I quickly veer off to the right to avoid colliding with the plane, slamming on my brakes. The slick Alabama clay lives up to its reputation as I lose control and slide into the ditch. The plane touches down next to me and slows almost close to the main road. I look in the rearview mirror to see it come to a complete stop. Thank God it didn’t crash. Why on earth is it landing on the road? It had to be an emergency.

I try to back out, but my wheels just spin. I try going forward, and it’s the same thing. I’m stuck. I look up in the review mirror once again and someone is running toward my SUV. Oh, God, is someone hurt? I quickly grab my phone, not sure what to do. As the person gets closer, I realize it’s a man in a ball cap and shades. Oh, God, don’t let it be some serial killer or rapist who happens to fly planes. I make sure all my doors are locked and my finger is ready to dial nine-one-one.

“Are you all right?” The man taps at my window, scaring me. I look at him, and petrified, I hit the dial button on my phone. He stops as if sensing my fear and removes his shades. I recognize his face instantly. It’s Tom Sullivan. Quickly, I disconnect the call.

“Olivia?” he says as he tries to open my door. He puts his hands up in defense. “Olivia, it’s okay. Are you all right? Are you hurt? You don’t have to open the door, just nod yes or no if you’re okay.”

I immediately unlock my door and open it, ready to rush out, wanting nothing more than for him to take me in his arms.

“Hey, wait. Take it easy. Stay seated.” He squats down to stop me from getting out. “Did you hit your head? You hit the ditch pretty hard,” he says, eyeing me up and down.

“No, I’m fine,” I say as he softly touches my face and head, looking for signs of injury.

“I don’t see any signs of trauma. Let me help you out.” He stands and takes my hand, helping me out of the SUV. “Easy, this clay is slick,” he says, grabbing both of my hands to steady me.

“No kidding,” I try to joke. Once I’m steady, he releases my hands. I miss their comfort, instantly. “Are you okay?” I ask, concerned about why he had to make an emergency landing.

“I’m fine as rain. Are you sure you’re all right, though?” he asks again.

“Yes, I’m okay. What happened to your plane? Why did you have to land on the road?” I ask him.

“Umm.” He removes his hat, scratching his head. “Actually, this is not a road.”

“It’s not?” I look at him in confusion. Maybe I should be examining his head for injuries. “It sure looks like a road to me. Maybe not a great road, but a road.”

“It’s a landing strip,” he says, smiling at me.

“What?” I look at him, shocked.

“Yeah, the local farmers allow us to have some in different areas in these parts, just in case we have to make an emergency landing when we’re out dusting.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry! My GPS told me to turn left onto Goose Hollow Road.” I hope he isn’t angry, since it’s clearly now me who almost wrecked him.

“Those damn things have something against country roads. I quit trying to use them out here. Goose Hollow is the next road up, it has a sign.”

“Oh.” I sigh, feeling like an idiot.

“What are you doing out in these parts, anyway?” he asks, putting his hands on his hips. He is very sexy in his jeans and blue fitted T-shirt; his shirt is tight enough to accentuate his muscular arms and chest.

“Looking for a house for sale. It’s on Goose Hollow.”

“It must be the old Braxton house. That’s the only one I know for sale out here.”

“Old?” I ask him.

“I heard it’s been updated, but the house has been around from before I was a kid. Mr. Henry built it for his new bride Ms. Tessie back in the early nineteen forties. It was his wedding present to her. They lived there all their lives until he passed a few years ago. God rest his soul.”

“What about his wife?” I ask, enjoying his story about the house and becoming more enchanted with it.

“Well, Ms. Tessie stayed there as long as she could, but eventually, she could no longer take care of it or herself. Her family now has her settled in the nursing home in town.”

“Aw, that’s so sad.”

“Yeah, they visit her when they can. My mom checks on her often. She volunteers over there. So, you’re in the market to buy a home? Why not closer to town near the library?”

“I don’t know. I always dreamed of having a home in the country. Of course, I was thinking wine country at the time.”

“That’s right, you are a Cali girl,” he says, stepping closer.

“How did you know that?” I laugh.

“My aunt Sylvie told me.” He smiles, looking down at me. He is so tall and so dang handsome.

“Oh, that’s right.” I look up and return his smile. The butterflies have returned and are wreaking havoc on my stomach. I just want to touch him and feel his arms around me.

“You could have that here, too, you know,” he says, catching me off guard.

“Pardon me?” I ask as I shake out of the daze I’m in.

“Wine. We have some great local wines here. Are you sure you’re all right?” He chuckles.

“I am. I’m just wondering if Rick’s sister thinks I stood her up.”

“Rick’s sister?”

“Yes, Nora Cowen, she’s the realtor I’m meeting with about the house.”

“Nora … huh,” he says as his smile starts to fade.

“Yes, do you know her?” I ask him, sensing his change in mood.

“Well, we better get you back on the road so you can meet with her,” he says, avoiding my question.

“Okay, sure.” I’m disappointed about his sudden mood change.

“Go ahead and get back in. Crank it up, keeping your foot on the brake. Put it in first gear and let’s see if I can push you out,” he says, quickly changing the subject.

I get back in my SUV and follow his instructions. He carefully gets to the back and motions for me to roll down my window.

“Carefully give it some gas,” he yells.

I slowly put my foot on the gas, and watch as he pushes the car, but again, all I hear are the tires spinning. He motions for me to stop before stepping over to my window.

“It’s really stuck. I can’t budge it,” he says and I notice he is now covered with specks of red clay.

“Oh, no, it’s all over you,” I say as I open the door and get out to join him.

“Nah, nothing a little soap and water can’t fix.”

“So now what? Should I call a tow truck?”

“Hang on.” He holds his finger up and pulls his phone from his pocket.

“Hey, Red. Yeah, it’s me, you old coot. Listen, bring the tractor to the Goose Hollow strip. No, I didn’t break the plane. The librarian got her SUV stuck in a ditch. Well, I think she’s pretty but she is way too pretty for you. Besides, you’re too old. I’m not sure if she is single, you won’t shut up long enough for me to ask.” He looks at me, giving me a wink.

I just look at him, wondering who he is talking to.

“Yeah, you’re probably right, she’s too good for me, but I need you to bring the tractor out here, ASAP. The more time you spend bitching, the more the sun is going down,” he says before hanging up.

“Sorry about that, Red is an ornery old cuss.”

“Uh-huh.” I shake my head.

“Seriously, you just wait until you meet him.” He chuckles. “Well, I guess you have no choice but to wait, huh?” He chuckles again.

“Pretty much.” I lean up against my SUV and he comes over and joins me, doing the same.

“So, Ms. Olivia, while we wait on Red, let’s talk.”

“Talk about what?” I look over at him.

“I don’t know, anything, I suppose.”

“Can I ask you something?” I see an opportunity to take care of other business.

“Sure, ask me anything. I’m an open book, for the most part.”

“It’s about your mom.”

“My mom? What about my mom?”

“She’s Annie Sullivan, right?”

“Yes.” He nods.

“Amy told me she used to head up the local Friends of the Library.”

“Wait, who’s Amy?”

“My assistant.”

“Oh, okay. Yeah, I think she used to help Aunt Sylvie a few years ago.”

“I was hoping maybe I could talk to her into helping me out. I want to make it active again.”

“I’m sure she would love to help you. Maybe after we …” He pauses, looking down the road.

“We what?” I look to where he is staring and see a patrol vehicle with lights on, heading our way.

“What the hell?” Tom says as he stands away from the SUV and takes a protective stance in front of me.

The patrol vehicle parks close to us and a deputy quickly gets out. It’s Rick. “Olivia, are you all right?” he asks, walking right past Tom to pull me into his arms, like a protective boyfriend.

“I’m fine. What are you doing here?” I wiggle from his embrace, finding his show of possessiveness very rude. I look over at Tom, who looks less than pleased by his actions as well.

“Sis told me you were going to see the Braxton home. I was going to drop by when the dispatcher said there was a nine-one-one call hang-up out this way. What happened?”

“It’s totally my fault. I took a wrong turn. I didn’t realize this was a landing strip.”

“Couldn’t you have pulled up? I thought you were some kind of hotshot pilot? Did you have to drive her into the ditch?” He starts unleashing on Tom.

“Rick, it’s not his fault.” I quickly come to Tom’s defense.

“To hell, it isn’t.”

“You don’t know what’s going on.” Tom starts shaking his head.

“Well, I know from the looks of it, you ran my girlfriend into the ditch.”

“Girlfriend!” Both Tom and I say at the same time, looking at each other when we do.

“Don’t worry, honey. I will call Mike and he’ll bring his wrecker and have you pulled out in no time,” Ricks says, turning to me once again.

“Red is already on his way with the tractor. In fact, here he comes now,” Tom says.

“Well, that’s the least you could do, after getting her stuck.” Rick turns to him, letting him have it again.

“Fine, whatever. Olivia, I’m glad you are okay. My mom is currently out visiting my uncle Carl and his wife at the diner. Do you have a card and I will have her call you?” Tom says, looking more irritated by the second.

“Sure.” I reach inside the window for my purse and grab one of my business cards. “I’m sorry,” I say to him as I hand him my card. I have no idea why Rick is acting like this, but I’m sure going to let him have it after we are done.

“No worries. I’ll be sure to tell Mom to get in touch with you. I better get back to my plane. It was nice seeing you again and tell Mason I said hi.”

“I will, thank you.”

“Deputy Cowen,” Tom says as he passes him.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Rick asks me again.

“I’m fine, but I don’t care for the fact that you are referring to me as your girlfriend. We went out once.”

“I’m sorry, you’re right.” He looks over as Tom reaches his plane.

“What was that all about? Why were you so rude to him?”

“Rude to him? Trust me, Olivia, you don’t want to hang out with hotshot there. He likes to break women’s hearts.”

I don’t ask him what he means by that as we watch the tractor heading our way. First it stops at the plane and I watch Tom point in my direction, waving at me when he sees me looking his way.

“How does he know Mason?”

“He was at the air show on Saturday.”

The man they refer to as Red comes up with his tractor. He appears to be in his sixties at least, wearing overalls and a dirty green ball cap that reads Sullivan Aviation. He nods to both of us and quickly gets to business, hooking something to the bumper of my SUV.

“Damn foreign trucks,” I hear him mumble. He finally makes it back to his tractor before looking at me. “Miss, you better stand over there. It’s liable to sling some clay,” he says, pointing to the opposite side of the runway.

“Well, don’t just stand there wasting the taxpayers’ money, help me out, boy. Get behind it and push.”

I can’t help but smile as Red gives Rick a little taste of his own medicine. Red puts the tractor in gear, and just like that, pulls my SUV safely out of the ditch.

“There you go, missy. Now, be sure to turn around over there, in the sandy part, and it’ll be easy getting back on the road,” he says, pointing to an area I can turn the SUV around.

“Thank you. Can I pay you anything for your trouble?” I ask him.

“I wouldn’t hear of it. It doesn’t work that way in these parts. People just help people out because it’s the Christian thing to do.”

“Okay, well thank you, sir.” I smile at him.

“Anytime, Ms. Olivia, and you let me know if any of these boys give you trouble. You just call ole Red here, and I’ll take care of them.”

“I might just do that.” I laugh.

“Well, don’t just stand there, boy, help the lady into her truck. You boys have forgotten all of your gentlemanly manners.”

“Don’t you have a plane to haul?” Rick says.

Red shakes his head. “Pretty girl wasted on these knuckleheads,” he begins to mumble before pulling away from us.

“Don’t mind him. I think Red is going senile.”

“Seems like he is sharp as a tack to me.” I laugh.

“Do you want me to call my sister? She might still be there.”

“No, I think I’m just going to go home. I’ve had enough excitement for one day. I’ll call her and reschedule for tomorrow.”

“Hang on a sec.” He holds up his hand as dispatch starts saying something about a domestic dispute.

“Roger. I’m heading out that way.” He radios back. “Sorry, Olivia, but I’m on duty. Can I call you later?”

“Sure. Be careful,” I say to him. I will definitely need to have the talk with him tonight, after how he acted around Tom.

Rick gets back in his vehicle and heads out. He drives right past Tom without stopping. I’m not sure what the animosity is between the two and I’m not so sure I care to know. I get in my SUV and turn around where Red suggested. Before passing the plane, I stop and roll down my window.

Tom sees me and comes over. “Everything all right?” he asks, bending down at the passenger window to talk to me.

“Yes, I just wanted to stop and say thank you.”

“There’s no need. I’m just glad you’re okay. It looks like your truck didn’t get damaged, just dirty.” He smiles.

“Nothing a run through the car wash can’t fix.” I assure him.

“I’m sorry, Olivia,” he says.

“For what?”

“Before Deputy Enos showed up, I was about to ask you out on a date. I didn’t realize you already had a boyfriend.”

“Rick’s not my boyfriend. We went on a date. Only one date,” I add for emphasis.

“But you’re dating?”

“Like I said, one date … as friends,” I add for good measure.

“Only one date, huh? So, if I happen to call you sometime, would that be okay?” he asks.

“I’d like that.” I smile at him.

“Okay, then. Be careful going home, Ms. Olivia. I’ll be calling you soon.”

“I will.”

The rest of the evening, I keep my phone close, checking it periodically to make sure the volume is up. Maybe I’m getting my hopes up. That stupid movie and book have me dreaming of the pilot ever since I first saw him.

I tuck Mason into bed and quickly get ready to call it night. As I’m about to switch the bedside light off, my phone dings with at text.

Hi Olivia, it’s Tom. Is it too late to call?

I quickly text my response and wait for the phone to ring, hoping not to wake Mason.

I get a phone call almost immediately.

“Hello.”

“Olivia?”

“Yes, it’s me.”

“Hi. How are you?”

“I’m fine. How are you?”

“Doing very well, thanks. How’s your truck?”

“It’s just fine. How about your plane?”

“No issues. I could have taken off again, but it was easier to have Red pull me home. So anyway, I spoke to Mom and she would be happy to help you. She said she could drop by the library tomorrow at around ten o’clock?”

“That would be perfect. Thank you so much.”

“No problem at all. Listen, I don’t want to keep you, but would you like to have breakfast with me in the morning?”

“Breakfast?” I laugh at his strange request.

“Hear me out. I know usually a guy asks a gal out to dinner, but you have to work and so do I, and I like breakfast food better, anyway. So, what do you say?”

“Sure, breakfast sounds good.”

“Great. Do you know where Hill Top Diner is?”

“Of course.”

“Meet me there at around seven o’clock?”

“That sounds great.”

“Great. I will see you at seven, then?”

“See you at seven. Good night, Tom.”

“Sweet dreams, Olivia.”