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In fact, I think it insulted her more, because she threatened to put my picture up on the window as a banned customer and refuse service to me ever again.

Maya stuck her tongue out at the woman.

I only gave her a high five once we were outside in the truck. I couldn’t exactly leave Maya in the car, and she wasn’t old enough yet to go into the store by herself. So I got out my phone to call Rhett.

It was instinct, leaning on my best friend. But I felt awkward too because of our last interaction.

This was for Liv, though, a way to show him that I was putting her first. So I went ahead and dialed his number.

“Hey, can you come into town?” I asked when he answered.

“I’m actually at the bank right now... Do you need something?” The offer to help made me feel better. Maybe things weren’t as off between us as I feared.

“Yeah, I’m at the store and they won’t let me bring Graham inside.”

“He’s a dog,” Rhett said, nonplussed. “Of course, they wouldn’t let him in.”

“And you really think we could leave him in the car when it’s a hundred degrees outside? Our parents might have left us outside with the car running when they went shopping, but that shit gets the cops called on you nowadays.”

Rhett made a sound. “I’ll be there in five. I need to get a few things anyway.”

While we waited on Rhett, I wrote down a list of items I’d need for Liv, and he arrived in a few minutes, as promised. When he got to the truck, I rolled the window down, and Maya said, “Uncle Rhett!”

He grinned at her. “Heard you’re stirring up trouble. Good girl.” He reached past me and fist-bumped her.

I rolled my eyes at him. “Still a terrible influence, I see.”

“You know it. Now what do you need?”

I passed him the list of items, and he scanned it. “Tampons? You’re a little young for that, aren’t you, Maya?”

“Rhett,” I said, exasperated.

Maya only giggled. “It’s for Livvy.”

“Right,” he said. “That’s why she needs the... seven-inch, mega-thick tampons?” His cheeks were turning red. “You’re fucking with me.”

I fought to keep a straight face. “I’m a doctor, Rhett. You think I’d joke about feminine hygiene?”

He let out a grunt and said, “Be right back.”

Maya was playing a game with Graham in the back seat, trying to put barrettes in his hair, and I couldn’t help but laugh at how cute he looked. What would she do without that dog when she was in school all day?

After a bit, a knock sounded at my window, and I looked up to see Rhett carrying a couple of bags. Rolling down the window, I said, “That was fast.”

“You owe me fifty bucks,” he replied.

“Sure. Let me make sure you got everything first.” I looked through the bag and found a box of super tampons, frowning. “Rhett, these aren’t the right ones.”

The tips of his ears were already turning red. “I didn’t see any with what you said on it, so I figure ‘super’ was good... right?”

I shook my head. “Imagine a waterfall, gushing blood. Are you gonna walk out with a Dixie cup to catch it?”

His face turned green. “God, just stop talking.” He turned around and walked back into the store, and I had to fight laughter in case he looked back.

I waited a few minutes, just imagining the conversation he’d have with an associate, and when he came back out, he put both his hands on my open window, his face blushing red. “You asshole!”

“Hey, there are children around.”