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Cam: HAWT *fire emoji*

I smiled at the phone.

Maggie: Thank you *heart emoji* wish me luck *fingers crossed emoji*

Cam: Good luck *four leaf clover emoji*

I tucked my phone in my purse, slid on a pair of sandals, and then walked out the door... to see Rhett already waiting in his truck.

6

RHETT

The early eveningsun caught all the gold in Mag’s dark hair as she stepped out of the house. A breeze added movement to her dress, making her curves that much more apparent. I had to press my lips together to keep my jaw from dropping.

But her lips fell into a frown when she saw me. She walked up to my truck, spinning her finger in a circle so I’d roll down the window.

When I obliged, she said, “How do you know where I live?”

“There was like one rental house in town.” I nodded toward her car. “And your car’s your favorite color.Cerulean. Wasn’t too hard to guess.”

But then my eyes caught the wind chime hanging by the door. My lips parted as I took it in, remembering where it came from...

“Gosh, I missed living in a small town,” she said drily, oblivious to my distraction. “Anyway, I’ll be driving myself to the diner.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Do you have no concern for the environment?”

She rolled her eyes at me.

“It’s not funny.Think of the fossil fuels.”

“If that’s your concern, we should be taking my car instead of your big-ass truck.”

I laughed slightly at her attitude. That was the Mags I knew. I turned off my truck, making her eyes widen.

“I didn’t mean to invite you to ride with me!” she said.

I shook my head. “Do it for the environment.”

With a huff, she turned and said, “Get in.”

I followed her to her little Fiat and opened the door. This had been a really bad idea. I felt like a clown getting in, my knees almost to my chest before I pulled the lever to make room for myself. My head was still brushing the ceiling.

“Comfy?” she asked, a smug smile on her lips.

“Could fall asleep right here,” I replied, despite the way my heart picked up in this car. It smelled so much like her. I was surrounded by the scent of honeysuckle and getting lost in the past. In what I wished our future could be.

She put the car in reverse, pulling onto the street and starting the short drive toward the diner.

“How’s Ray?” I asked.

Her dad was her favorite person, and it instantly showed in the relaxation of her shoulders. “He’s doing well. Just had to have a bunch of electrical updated at his house, which sucks.”

“That’s the worst,” I agreed. “I saw him the other day at the grain elevator, picking up a load.”

“He tries to stay busy ever since he bought his own semi and started working on contract,” she said.

“I saw a flyer for his services in the gas station,” I said. “Sounds better than driving to Rutlage before driving all day for work.” Her dad always used to leave so early in the morning to get to work. I knew because I used to be the one picking Mags up for school. Having her in my passenger seat, singing along to whatever was on the radio, was always the best part of my day.