“Who you texting?” Whit asks from her seat beside me. Kinley and Olivia are up front.
Olivia turns to look at me. “My brother?” she asks, excitement in her voice.
My face heats. “He offered to keep me company tonight while all of you are snuggled up with your significant others,” I respond, trying for nonchalant and failing miserably.
“He’s a great guy,” Kinley says quickly, meeting my eyes in the rearview mirror before looking back at the road.
“He is.” Whitney reaches over and squeezes my hand. “He’s also easy on the eyes,” she giggles.
My best friend is so damn happy here.
“Ewww,” Liv laughs, while Kinley nods her agreement. “But for the sake of wanting to see him happy, he’s a handsome man. I mean, he is my brother, after all.” She grins.
That has us all laughing at her. “It’s just two people hanging out. I go back home tomorrow. I’m a city girl, and you can’t take that boy out of the country.”
“You know, a year ago I would’ve agreed with you,” Whit says from beside me. “Now?” She looks down at the diamond shining on her finger. “Now all I can say is to keep your mind and your heart open. Life is full of surprises, and if you keep yourself closed off, you’ll never be able to experience the miracles it sends your way.”
“Listen to you, all philosophical,” Liv teases.
“Love does that to you,” Whit says.
Kinley pulls into the driveway and puts her SUV in Park. Aaron walks out on the wraparound porch with Walker on his hip, Evan right behind him holding Lex. She turns in her seat to face us. “He loves you,” she tells Whit. “I’ve never seen him this happy. Thank you for that.”
“I love him too, more than I could ever put into words.”
“She’s right, you know,” Kinley says to me. “I never would’ve thought this is where life would’ve led me, but look at me now. That man”—she points over her shoulder—“and those kids are everything to me.”
“He’s into you,” Liv says. “Ever since you visited back in the summer. He’s never admitted it, but he doesn’t have to. I see the way he listens intently when your name is brought up, the way his eyes sparkle when I tell him to reach out to you.”
“Guys, come on. I know he’s a great guy, but it’s just not possible to be more.”
“Never say never, my friend,” Whit says just as there’s a knock on the window.
Turning our heads, we see Aaron standing at the driver window, baby Walker tapping on the glass and wearing a huge grin.
“He’s the cutest,” Whit laughs.
“Looks like girls’ day is over,” Liv says. “I need to get going anyway. David’s waiting on me at my place.”
“Thanks for today,” Whitney gushes. “I’m so excited to have the three of you be a part of this.”
“We love you,” we all say in unison, laughing as we do.
After our goodbyes, Whit, Aaron and I wave from the steps. “I guess I should go freshen up,” I say.
“Y’all are more than welcome to hang out here,” Whitney offers.
“Look at you.” I grin.
“What?” she asks, confused.
“You said y’all,” I point out. “Your country is showing.”
“You’re damn right,” Aaron says, pulling her into his chest and placing a kiss on the top of her head. “This is where you belong,” he murmurs.
“I think we’re just going to drive around, maybe hang out at his place, watch a movie or something.”
“Well, the offer is there. Make yourself at home.”
“Thanks. I need to get moving. He’ll be here in fifteen minutes.” I rush inside, pull off my boots and race up the stairs, freshening up as quickly as I can. I’m still in my yoga pants and sweater and decide that will have to do. It’s comfortable, and we’re just hanging out at his place. I added that part about the drive for Whit and Aaron. Why, I don’t know.
I hear a truck pull up and know it’s him. With one last look in the mirror, I rush back down the steps, slide into my knee-high boots, and grab my coat and phone before meeting him on the porch.
“Have fun!” Whit yells from the living room just as I’m closing the door. I don’t yell back because Mike’s standing there, hand in the air ready to knock.
“Hey.” He smiles.
“Hi.”
“I guess you’re ready to go?”
“Yeah, I, uh….” Shit, now I look too damn eager. I mean, I am, but I don’t want him to know that. Shit. “I was just ready to give them some time, you know?” I say, trying to cover up my desire to spend some time with just him tonight.
“Well we better get going, then.” He offers me his arm and guides me to the passenger side of his truck.
“What is it with you country boys and your big trucks?” I ask as he places his hands on my hips and lifts me into his big-ass truck.
He laughs. “Not just country boys drive trucks, darlin.’ This is a man’s truck,” he explains. “It also gives me an excuse to get my hands on you,” he says with a smirk.
“I remember Whit giving me a similar story and explanation about Aaron and his truck. I’m sticking with my theory that it’s only you country boys.”
“If you say so,” he says before shutting my door.
I watch him as he walks around the truck and climbs in on the other side. He really is the epitome of the phrase “tall, dark, and handsome.”
“Do you work on the farms much?” I ask, because he’s built just like the others.
“I help out from time to time. Why do you ask?”
Luckily it’s dark out and he can’t see my blush. “You, uh, just seem to be in good shape. I wondered if you stayed that way like Aaron, Evan, and David.”
“Checking me out, are you?” He reaches over and rests his hand on my knee.
“It’s kind of hard to miss, Michael.”
“I run and try to get to the gym as many times a week as possible.”
“Yeah, like all the days that end in Y.”
He chuckles. “Actually, here lately it has been every day of the week. Working out and the bar are pretty much my life. I keep telling my sister that she needs to put Dave out of his misery and marry him, give me some nieces and nephews to spoil. My parents are also on board with that plan.”
“Wait, aren’t you the oldest?”
“Yeah, but I’m currently… unattached,” he says hesitantly.
“Are you sure about that?”
“Yeah, but there’s this city girl I’m kind of digging. If I could convince her to be my girl, that status could change.”
“City girl, huh? She must be some kind of special,” I say, flirting with him. It’s fun. Everything with him is fun. It’s exactly as I remember that weekend, except this time there’s touching. Something I hope there’s more of. Of course, I leave tomorrow, so I don’t have much time to make that happen.
“Oh she is. You should see her. My heart skips a beat just being near her.” He looks over quickly before putting his eyes back on the road.
He can’t see me except for the gentle glow of the dashboard lights. Not enough to tell that my face is tomato red from his praise. We’re flirting, joking around, but those words and his sweet southern drawl are intoxicating.
“Say you and this city girl you speak of hit it off. You see happily ever after in your future? Kids?” I bite my bottom lip. I can’t believe I just threw that question out there like that. I mean, this is only the third time I’ve laid eyes on him. Not sure we’re at the point of deep conversation. “Sorry, I shouldn’t pry like that,” I backpedal .
“It’s fine.” He gives my knee a gentle squeeze. “If the right girl were to come along, yes, I’d be down for all of it: kids, dog, white picket fence.”
“The happily ever after,” I say, my voice barely a whisper. I can’t help but think about Whitney and the life she’s built here with Aaron. Even Kinley and Evan have their happily ever afters.
“Here we are,” he says.
We’re stopped in front of a brick ranch-style home. It’s neatly landscaped and has green shutters, plus a two-car attached garage. “Will this thing fit in there?” I ask him.
He laughs. “Nope. I park in the detached.” He points out my window. Sure enough, there’s a large building with three tall garage doors. “That’s where this beauty is parked—and all the rest of the toys, of course.”
“Toys?”
“Yeah, the side-by-side, four wheelers, the fun stuff.”
“Okay,” I chuckle. “So what’s in there.” I point in front of us to the two-car attached garage.
“Lawn mower.” I can see his grin from the soft glow of the pole light beside the house. “Sit tight,” he says, grabbing his keys and climbing out of the truck. He runs around the front and stops at my door. “Watch your step,” he says, offering me his hand.
“Does it really need to be this tall?” I ask him, staring at the ground from my perch on the seat.
“Yes.” He grins again. It’s infectious. “It helps my game.” He steps up next to me. “If it were closer to the ground, I couldn’t do this,” he murmurs as his hands land on my hips and he effortlessly lifts me from the truck. He lets my body slide against his as he slowly lowers me to the ground.
“I see,” I say, breathless. Don’t judge me. You would be too if you’d just slid down the hotness that is Michael Alan Wallace.
He takes my hand, laces his fingers through mine and leads me in through the garage. “Can I take your coat?” he asks once we’re in the kitchen.
“Sure.” I go to slide my arms out and he’s already there. He drapes it over one of the stools at the island.
“Are you hungry? I thought we could order pizza or sandwiches.”
“That’s perfect. Do they deliver?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He winks. “What do you want?” he asks, handing me a menu.
I push it back at him. “Pizza. I’m not picky as far as toppings go.”
“Meat lovers?”
“Sure.”
He pulls his phone from his back pocket and places our order. “Why don’t we sit in the living room until they get here. You want something to drink?”
“I’m good. I think I’ll wait until the food gets here. Thank you.” I follow him into the living room. It’s a nice open space, with a big-screen TV and a huge sectional couch in the middle. We settle on the couch, Mike sitting close but not too close.
I want him closer.
“Favorite color?” he asks out of nowhere.
“Blue,” I say, looking into his ocean-blue eyes. “Yours?”
Reaching out, he runs his index finger down my cheek. “Green,” he whispers.
My skin burns from his touch. “Music?” I croak out.
Mike, seemingly unaffected by our contact, drops his arm behind me on the couch and turns to face me. “Country. But I like a lot of other genres too. Country’s just my go-to,” he explains. “You?”
“I like country too. I also really like old-school rock, like Journey and REO Speedwagon. I can listen to most anything though.”
“I didn’t peg you for a classics kind of girl.”
“Well don’t be so quick to judge, mister.” A knock sounds at the door before he can reply, and I watch as he jumps from the couch and rushes to the door. “Can I help?”
“No, ma’am. You get comfortable. What would you like to drink?”
“Water’s fine with me.”
“Got it. I’ll be there in just a minute.” He disappears into the kitchen and I return to my seat on the couch.