Page 56

“That makes a lot more sense,” I said with a chuckle. “I forgot about that.” I was beginning to relax, and it looked like he was too, one arm on the steering wheel, no tension in his broad shoulders. “What do you do with your winnings? Shopping spree?”

He shook his head. “Tuck it away for Grandpa’s land. There’s a reason I’m not driving a new truck or have any new furniture in my house. I have goals, and sometimes it takes sacrifice to reach them.”

My lips parted because I felt what Rhett was saying to my core. I related to him. “I get that. Saving for the salon hasn’t been easy. Especially since I can’t take as many appointments here. Not enough work for two full-time stylists in town.”

He nodded. “I think it’s cool that you bet on yourself.”

My cheeks warmed. “It’s been different, moving back home when all of our classmates have their own houses and families. In Austin, so many people room together because cost of living is high, but here? I can tell some people from our class look down on me because I haven’t accomplished more yet.”

“Fuck the haters,” he said. “No one has to live your life but you. As long as you’re good with it, that’s all that matters.”

I smiled, the action instinctive, natural. “You make it sound so easy.”

“It doesn’t have to be hard.”

I was quiet, thinking as he turned off the blacktop and went down a dirt road. Why did I make it so hard for myself?

“Have I been to this pond before?” I asked.

“Nope. We dug it out a few years ago to help water cattle and let them cool off in the summer, but we’ve been resting this grass so the pond’s all fresh and full of fish now.”

“Nice,” I said. “Do you remember that time we went ‘fishing’ before senior year? And you got that leech on your...”

He shuddered. “I’d rather not remember it.”

I laughed.

“I’m traumatized, okay?” he said, half laughing with me.

“You’retraumatized? You made me pull it off! I was seventeen!”

He laughed. “Serves you right for suggesting we skinny-dip.”

“I wasn’t ruining my first Victoria’s Secret.” I laughed too. But my throat closed up as we crested the hill and the pond came into view. “Did you...”

He drove into the pasture through the open gate and took us closer to the pond where he’d set the couch from his living room by the water, afghan and all. There were even end tables on both sides of the couch and a red cooler nearby. “You said you required seating.”

I let out a laugh. “I meant camping chairs or something. You didn’t have to do this.”

“Only the best for Maggie Ray.”

There was no helping my smile as he parked the truck. “Go pull up a chair,” he said. “I’ll bring you the fishing pole. I know you’re not touching worms with those pretty nails.”

28

RHETT

I’d haulthe contents of my whole damn house into a pasture if it made Maggie smile and laugh this way. Her laugh was so contagious, carefree. The one time my overthinking girl truly let go.

While she went to sit on my couch, skin dusted with early morning sunshine, I baited up a fishing pole for her. This pond had been stocked with catfish, so we’d catch a plenty. Maybe I could talk her into coming over to my place tomorrow for dinner so I could make her some of what we caught.

Once I had both our poles bated, I grabbed a couple beers for us out of the cooler and brought them over to her. She was standing on the edge of the water, her toes dipping into the dark brown sand.

From here, I could see the way her denim shorts hugged her ass, and it added a whole new element to the images I had in my head two nights ago. The images I knew would cross my mind tonight.

“Damn, you’re looking good,” I told her.

She turned toward me, her cheeks blushing, and took her beer and then her pole. “Thank you.” She took a drink from her beer. “I have to admit I was a little worried about what you’d think of me when I came home. I’m bigger than I was in high school.”