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I knew she was going to pry. That was her way. She always wanted to be in the middle of the gossip. Plus, I was her sister, and this was a boy she’d had a crush on forever. It made sense.

“Yes?”

“Is this thing really real?” she asked. “I mean, you and Jesse. Do you think you’re going to get married?”

“I don’t know,” I said, then shook those doubts away. “Actually, no, I do know. Yes. I think we will. I love him, and he loves me. It’s going to happen.”

“I love that you are so confident,” she said. “But I do have to, as your sister, make sure you are seeing things clearly. ThisisJesse James Galloway we are talking about. Known ladies’ man. Known for not settling down for more than a week with anyone. Ever.”

“Except me, now.”

“Except you, now,” she admitted.

“I know about his past, Tamara,” I said. “I’m not jealous, nor does it make me fear anything. Jesse loves me. He’s been waiting for me. This is real, and it’s going to end with us being old and gray together. But, honestly, for right now? I’m not going to push him to make some big gesture of commitment. I know it’s different from how he’s always been, and I don’t want to make him act like someone he’s not. It’s enough that we are together. I’ll take that.”

“I see,” she said. “I guess I get that.”

She seemed distant all of a sudden, and I turned to look at her.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said. “It’s just that… well, I spent my whole life pining away for these Galloway boys, you know? I’ve dated around, don’t get me wrong. I kissed my share of boys. But in the back of my mind, I always just thought I’d end up with one of them. Now both my best friend and my sister actuallyhaveended up with a Galloway, and I don’t think I will. It’s just… it’s weird in a way, you know?”

“I understand,” I said. “I think. I mean, I get expectations being thrown and all that.”

She nodded. “It’s fine,” she said. “If none of them give me the time of day, that’s just what that is. I’ll find my forever partner. Eventually.”

A car door shut outside, and I looked out of the gauzy curtain to see who it was. Walking across the yard, carrying a giant bag of corn feed, was Logan Galloway.

“What’s all that about?” I asked.

“Logan?” she asked. “He’s just doing a favor for Mom. You know how they all are. If they can be useful, they will. She bought a bunch of feed at the store yesterday and couldn’t get it home in her car, so Logan said he’d get it for her today.”

“That’s awful nice of him,” I said. “Were you there?”

“I was,” she said. “He asked me if we needed help.”

“He asked you?”

“Yeah.”

She didn’t seem to pick up what I was insinuating, so I had to be a little more clear.

“You mean, he didn’t ask Mom if she needed help. He asked you.”

“Yeah, I guess,” she said. “So?”

“And he came over with the feed, and is now just standing in the yard, looking around, like he’s looking for someone.”

“He probably lost his phone or something.”

“Tamara?” Mom called from the other room. “Tamara!”

“Yeah, Mom?” she called from the bed.

“Logan Galloway is outside,” she said. “He asked if you were around. I think he wants to say hi.”

“Oh.”