Page 82 of If It's You

“Thanks.” Maizie started walking without asking him for directions.

Stubborn girl. He let her lead the way, curious to see where she ended up.

They rounded the post office before she stopped.

“Aren’t you going to tell me where you guys parked?” Maizie looked back at him.

“I just figured you knew where you were going, princess.”

“I’m not a princess. In fact, I’m the farthest thing from it.” She flipped her hair out of her face and a piece of it got stuck to her perfectly shaped lips. Christian reached up and gently pulled it away.

“The crown says otherwise.”

“It was from prom.” She tucked her hair to the side and started walking, still in the wrong direction. “I didn’t want to wear it.”

“So you were the prom queen, huh?” He shoved his hands in his pocket and caught up to her.

“No, the first attendant.” The sidewalk turned to dirt, and she scooped up the bottom of her dress.

“So that would make you . . . a princess.” His eyes lit up with the realization.

“Ugh. You,” Maizie groaned. “Would you just tell me where the car is already?”

“Of course, your highness.” He walked past her, heading in a different direction.

She followed slowly behind him.

“Did you purposely park in the middle of nowhere?” she asked, a few steps behind.

Christian slowed so she could catch up, but she placed her hand on his shoulder instead and slid off her shoes.

“Much better.” She wiggled her toes in the dirt. They walked in silence, the car almost in view, and Maizie had fallen behind again. He looked back to see her halted on a spot of grass.

“What now?” He walked back to her. This was taking forever.

“There’s mud.” She looked up at him expectantly.

“And?” She was around mud, and worse, all the time on the farm. He couldn’t see the problem here.

“Hello, my dress.” She looked at him like he was an idiot.

“Hello, your feet. They were moving ten seconds ago.”

“Will you at least help me over it?”

“I’m sorry. Did you justaskfor help?Myhelp?”

“Ugh.” She stomped her foot in the grass. “I’ll just walk around.”

The puddle was more like a steady stream. She’d have to walk a block or two just to get past it, and he didn’t feel like standing in the sun all day.

He jumped over the mud and scooped her up in his arms.

“What are you doing?” Maizie screeched, gripping his neck like he was going to throw her in.

A month ago he might have.

“I’m carrying you, princess. So you don’t get your precious dress ruined. What else did you want me to do?” She was so light in his arms he didn’t release her once they passed the mud. He was afraid of the emptiness he would feel if he let her go.