Opal flops back against the couch and lets out a very dramatic sound. “That cannot be it, Graycie. Where did he take you? Did you like it? Are you planning another ride?”
“He took me to an overlook outside of town and it had the best view of Dogwood Ridge. We got there right before the sun started setting and it was beautiful. We stood there and soaked it all in while chatting.” My voice drops and I can feel my cheeks heat slightly, “I could have stayed out there a lot longer.”
“Did anything else happen?” She’s eyeing me suspiciously like she already knows the answer.
I bite my lower lip before blurting, “He kissed me and I really liked it.”
She sticks her fingers in her ears and start singing something, very off key. I can’t help but laugh at her antics which has her smiling even wider.
“I don’t need to hear about that stuff since he’s my brother,” she tells me again.
“You asked,” I sass her.
“Not about that,” she grumbles before heaving out a sigh, “but I am glad he kissed you. You were okay with it? He didn’t make you do anything you didn’t want to do?”
“No,” I practically scream the words, “nothing like that. He was a gentleman and I liked kissing him.”
I look down at where my fingers are twisted together in my lap. I’ve told her the truth—I did like kissing him. Probably too much, but I keep that part to myself.
“And?” She prompts me but when I look at her in confusion, she adds, “When are you going out again?”
“I don’t know,” my voice is soft and thready. “He didn’t ask me out again.”
“Men,” she grumbles and rolls her eyes so hard I’m concerned they might really stick that way. “They’re morons, but if you like dick then you need at least one in your life.”
I choke on my own spit before laughter spills out of me. A beat later she’s joining me. I laugh until my belly hurts and it’s exactly what I needed.
She is exactly the friend I’ve always needed.
Maybe coming to Dogwood Ridge wasn’t just about finding Turner, like he said, maybe it’s about finding this life with these people in this town. Maybe it’s about something being right and mine in a way I’ve never been able to experience before.
“I bet he’s trying to look cool or something,” her tone is annoyed and so is the look on her face. “Or he’s kicking himself right now because he didn’t make definite plans with you.”
I shrug and rest back against the couch, my head tipping back as I look up at the ceiling. “I don’t know. He did send me a good morning text this morning, but it’s the last time I heard from him.”
“A good morning text, huh?” She teases me while wiggling her eyebrows and I can’t help but giggle at how silly she can be. “I declare that a good sign.”
“You declare it? I don’t think you can declare things without wearing a crown or at least holding a scepter,” I muse.
“Oh, I have plenty of crowns at home,” she bats her hand in my direction with her words.
Why am I not surprised?
“I’m glad it went well and that my brother treated you right. Don’t think too hard about it, I’m sure he’s just planning his next blitz attack because we’ve already identified you as a flight risk,” she reminds me with amusement.
I should probably be offended, but all I can do is chuckle. Because she’s not wrong.
Then Opal is up and leaning over me to give me a hug before heading back toward my door. “I need to get back to work, I was in the middle of doing inventory, but I couldn’t stand not knowing how your ride went.” Her shoulders slump and she sighs, “Now I know and have to get back.”
“I’ll see you soon,” I tell her after hauling myself off the couch and following her to my door.
When she looks back at me, something serious crosses her face. “Even though you might not want to take my word on it, you can trust Turner. He’ll never let anything bad happen to you.”
Before I can say anything, she’s gone, but her words stay with me.
They stay with me as I glance over to the table on Stan’s back deck where he puts my mail. I hear the echo of her words with every step I take. There are two postcard advertisements meant for Stan, but he likes to pass them off to me. I ignore them while the envelope on the bottom catches my attention.
The address is printed on the front, but my belly does a strange swoop as dread fills me. My hands are shaking as I slip my finger under the flap and rip it open. I pull out a card covered in flowers which announces spring being here, finally.