Mira: Really?
Cole: Yeah.
Three dots appeared, disappeared, then reappeared, the effect as thrilling as that drop tower Ian made her ride with him at the state fair last year.
Cole: I’ve got my new granddaughter. I’ve got my recording gigs. But all I can think about is Mira from Montana. And I look at this way too much.
Another text buzzed through, and there on her screen in black and white was a woman with wide eyes and dark hair falling out of a loose bun, wet strands clinging to her cheeks. The woman looked so alive, so vital, that it took Mira a long moment to realize it was her, staring back at him outside her bakery while the snow fell between them.
Mira: I don’t have any pictures of you.
She’d wanted to, nearly had several times, but saving screen shots of his Insta posts was a level of desperation even she wasn’t willing to sink to.
Cole: My daughter stole this one from Ashley’s Facebook page.
Mira: Facebook? Who’s on Facebook anymore?
Cole: Seriously, Mira. Marry me.
While an electrical current arced down her spine, pebbling every inch of her skin in its wake, she texted back a criminally understated,
Mira: lol
Cole: Hang on.
This next picture came through, and the world stopped spinning. They were dancing, Cole in his tux, her in her red dress, and the way he looked at her, his gaze hot on her throat as her head fell back…
Mira: Who took that?
Cole: Davis, I think. I vaguely remember spotting her with her phone pointed at us.
Mira: It’s amazing. I’ll need to thank her next time I see her.
Cole: I’m sending her a fruit basket.
She laughed out loud.
Mira: What a night.
Cole: The best. Next time you need a wedding date, hit me up.
Mira: Deal.
Cole: Would it be okay if I texted you again? I won’t call, especially if what Ian said about your phone game was true.
Mira: Omg
Cole: Only kidding, talking about random shit with you all night sounds pretty amazing.
Mira: Text me anytime you want.
Running her thumb up and down the side of her phone, refusing to overthink it, she added,
Mira: You can even call, because talking about random shit with you all night sounds pretty amazing to me too.
* * *
May 22,6:14 pm