Page 7

I gotin my shower after work, rinsing off the dirt and grime of the day, thinking about seeing Mags for the first time in years.

It was great to see her, even if she was pissed at me. I might sound crazy, considering the butchered haircut and all, but being around her just confirmed that I wanted there to be more between us. This was my chance, the one I’d prayed for over the years, to make things right with her.

But I couldn’t do that if she wouldn’t so much as look me in the eye without wanting me to combust. And since I was better at hooking up than relationships, I knew I needed advice from the two most in love people I knew.

After I got dressed in fresh clothes, I texted to make sure it was okay and then I was on my way to Fletcher and Liv’s house. My brother-in-law was my best friend in the world aside from Cooper, but Coop didn’t know my history with Maggie like Liv and Fletcher did.

Their big white house appeared at the end of the dirt road, and I pulled into the driveway, getting out and walking around to the backyard, where I could hear Maya and Liv laughing together as chains clattered and creaked on the swing set. When I rounded the corner, Maya yelled, “Uncle Rhett!”

She rocketed out of the swing and ran up to me, hugging me tight, and I made a show of stumbling back. “Watch it, killer! Where did all those muscles come from?”

“Swim lessons of course.” Her dog, Graham, came bounding behind her, and she said, “Heel.”

He sat at her feet, pink tongue lolling out of his mouth as he looked at me. I scratched his brown and white fur and said, “I know your dad thinks he’s a mutt, but I’m pretty sure he’s a hundred percent good boy.”

Maya got to her knees, caramel hair falling over her face as she hugged his furry neck. “Yes, you are a good boy, Graham! Yes, you are!”

Liv walked up to us. As she tucked her short brown hair behind her ear, her wedding ring caught the light. “Hope you’re okay with hot dogs. I’ve been craving them like crazy lately.” I noticed her stomach just starting to show with the pregnancy.

I snorted, just as Fletcher came out of the house. “Tell your wife to stop talking about her hot dog cravings in front of me.”

Fletch rolled his dark brown eyes while Liv’s cheeks got pink. She hit me. “Grow up.”

Maya seemed confused but shrugged. “I’m gonna go swing.”

“Good idea,” Liv said with a smile. “Want a beer, Rhett?”

I nodded, going to the seating area near the grill while Fletcher started the food cooking.

“Holy hell,” he said when my back was to him. “What happened to your hair?”

I cringed. “It’s not that bad, is it?”

“No.”

I let out a sigh of relief.

“Just like my mullet wasn’t bad,” Fletcher added.

“Shit,” I muttered.

From the swing set, Maya sang, “Dad’s gonna wash your mouth out with soap.”

“Bullshit,” I said, “it wouldn’t work.”

“We could test it out,” Fletcher suggested with a laugh.

Liv passed me a beer and said, “My parents tried it on him years ago. I’m pretty sure he burped and farted bubbles all of fourth grade.”

Maya laughed, but I shuddered at the memory. “I didn’t come here to be retraumatized.”

Fletcher shut the lid on the grill and walked toward us, taking a beer from Liv. “What is it? Not that we’re not happy to have you, but usually you don’t come over on a Monday night.”

I sipped my beer and set it on the wooden patio table. “I saw Magnolia today.”

Liv nearly choked on her lemonade. “Why didn’t you say that earlier?”

Fletcher said, “She the one who gave you the haircut?”