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I waited, holding my breath for her answer.

“I wish I could, but my doctor is saying I really need hip replacement surgery.” Now she was blinking quickly. “I needed that sale money for my surgery.”

I hadn’t thought it possible, but I felt even worse now. “Rhonda, I’m so sorry.”

She held up her hands, cutting me off. Her eyes were red as she said, “I know you did what you had to do, but I can’t afford to wait for you to save the money. I need to find someone else to purchase the salon.”

My lips parted.

“Can you call your appointments and let them know you’re taking off at the end of the week?”

“Rhonda...”

She shook her head. “I have to figure this out for my own health, see if I can find someone to take your place as soon as possible. I can’t afford to have two people working here.”

I looked at this woman I loved, her chin held high, her eyes tinged with red, and knew she had no other choice but to be strong, even if I felt like falling apart.

65

RHETT

Maggie saidshe would come to my place after work, and as I cooked supper for us, I spent every second praying that she and Rhonda had come to a solution. That everything would be alright.

Please let it be alright.

I put the lid on the pot of simmering green beans and went to set the table. As I carried dishes from the kitchen, I heard the soft purr of a car engine. A glance out the front window told me it was Maggie’s car.

I couldn’t read her through the windshield, so I waited until she got out of the car, feeling like I couldn’t catch my breath.

When she saw me through the window, her lips tugged down at the corners.

That simple action almost brought me to my knees.

On shaking legs, I walked to the door, opening it, and she fell into my arms, already crying. “Rhonda said she couldn’t wait.”

“Fuck,” I breathed, ready to cry right along with her.

“She said I need to have my stuff out of the salon by the end of the week.”

Fighting to keep it together, I said, “You know what? We’ll open a salon in this damn house. I’ll call my brothers and they can help me tear out the dining room and build you a chair and a table and anything you need. I’m sure my boss will forgive me and—”

“Rhett.” She looked up at me, wiping her eyes. “I can’t do that to Rhonda. If her salon loses business, it affects the sale. She needs it for her hip replacement.”

“Well maybe we find out who’s buying it next and you see if they’ll let you work there?”

She shook her head sadly. “I’ve always wanted to own my own salon. That’s not happening here.”

“Then Rutlage,” I began.

“Already has four salons and a new one opening next week,” she said. “I already looked into that. And the next three towns. I spent all Sunday looking for options that would keep me here. Even a predatory lender wouldn’t give me enough to open the salon. If I could put Rhonda’s salon on a credit card, I would.”

“Let me buy it for you,” I said, my hands holding her face. She had to let me do this for her.

She looked up at me. “You planted that tree years ago, knowing you wanted that land to be your own. I wouldn’t ask you to do that any more than you’d ask me to give up the salon.”

“I wasn’t planning on getting it for another eight years!” I argued. “So what if I have to wait a little longer?”

She lifted her chin, just as stubborn as ever. “Goddamn it, Rhett, I told you I’m not taking that away from you.”