek. Wasn’t it right before Junior Prom?”

That night was seared into Rose’s mind. She’d gone out to the creek on the Meyers property before she and Morgan had become friends. There was a memory that tickled at the back of her mind, and she’d thought it might get clearer if she went to the place where it had started. She’d stared out at the creek that ran through Meyers land and had almost grasped the memory when Lincoln had appeared.

“Has he ever told you why he did it?” Morgan asked.

“What do you think?” Rose muttered. “He probably did it because I’m a Taylor and he’s a Meyers. You know how bad it was with your dad before you went to college.”

Morgan offered her an apologetic smile. “Yeah, I know.” She nudged Rose, clearly trying to change the subject. “Okay, so what do we want to do? I saw your cousin has a food truck now. Is he expanding the deli?”

Rose shook her head. “Jason just wanted to participate in the festival. He won’t use it except for special occasions.”

“So, you want to go there?”

“Nah. How about Sal’s? I hear they’re outdoing themselves this year. Deep-fried pie.”

“Pie?” Morgan’s brows shot up. “You’re kidding. How do you deep-fry pie?”

“Beats me, but it sounds amazing. Come on.”

Rose looped her arm through Morgan’s, and they headed toward the food. They passed through the market area where canopies had been set up over tables. Locals had the opportunity to sell handmade goods, like they did around the holidays and at the occasional farmer’s market.

Homemade jams, spices, and sourdough bread seemed to be the current favorites. But there were also booths showcasing local businesses, including Mateo’s farm dog breeding business. Out front of his booth was a small pen with about half a dozen puppies. It, too, was swarmed by children.

Rose caught sight of Charlie and Ash among them. Ash wore his fireman’s T-shirt. Somewhere on the premises, they had the firetruck. Rose wasn’t sure if it was there to represent the community or in case of fire.

Probably both.

As they passed, she overheard Ash speaking.

“The department wants one for local search and rescue purposes. When would be a good time to stop by and discuss the process?”

Mateo held a clipboard to his hip and nodded. “I have availability on Monday next week. Call and set up an appointment with Roman. We’ll get you taken care of.”

Their conversation faded as Rose and Morgan headed farther into the food area.

“Did you hear Wade and Brielle are expecting again?” Morgan asked.

“Keagan?” Rose asked.

Morgan nodded.

“What does that make? Four?”

“Five.”

Rose nearly stumbled. “Well, I guess that’s what happens when two people from big families get together, huh? The Keagans had, like, ten siblings.”

“Twelve.”

“You’re kidding. Where have I been?” Rose laughed.

Morgan smirked. “Guess your dad sheltered you more than mine did me.”

“To be fair, the Keagans weren’t exactly the kind of family my dad wanted his daughters hanging around. Didn’t Wade have a criminal record?”

Her friend nodded. “Yeah, but it was a joke. They were practically raising themselves. How else was he supposed to help take care of his family?”

Rose frowned. She hadn’t realized just how out of touch she’d been. Their town might have been small, but she didn’t know as much about some of the local families as she’d thought. She couldn’t believe Wade had carried that much responsibility. Taking care of all those kids when he was barely trying to survive himself?

Wasn’t that what she was expected to do?

Taking over the farm meant making sure her family and the people who worked for them were covered. If they didn’t have income, they’d all be lost.

Rose’s stomach dipped as her nerves increased.

Maybe she wasn’t ready for this responsibility after all. This wasn’t some simulation from one of her business classes. This was real life.

“There’s that look again.” Morgan’s concerned face dipped into Rose’s view. “Really, what’s going on with you?”

“Nothing.” Rose wasn’t ready to tell Morgan about her fears. Voicing them out loud would make them feel too real. She forced a smile and shifted her focus to the line of food trucks behind Morgan’s back. “Look. There’s Sal’s truck. Let’s see what this deep-fried pie looks like.”

Morgan’s frown didn’t waver, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she followed Rose to the truck. She ordered apple pie with ice cream on top, and Rose ordered peach. Then they took their pies to a nearby picnic table and dug in.

Rose did everything in her power to keep the topics light and happy.

“Do Penny and Royce know what they’re having yet?” she asked.

Morgan shrugged. “Do you think Royce would tell me?” She snorted. “He’s still a little mad at all of us for trying to talk sense into him.”

“To be fair, we weren’t on that side.”

Her friend pointed a fork in her direction. “No, but we didn’t exactly help, either. You and I both thought it was a stupid idea. Things could have turned out so much worse.”

“Well, I’m glad it worked out, even if that means your brother is my cousin-in-law.” Rose made a face. “At least it doesn’t mean I have to see Lincoln more than I already do.”

Morgan snorted. “Sometimes I think you like seeing him.”

“Yeah, I like seeing him lose his cool,” Rose threw out.

“Admit it. If he wasn’t around, your life would be so boring.”

Rose shrugged noncommittally.

Her heart fluttered at just the thought of seeing Lincoln’s truck show up at their property. And when he scooped Peggy into his arms to deposit her back in a pen, there was just something so… attractive about it. She despised Lincoln, but that didn’t mean she would ever deny how good-looking he was.

Morgan giggled.

“What?” Rose demanded, focusing on her friend once more.

Morgan lifted her brows and shook her head, which only made Rose wag a finger at her.

“No. Don’t do that. No dismissing me. What was that laugh for? You’re making fun of me.”

Morgan’s eyes danced with mirth. “I wasn’t making fun of you. I was just… thinking.”

“Thinking,” Rose muttered dryly. “About what?”

Her friend burst out laughing this time. “What if the two of you ended up being together?”

Rose’s mouth fell open, and a blush crept up the back of her neck. Whether out of fury or embarrassment, she couldn’t decide. It felt like both.

“What? Absolutely not. Your brother is fun to rile up, but I’d never agree to spend time with him on purpose. Ever.”

Morgan looked away, her smirk growing. “Methinks the lady doth protest too much.”

“Take it back!” Rose said with a laugh, throwing her crumpled napkin at her friend.

A gasp tore from Morgan’s throat, and she threw her napkin back at Rose. Then they both fell into peals of laughter.

For the next couple of hours, Rose felt lighter. She hadn’t realized how much she’d needed to let loose and laugh with her friend. But as darkness started to settle in and the crowd shifted toward the open area near the stage, Rose’s thoughts drifted back to the responsibilities waiting for her at home.

The mayor’s voice crackled over the speakers, thanking everyone for coming out to celebrate America’s 250th and promising the biggest fireworks show Copper Creek had ever seen.

A cheer went up from the crowd.

Rose tried to smile with everyone else.

The longer she dwelled on her problems, the worse they became.

She felt claustrophobic among all these happy, celebrating people while she was spiraling on the inside. It got to the point where she couldn’t breathe. She needed out.

Rose didn’t know how she managed to find herself at the edge of the creek on Meyers property. Everything leading up to her arrival was somewhat of a blur. All she knew was that staring down at the gurgling water gave her a sense of peace she couldn’t find anywhere else.

There was something about this place that still called to her, even though Lincoln had pushed her in when she was a teenager.

A groan split the air behind her, and she stiffened. Footsteps crunched over the rocks until Lincoln stood beside her.

“Please tell me you left your goat sidekick behind.”

She snorted. “Peggy doesn’t like fireworks, so no, she’s not here.”

Her voice must have given away how much she was struggling, because Lincoln didn’t fire back with another jab. He nudged her gently with his shoulder.

“Hey. What’s wrong?”

That was when she realized there was a tear on her cheek. She swiped it away with the heel of her hand and shot him a scowl. “Nothing. I’m fine.”

He scoffed. “Don’t lie to me, Spitfire. I know you better than that.”

“In your dreams,” she snapped, but it held less heat than she intended.

Lincoln didn’t move. Clearly, he wasn’t going to give up so easily.

Sighing, she cut him a look. Maybe he’d be able to help. He was running a lot of the show at his own farm. “My dad is stepping down. He wants me to take over.”

He remained silent, and she couldn’t decide why that bothered her so much.

She nearly stormed off, embarrassed that she’d thought he might actually care. Not that she wanted him to. She didn’t need anything from him.

Just maybe someone who understood the weight on her shoulders.

Rose was about to leave when Lincoln heaved a sigh and dragged a hand through his hair. “Yeah. That’s a hard step.”

She cut him another look. He was staring at the water, his face calm and thoughtful. “Was it hard for you?” she found herself asking.

He blew out a breath, and the look he gave her was so unguarded it stole the breath from her lungs.

“Yeah. But honestly, I think I worked myself up more than I needed to.” He looked back at the creek. “It’s a big responsibility, but you have to remember that you know this stuff. You grew up eating, breathing, and living this life. It’s not going to suddenly change just because you’ve been put in charge.”

That was probably the sweetest thing Lincoln had ever said to her.

Without thinking, she threw her arms around him.

Lincoln froze for half a second. Then he wrapped his arms around her waist. She could feel the beating of his heart beneath his shirt. Hear his uneven breath as he rested his chin atop her head.

Rose hadn’t known how much she’d needed his words until now. She wasn’t even going to question why they meant so much coming from him rather than anyone else.

The moment stretched, then shifted into something she didn’t know what to do with. She didn’t know what changed in the air, but she knew he felt it too, because his voice turned teasing as he murmured, “Careful, Spitfire. People might think you like me.”

“As if,” she muttered, starting to withdraw.

At the same time, he added, “You sure about that? Your racing pulse says otherwise.”

She tore herself fully from him, certain her eyes were flashing with fire much like the first burst of fireworks overhead.

“I’d never fall for you. Especially not after what you did.”

His smirk was infuriating, practically begging her to retaliate for prom night. He opened his mouth, probably to dig the knife in deeper.

She wasn’t going to let him.

Maybe she blacked out. Or maybe she was possessed. That was the only explanation she could come up with for what happened next.

Swiftly, she brought up both hands and shoved his chest.

Hard.

Lincoln was close enough to the edge of the creek that he lost his footing.

Down, down, down he went.

The explosions from the fireworks show covered the sound of Lincoln splashing into the water. Rose watched, her mouth falling open as he popped up and ran both hands through his hair, slicking it back.

That smirk was still plastered to his face.

“Does this make us even?” he called.

She considered agreeing. But then she remembered her dress and how it had felt to climb out looking like a drowned rat.

Rose lifted her chin with defiance. “Not even close.”

Then she turned on her heel and started away. But before she could storm off completely, she hesitated and inched back to the edge of the creek.

Lincoln still hadn’t even attempted to move.

“Lincoln?”

He tilted his head. “Yeah, Spitfire?”

“Happy Two-hundred-fiftieth.”

She strode away with her head held high.

Behind her, Lincoln called, “Happy Two-hundred-fiftieth to you too, Rose.”

And heaven help her, with that deep and sultry voice of his, he sounded like he meant it.

She… was in trouble.

Thank you for reading the bonus scene for Brielle and Wade! I hope you enjoyed revisiting the Callahans. Brielle and Wade’s story was one of my favorites from this series, and this is the first of many bonus scenes I’m planning to share.

If you enjoyed this bonus scene but haven’t yet read Brielle and Wade’s love story, click the button below to be taken to their book’s page on Amazon.