Page 98 of If It's You

Maizie let out a breath. “Okay.” It might help to distract herself with thoughts of Mack. Mack had never hurt her. Emotionally, anyway. She still had a nasty scar on her hip from their first major disagreement.

Rob led her to the truck, his hand lingering a second too long on the small of her back.

It doesn’t mean anything.She pushed herself into the truck, and Rob drove silently back to the farm. Maizie was still confused about what they were going to do, but Rob was familiar with the farm, and he headed straight to the shed with four-wheelers.

“Come on,” he said. Rob had never been so assertive before, and Maizie didn’t know how she felt about it. She liked being the one in control.

“Okay,” she agreed. She hopped on her favorite four-wheeler, and Rob slid on right behind her. She froze.

What is he doing?

She took a deep breath and let out her annoyance in a huff.

“Where should I go?”

“Just drive,” Rob said.

She reversed the four-wheeler and pressed down hard on the gas. She sped down the dirt roads, the hot wind blowing against her face. The faster she drove, the freer she felt. They flew past Grandma and Grandpa’s house, and Rob’s hands came around her waist. Her first instinct was to shove him off, but she didn’t have a free hand to do so.

She drove the length of each field, barely slowing down to turn.

“Could we go back to your house? I have to go to the bathroom.”

Maizie had almost forgotten Rob was still here, except his arms were still lingering around her waist. Why were they there again?

“Oh. Sure.” She turned and drove back in that direction.

Grandpa’s truck was parked in front of the shed. But it wasn’t Grandpa. It was Christian and his family. And the plus one. They walked out of the basketball shed just as Rob and Maizie hopped off the four-wheeler.

Her hands shook. Why would Christian bring his ex-girlfriend to Mack’s court? Who was she to get a peek into a place that Maizie had only dared to visit again?

“Hey.” Rob acknowledged the group and slung an arm over Maizie’s shoulders. She was too angry at Christian to shove his arm off.

“Hi,” Christian said through tight lips.

“Ooh! Can we go on a four-wheeler ride again, Christian?” Caroline asked, and slinked an arm through his. “It would be so romantic in the sunset.”

Maizie wanted to strangle her.

Christian shook his head and freed his arm. “Maybe later.”

Caroline pouted and looked back at the two of them. “Who are you?” she asked Rob.

“I’m Rob,” Rob said. “Maizie’s boyfriend.”

The comment shocked her so much she couldn’t even move. Her lips parted, ready to protest, but he cut her off.

“Let me walk you back, babe,” he said, dropping his arm to lace his fingers through hers.

She looked at Christian. His fists were clenched at his sides, and he looked like he was ready to kill someone, but Rob pulled her away before he got the chance. She stumbled along behind him, trying to figure out what had just happened.

When had she given Rob the inclination that they were an item?

Maizie took slow deep breaths until they made it to the porch, before extracting her hand from Rob’s.

Maizie stopped walking. “Why did you say that?” She dove right in.

Rob let out a breath. “I’m sorry about that. I kind of got carried away.”