AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m only tryin’ very hard not toshowit,” she said. “But I’ll be even more delighted when we get there in one piece.” And then she texted Will, “We’re coming home.” She looked at the others in the car. At Lily, at Hyram, at Harry. Something made her eyes well up.
Harry glanced her way just then, saw her tears, and reached across to hold her hand. “You okay?”
She nodded. “I’m overtired. Or overwhelmed. Or scared or something.” But those were not the emotions she was feeling. This was important, this night, this ride, this moment.
It was one a.m., West Texas time.
They’d flown four hours, but gained back two of them thanks to the time zone shift. During the flight, Hyram had discoveredthe small plane’s galley and served them all coffee and perfectly warmed, leftover mixed-berry tarts.
The small jet set them down a few miles outside Quinn, where Willow and Bubba had brought Bubba’s truck and Maria’s van. Maria assumed six would be too many to fit comfortably in the pickup, despite its rear seat. Her van didn’t have back seats at all.
Harry fetched the bags from the little cargo hold in the back, one apiece, and they debarked.
Maria was exhausted and nervous. She looked all around, but saw only rolling land. It was hot and still, and the cicadas were singing like mad.
Harry said, “Dad, Lily, this is Ethan Brand. The singer.”
Lily’s eyes widened. “Country Kind of LoveEthan Brand?” she asked, and Bubba lit right up. “Wow. Harrison, you didn’t tell me!”
“Well, I’ve been a little distracted,” he said. “And this is Willow Brand, Quinn County Sheriff’s Deputy. They’re Maria’s cousins.” And then to Bubba and Will, “This is my dad, Hyram Hyde, and my sister, Lily.”
“So good to meet you both,” Willow said.
Bubba just stood there for a second, smiling. Will elbowed him, and he said, “Uh, yeah. Welcome to Texas. I’m your ride. This way.”
Hyram and Lily followed Bubba. Harry walked Maria to her van, stood near the driver’s door.
Willow came over, too, leaned on the van, and said, “Um, Harry, you care if I ride with my cuz? We need a word.”
Surely, Maria thought, she could stand to be apart from Harry for twenty minutes. Besides, his folks would feel better riding with him.
“Sure,” Harry said. Then to Maria, “See you at the ranch, then.”
“Yeah, see you there.” She wanted to lean up and kiss him, and she could see he wanted it, too. But instead, she leaned her head sideways to kiss the back of his hand where it rested on her shoulder. She was too tired to worry about who might see or what they might make of it, and she’d decided to go for broke with Harry, anyway. No point trying to hide it.
A few yards away, Bubba was already opening the truck’s rear door for his passengers.
Lily got into the back, and then Bubba helped Hyram up into the front, passenger side. Willow muttered something and went back to the truck to talk to Bubba—but really to give her and Harry a moment.
He stood close to her. “Be careful out there.”
“I’ll have Willow with me. You be careful, too.”
“I’ll have your gigantic cousin with me.” He slid his arms around her and pulled her closer then bent his head to kiss her. Apparently, he too, had decided not to hide what was happening between them.
“See you in a llittle while,” she said.
“Yeah.” Then he kissed her again. He went to Bubba’s truck, passing Willow on the way, and got into the back seat beside his sister.
Maria went around to the passenger side of her own vehicle and got in, too tired to do more than ride along. Willow drove and followed Bubba’s pickup across the meadow and onto the road. Then she punched Maria in the shoulder and said, “You did it, didn’t you?”
“Ow! Didwhat?”
“It.” Willow wiggled her eyebrows as she steered the van back toward town.
“How… did you know?” Maria asked.
“Youdid!” She punched her again, but Maria caught her hand this time.
