Page 53 of If You Loved Me

Sarah

I’m calling an emergency meeting.

Willow

I had a feeling this might happen.

Johnny

What might happen?

Deacon

When is themeeting?

Willow

I had a feeling Sarah would need this emergency meeting given the status of her love life.

Um, not cool, Willow. But also, very true. My love life is in shambles and I need help.

Deacon

My place, Friday night?

Perfect.

“Wow, this place is coming along quickly, Deacon.” The front porch of his renovated cabin had fresh boards with a matching pine wood railing that smelled like heaven.

He tossed me a can of beer and I gently cracked it open, pressing my lips against the lid to keep it from fizzing over.

“Thanks. I’ve been working on it nearly every day. The plumbing contractor took my deposit and never got back to me, so I watched some videos of DIYers. It was the biggest pain in the ass. I had to rip out a few of the pipes due to rusting.Fingers crossed I put everything back together the right way.”

I grabbed one of the koozies from the pocket of his soft cooler and sat next to him on the porch steps. He clinked his can against mine with a cheers.

“I hope you did too. It would suck for your first renter to have busted pipes during their visit.”

He snorted. “Knock on wood that doesn’t happen.” Then he wrapped his knuckles against the side of my head.

“Hey!” I swatted at his hand as he laughed at me.

Just then, Willow and Johnny pulled up in Johnny’s truck. Their dog, Asher, was the first one out of the cab. His bright yellow body bounced up and down through the tall grass, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth.

“Come here, cutie!” I cooed at him. His round golden eyes settled on me before he dashed towards my direction. I was met with wet kisses and a body that was much too wiggly to pet.

“Did you guys give him doggy drugs today or something? He’s so hyper.”

Johnny laughed and said, “No. He’s finally starting to feel better after the skink incident and I think he’s just happy to be alive.”

I scratched just above his tail and whispered to him, “I feel it too, buddy. The excitement of being alive.”

“I brought the emergency rum!” Willow called out to us as she hopped out of the truck.

“And some ginger ale I hope!”

She pulled a two-liter bottle of ginger ale out of her reusable grocery bag with a wide smile.

“Perfect,” I said, drawing the word out.

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