Fletcher came to sit beside me on the couch. “Wait until she hears how old I am.”
“I know you’re about a million years old, Dad,” Maya said with a roll of her eyes. Then she carefully hung my baby ornament right next to hers.
My heart swelled so much that the love overflowed as tears.
I hurried to wipe them away so she wouldn’t get overwhelmed by my emotion. But Fletcher caught me anyway. He tucked me to his side and whispered, “Is it everything you dreamed of?” Then he placed a kiss on my temple.
Maya pulled another ornament from my shoebox, looking it over, and I had to smile as I replied, “It’s not what I dreamed of… It’s better.”
RHETT AND MAGGIE’S BIG DECISION
1
MAGGIE
I mayor may not have been staring at Rhett in his Wranglers as he hung up pieces of wire art around my new salon in Austin. My business in Cottonwood Falls had exploded. People loved the concept of Home, the experience of coming to the salon and feeling cozy and knowing they could hang out with a girlfriend while they got their hair done or bring their kids along without any shame or judgment.
So eventually it made sense to open up a new location. There were now three “Homes” in the towns surrounding Cottonwood Falls. And now? It was time to make a dream I thought was out of my reach come true.
Rhett and I wouldn't be living in Austin; instead, one of my best friends from cosmetology school would be managing the new location. I’d come to check in regularly, especially over the first year. Right now we were decorating for the launch happening the week after New Year’s.
It was hard to believe it had been seven years since I uprooted my life in Austin and moved to Cottonwood Falls. Seven years since I reconnected with my high school sweetheart and realized what I thought was over was only just beginning.
Now? I couldn’t be happier. Sure, we were busy with Rhett running his ranch and me running the salon, but getting to chase my dreams with my best friend was so worth it.
Rhett's voice brought me out of my trance as I heard him say, “Take a picture, it’ll last longer.”
My cheeks flushed slightly as I realized I’d been staring at his ass this whole time. I lifted my chin and said, "You know you look good.”
He chuckled, climbing down from the step stool and wrapping his arms around my waist. All it took was the press of his lips to mine for me to forget the world around us for a moment. But when he pulled back, he said, “It’s shaping up.”
I looked away from his pretty hazel eyes, taking in the salon. The decor was simple, trendy, and warm at the same time. His wire art hanging on the walls was the perfect touch.
“It’s really starting to come together,” I said.
He grinned, looking around with me then he jumped slightly. “I have a brilliant idea.”
I raised my eyebrows, having been witness to plenty of his brilliant ideas. Like the time he and Fletcher were in an escalating prank war for a solid year. Our tree still had remnants of silly string.
But he said, “You could hire full time cowboys for eye candy. I bet the ladies wouldlovethat.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “Looking for a job?”
He smirked. “Are you saying I’m eye candy?”
My laugh came naturally. “You’re great at fishing, didn’t know that applied to compliments too?”
His laughter warmed me from the inside out. “Just gotta have the right bait.” He gestured at his backside.
Giggling, I said, “Do you want to get some dinner, eye candy?”
“That sounds great.”
We locked up the salon so it would be ready for my manager next week and then got into the truck and drove away. I navigated us to one of my favorite barbecue places in the city–one that I missed a ton living in Cottonwood Falls.
Together, we ordered more than enough food. But even though a feast like this usually pleased him, I could see there was something in his eyes, something he was thinking about and turning over his mind. “What is it?” I asked as I used a wet wipe to clean my fingers.
He looked up at me from his sandwich. “I just keep thinking about what's next.”
