Page 28
Story: Hello Heartbreaker
She covered her chest with her hands. “That is so sweet.”
“Enough about me!”
“Okay, here goes...” She told me they stayed at the dance, spinning on the dance floor until they realized almost everyone was gone. Then Cooper took her to the water tower, and they sat up top, taking in the lights of our small hometown, talking about everything from how they grew up to what they wanted for their futures. She said she’d never met someone who saw life in the same way as her.
And then they went back to his truck and made love for the first time. When the sun started coming up, they went back to Rhett’s house, making use of his kitchen... his bedroom... his living room.
And then Cooper braved showing her his messy place.
I thought I might be sick when Cam told me about his toilet, but she had so many stars in her eyes, she didn’t seem to mind.
And to be fair, a toilet could be cleaned. A bad personality was harder to fix.
“I think he’s the one,” Cam said, sighing happily.
My eyes stung with emotion. “The one?”
She nodded and rested her chin in her hand. “Dad said he saw Mom walking by at college and knew it was her from that second. Maybe it’s in my genes to have a knowing in my soul.”
“I’m so happy for you,” I replied with a smile. All those years ago, I’d felt like Rhett was the one, and I hadn’t gotten that feeling since. Maybe it was just getting older and jaded. But Cam always lived with her heart wide open.
“So I need to ask you a favor,” she said.
I raised my eyebrows. “You’re not moving in with him, are you?”
She laughed. “No. But he did ask me to go with him and Rhett to an out-of-town rodeo a few weeks from now. And we don’t want Rhett to feel like a third wheel, so I was wondering if...”
“If I’d come along?” I asked.
She cringed, nodding.
I may have made some progress with Rhett last night, but an entire weekend with him? I wasn’t so sure how well that would go. “I don’t know.”
“Please?” she asked. “I promise I won’t abandon you. And if it’s terrible, we’ll just hole up in the camper and make them sleep in the truck.”
“Camper?” I asked.
She nodded. “Apparently, they drive this camper to out-of-town rodeos to save money on hotels when they can’t drive back the same night.” She chuckled. “But if you’re uncomfortable, we can get a hotel too. Please?” She linked her hands together, pleading. “Pretty please? With cherries on top?”
I laughed, pushing her prayer hands away. “Fine, I’ll go.”
“Yes! We’re going to have a great time. I feel like Cooper and Rhett are so fun together. And this camper sounds like a trip. They call it the—” She trailed off mid-sentence, seeming to decide against it.
“What do they call it?” I pressed.
She winced. “The Stabbin’ Wagon.”
What on earth had I gotten myself into?
15
RHETT
“Hustle, hustle!”I yelled at the girls as they ran around the bases during practice on Tuesday night.
Going around third base, Maya huffed, “Do. We. Have. To?”
“Extra lap for you, baby girl!” I said, grinning.
“Enough about me!”
“Okay, here goes...” She told me they stayed at the dance, spinning on the dance floor until they realized almost everyone was gone. Then Cooper took her to the water tower, and they sat up top, taking in the lights of our small hometown, talking about everything from how they grew up to what they wanted for their futures. She said she’d never met someone who saw life in the same way as her.
And then they went back to his truck and made love for the first time. When the sun started coming up, they went back to Rhett’s house, making use of his kitchen... his bedroom... his living room.
And then Cooper braved showing her his messy place.
I thought I might be sick when Cam told me about his toilet, but she had so many stars in her eyes, she didn’t seem to mind.
And to be fair, a toilet could be cleaned. A bad personality was harder to fix.
“I think he’s the one,” Cam said, sighing happily.
My eyes stung with emotion. “The one?”
She nodded and rested her chin in her hand. “Dad said he saw Mom walking by at college and knew it was her from that second. Maybe it’s in my genes to have a knowing in my soul.”
“I’m so happy for you,” I replied with a smile. All those years ago, I’d felt like Rhett was the one, and I hadn’t gotten that feeling since. Maybe it was just getting older and jaded. But Cam always lived with her heart wide open.
“So I need to ask you a favor,” she said.
I raised my eyebrows. “You’re not moving in with him, are you?”
She laughed. “No. But he did ask me to go with him and Rhett to an out-of-town rodeo a few weeks from now. And we don’t want Rhett to feel like a third wheel, so I was wondering if...”
“If I’d come along?” I asked.
She cringed, nodding.
I may have made some progress with Rhett last night, but an entire weekend with him? I wasn’t so sure how well that would go. “I don’t know.”
“Please?” she asked. “I promise I won’t abandon you. And if it’s terrible, we’ll just hole up in the camper and make them sleep in the truck.”
“Camper?” I asked.
She nodded. “Apparently, they drive this camper to out-of-town rodeos to save money on hotels when they can’t drive back the same night.” She chuckled. “But if you’re uncomfortable, we can get a hotel too. Please?” She linked her hands together, pleading. “Pretty please? With cherries on top?”
I laughed, pushing her prayer hands away. “Fine, I’ll go.”
“Yes! We’re going to have a great time. I feel like Cooper and Rhett are so fun together. And this camper sounds like a trip. They call it the—” She trailed off mid-sentence, seeming to decide against it.
“What do they call it?” I pressed.
She winced. “The Stabbin’ Wagon.”
What on earth had I gotten myself into?
15
RHETT
“Hustle, hustle!”I yelled at the girls as they ran around the bases during practice on Tuesday night.
Going around third base, Maya huffed, “Do. We. Have. To?”
“Extra lap for you, baby girl!” I said, grinning.
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