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A ine ru of hts

Windon and Willie Nelson serenading us from the AM radio, I kick offsoftly as Wyatt takes us to my favorite place in the entire world

Five minutes into the ride, I turn the music down “I have an idea”

“Um, okay?”

“It’s weird” I cringe I cringe before the words have worn a path from my brain to my lips to his ears But if there’s anyone I can be weird around, it’s him

“Is this a freak flag request?” he asks, wearing a teasing smirk

“One hundred percent it’s a freak flag request”

His ”

“Do you think …” my heart races so hard it throbs in ht … we just pretended … that ere still together … that nothing had changed …”

He’s stoic, his gaze fixed on the road ahead I’

“Just for the next few hours,” I add “It could be fun … a little escape from reality?”

I’m not sure the man has so much as blinked yet

“I know it’s weird” I recoil “I’ht-year-old woain, and I know exactly how that sounds, but if we’re—”

Reaching across the center of the bench seat, he slides his hand into mine

“Just for tonight,” he says His hand is warm, callused, and feels like home

Unbuckling ear shifter, and rest ainst his shoulder His hand slides to the inside of h, and I hook my arm under his

My entire body radiates with fullness, followed by an undeniable heaviness, as if et ed all this time

I can hate what this man did to my heart, but I don’t know that I could unlove him if I tried

22

Wyatt

“Ho it with my foot as Blaire steps over the threshold