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“Before I dated Rob, I dated a guy named Kyle Lunsford. After Kyle and I broke up, we stayed friends. When Rob saw Kyle and me talking in the hallway at school one day, Rob didn’t like it and blew up. Although it wasn’t true, he accused Kyle and me of being more than friends. Rob broke up with me and acted exactly like Rhys for over a month. Then we got back together after having a very long talk about our trust and faith in each other.”
“How did your talk even come about?”
“It was as if Rob woke up one day and realized what he’d thrown away over nothing. He came to my parents’ house to see me, and we talked about everything. So don’t give up on Rhys. Things aren’t over between you and him, Riley. They’re just on pause while he figures himself out.”
CH 43 - #replacement
Riley
Song: “Lying with You” by Chase Wright
RACHEL WAS TAKING me back to our momma and daddy’s, driving down Main Street, when I saw Rhys walking down the sidewalk with a woman, talking and smiling.
“Did you just see…” I said, pointing out my window but looking at my sister.
“Yes, I did see.”
“Do you know who that is with Rhys, because I don’t recognize her?”
“Her name is Carrie Brooks. She’s a news reporter from Tyler.”
“Okay. Why is she with Rhys?”
“She’s talking to him about Cypress Hills.”
“What about it?”
“The Civil War and railroad history here, the bayou trade, the ghosts, the B&Bs, and all. She’s planning to do a report on our hometown.”
“Is today the first time she’s talked to Rhys?”
“No, the second. She came into town last weekend, too,” Rachel said, turning onto our parents’ street. “Did anything about her happen to stand out to you?”
“Yes, she looks like me.”
“Exactly like you. It freaked me out when I met her last weekend.”
“Where did you meet?”
“At Gallagher’s. Jackson and I were there when Rhys walked in with her.”
“So, they ate there?”
“Yes.”
“With you and Jackson? Or at a different table?”
“With Jackson and me.”
“I see. Did you not think I needed to know about Carrie Brooks from Tyler?”
“Nope. She’s just doing her job.”
“It looked like she was doing more than that back there,” I said, thumbing over my shoulder toward downtown. “The way she smiled at Rhys and then pushed him on the arm was pure flirting.”
“Look, Rhys isn’t interested in her. I know you’re worried about that, but don’t be.”
“Do you know why she chose to talk to Rhys about Cypress Hills?”
