Nicole woke the next morning with a song in her head. She stayed in bed as the lyrics to Respect by Aretha Franklin flowed through her head. She smiled and pulled the covers to her chin.

Her songs were back.

She was back.

She’d stayed up late last night, beyond grateful for the easy way Boone had forgiven her. She hadn’t quite been able to do that, and she’d stayed on her knees for a long time, trying to figure out if she deserved his forgiveness.

She’d been so cruel. So stubborn. So out of her mind.

She still didn’t feel one-hundred-percent like herself, but Boone’s last words had helped. I loved you once, Nicole. I know the woman I fell for is in there somewhere.

Nicole hoped she was. She’d prayed for it last night. Dreamt about a future with Boone. They hadn’t talked much more about heavy things. He’d taken her for a late lunch and told her about the animal hospital here in Amarillo. Because she feared the answer, she hadn’t asked him if he was going to stay.

But she didn’t want him to stay. So she stretched and reached for her phone, typing out a quick Breakfast? and sending it to him.

In Three Rivers, she’d already be showered and ready for church, only moments away from walking out the door to get to her parents’ house. She fought the urge to call Daddy at the hospital. She’d be going home today, and she’d stop by and see them both before she left Amarillo.

Her phone chimed several times, one sound almost on top of another. She glanced at it, and saw messages from Boone, as well as Gary, her oldest brother and Elaine, her sister.

She went to Boone’s first, because she knew it would put a smile on her face. Sure. I’ll come get you in a half hour.

She confirmed just as a message from Jordan came in. Her siblings had all gotten her message, obviously, and she wondered if they’d collaborated before they’d returned her text.

Gary’s said: What do you mean, Mama’s dying?

Elaine’s: I can help make the funeral arrangements.

Jordan’s: Is it really that bad?

No thanks for letting us know, Nicole.

You’re so great, staying there and taking care of everything, Nicole.

We love you, Nicole.

She sighed, only allowing the hateful, negative thoughts to linger for a few heartbeats. Her siblings were who they were. It didn’t matter if Nicole craved a closer relationship with them. It wasn’t going to happen—something she’d realized while sitting in the hospital room with Mama.

It didn’t matter what Nicole wanted. She could pray and pray and cry and cry, and Mama still wasn’t going to get better.

She released her animosity toward her siblings and answered their texts. I mean Mama’s in a coma and she’s not going to wake up.

I would love your help with funeral arrangements.

It’s really that bad. Clear some time in your schedule to come back to Three Rivers for the funeral. Soon.

Then she braided her hair and changed out of her pajamas. She silenced her phone so she wouldn’t have to do any more family business during her breakfast date with Boone. After all, she still had a long way to go to make things right with him.

She arrived in the lobby just as he pulled into the circle drive. Increasing her step, she practically skipped out to meet him.

“Hey.” He got out of his truck, leaned against it, and grinned at her. It was the sexiest thing she’d ever seen, and she lifted up on her toes and kissed him.

He chuckled against her mouth before properly kissing her. “So it’s a good morning,” he said.

“I woke up with a song in my head,” she said.

Confusion blipped through his expression. “Doesn’t that happen everyday?”

She shook her head and traced her fingers up the side of his face to his head. “It stopped for a while.”

He blinked at her and asked, “What’s the song for today?”

“Respect.”

“Ah, the oldies. I like that.” He lifted one of her braids and looked at it. “I’m sorry you lost your songs for a while. I know how much you love them.”

A thought entered her mind and burst from her throat. “I think I’m going to ask Pastor Scott if I can sing at Easter.”

Boone simply looked at her, his gaze even and his jaw tight. He finally said, “I’ll stay home that day.”

“You don’t think it’s a good idea?”

“The last time didn’t go so well, and I’m not interested in repeating it.”

A white hot knife of regret lanced through her. She’d really hurt him, even more than she knew. “I’m sorry,” she said, her lips barely moving with the words.

“I’m starving,” he said, looking away and changing the subject quite rapidly. “Where should we eat?”

“I don’t know. I’ve only spent a day or two in Amarillo outside the hospital,” she said, and he paused in turning to open the door.

“How do waffles sound?”

A smile swept across her face. “Waffles sound great. Do they have Belgian waffles?”

“I’m sure they do. A Belgian waffle you shall have.” He opened her door for her, and Nicole climbed onto the bench seat, grateful for another chance with Boone.

Six months later:

“I’ve got the lights.” Boone grabbed the box from the storage shed and dropped a kiss on Nicole’s forehead as he went into the yard. Warmth covered her from head to toe, the only cool spot where Princess Leia licked her shoulder.

She laughed and pushed the dog away. “Go chase Valcor,” she said. “I’m working.” She continued to dig through the boxes on the lowest shelf, searching for the garden gnomes Mama had loved. She finally found them and pulled the box toward her, feeling the gritty dust under her fingers.

As always, a pang of sadness accompanied the thought of Mama. She’d passed away before Easter, before Nicole had an opportunity to show her mother how brave she was—and how gifted.

Since that successful performance, Nicole had been singing in the church choir regularly, and never once had that paralyzing fear returned.

Boone had, though. He’d packed up and come back to Three Rivers without ever starting at the animal hospital in Amarillo. She’d asked him once if he regretted that decision, and he’d said, “I knew I wasn’t supposed to be in Amarillo.” He’d glanced around the dog park where they’d stood. “Three Rivers is home now.”

He’d tucked her into his side, made room for her in his life, kissed her like a man in love.

“Hey.” He poked his head back into the shed. “The bride just called and wants to know if she can have the bridge.”

Nicole heaved herself to her feet. “I’ll call her back.”

He filled the doorway and wouldn’t move. “I want to ask you something first.”

She dusted her hands off on her shorts. “All right.” She tucked an errant piece of hair behind her ear, feeling dirty from top to bottom.

He reached for her hand and drew her out of the shed and into the yard. She let him take her over to the orchard, where he’d hung the fairy lights for the wedding taking place there the following evening.

“Nicole.” He paused beneath an apricot tree. “I love you. I said I wanted to be the man who would be at your side when you couldn’t remember who you were. I want to tell you the story of how we fell in love.” He dropped to one knee, and Nicole’s heart did back handsprings through her chest.

“Boone,” she whispered, her hands going to her throat.

“Will you marry me?” He produced a ring box seemingly out of thin air and cracked the lid.

She didn’t look at the ring. Couldn’t look away from Boone’s beautiful dark eyes, so filled with love, hope, adoration, and more hope.

“Yes,” she said, laughter following. He rose to his feet and she launched herself into his arms. “Yes.”

He laughed with her and kissed her. Again, this kiss felt totally new, existing on a completely different sphere than any they’d shared before. Because now she was kissing her fiancé.