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MAGNOLIA

I finished closingup the salon and then drove to the Childers’ house on the outskirts of town. Camryn’s parents were well-off, her dad working in a cush government position. Her mom stayed home and took homemaking to the next level. The outside of their massive white house had stunning flower beds, cute little ceramic decorations, and even the numbers by their door were fancy—modern and lit at night.

Cam and I had spent so many hours together here that it almost felt like a second home to me, and I hoped I could make my own place look just as gorgeous someday. Her mom was the one who encouraged me to start thrifting, because she always said home is more than the place where you lay your head at night. It’s the place that sets the tone for your life.

Back then, I was longing for something that felt like the happiness I used to have with Rhett. I’d found so many beautiful wire art pieces at the thrift store near mine and Cam’s Austin apartment, along with junky items we could upcycle and use.

I opened my car door, hearing a truck rumbling down the driveway. Turning to see who it was, I caught sight of Rhett grinning at me through the windshield.

He stopped a few feet behind my car and parked. “Hey, beautiful,” he said as he got out of the truck and coming to give me a kiss.

I grinned up at him. “What are you doing here?”

“Guess the whole wedding party had to be here to plan for the big day.”

He wrapped his arm around my waist, walking beside me to the house. “Been a while since I’ve been here.”

I nodded, trying to think back to the last time I was here with him. “A week before you proposed. We had a going-away barbecue with our friends.”

He twisted his lips to the side as we walked up the front steps. “We played that stupid game... Over Under?”

I laughed, remembering the bet that had Rhett licking a tree stump. “How did you get those splinters out of your tongue?”

He shook his head at me as he reached for the doorbell. “Now I know why I forgot.”

The door swung open, and the older version of Camryn smiled at us, wearing a stunning outfit, a full face of makeup, and her blond hair piled atop her head and held there with a clip. “Great to see you two! Come on in.”

As we stepped inside, Rhett said, “Your home is as beautiful as I remembered, Mrs. Childers.”

“Oh, honey, call me Dina.”

“Short for Dinasaur?” he teased.

She laughed. “I haven’t heard that one in a while. Can y’all take your shoes off?”

I was already slipping out of my sneakers, but Rhett had to pause to take off his boots. Something about seeing him with his white socks, slightly loose around his toes, was so stinking cute.

“What?” he whispered to me as we followed Dina to the kitchen.

I shook my head. “Nothing.”

He was about to ask more, but we both were taken aback by the amount of people and things spread around the table. There were notebooks, piles of cardstock, pens, and a buffet of snack food.

Camryn and Cooper stood up when they saw us, but her dad and two older people I assumed were Cooper’s parents stayed sitting at the table.

“Surprise!” Cam said. “We’re getting married in two weeks.”

My eyes nearly bugged out of my head as Rhett said, “Twoweeks?”

Cooper nodded, and Cam said, “We talked about waiting, but I’ve always wanted to have a backyard summer wedding, and Cooper’s parents really want us to be married before the baby comes, so this is what we landed on.”

Cooper put his arm around Cam’s waist. “I woulda married her yesterday, so I’m fine with this, but we need y’all to help us address the invitations tonight, and the girls gotta decide on colors and dresses and shit—” At the pinched look on his mom’s face, he said “—uh, I mean, dresses and stuff.”

She nodded her approval.

I held back a laugh. “Let’s get going, then.”