Page 4

Liv: We didn’t have sex. HE GAVE ME A PAP SMEAR AT THE CLINIC. I am *mortified.* All this time, I thought if I was ever going to see him again, it was going to be with long flowing hair and a dress and Spanx. Not jobless and hairy.
Della: On the bright side... it’s probably a good thing you two didn’t have sex considering HE’S MARRIED.
Henrietta: Wait... Fletcher’s a doctor?
Since it would take too long to text, I sent her a voice message explaining the massive and embarrassing crush I’d had on my brother’s best friend in high school and how he all but forgot about me since going to college.
Henrietta: I just googled him and found his pic on a hospital website. Hot damn. What did they put in the water here that makes all the men sexy gods?
Liv: First of all, you’re married to my brother. Ew. LOL Second of all. I don’t know but I’m so embarrassed. WHAT DO I DO?
Della: Just avoid him forever. You can do that, right?
I rolled my eyes at my friend, even though she couldn’t see me.
Liv: Maybe, except I agreed to have lunch with him.
Della: Alternate idea. Go and have sex with him in the parking lot. *smiling cat emoji*
Hen: *Face palm emoji*
Liv: You’re no help.
Hen: Why are you having lunch? Just to catch up?
Della: He’s going to admit he’s in love with you. Obviously. I saw the way he looked at you at prom.
I sent an eyeroll emoji. Della had this crazy theory that Fletch wouldn’t date me back in high school because he was afraid of Rhett. As if. Rhett never would have done anything to hurt him.
Liv: I will keep you posted.
Hen: *Popcorn emoji*
I smiled and set my phone down in my lap.
I’d find out what Fletcher wanted soon enough.
4
Fletcher
I said goodbye to Brenda, who was shutting down the clinic so we could take our lunch break, and then walked to the diner. It was about a quarter of a mile away, but with the May sun coming down, the blast of air conditioning in the restaurant was more than welcome.
I saw an open booth toward the back, but I had to say hi to Bora, the florist; Dan, the retired preacher; and Steve, the farmer who did more sitting around and talking than he ever did farming.
By the time I made it back to the open table, I wanted to bury my head in the sand. Living for so long in the city where no one knew my name made me forget how intense Cottonwood Falls could be. Everyone was family. And just like family, some of them didn’t know when to stop talking.
“Fletcher Madigan,” said a sweet older voice.
I glanced up to see Agatha holding a pad and pen in her hand. I’d seen her every Friday night after games and on half my dates in high school. Someone I was actually happy to see.
“You still work here?” I grinned.
She folded her arms across her chest, giving me a cheeky smile. “Lucky you and Rhett never burned the place down with all the trouble you got into.”
“Hey,” I laughed. “You probably have me to thank for the lack of fires.”
She chuckled, batting my arm. “It’s good to see you all grown up and handsome! Your dad said you might be coming back to town.”