Page 25 of Hello Heartbreaker

Tears sprang to my eyes as I reached for it, taking the metal in my hand.

Rhett opened the door and got in, looking between me and the ring in my hand. The metal was rugged, just like it had been all those years ago when he got on his knees after my high school graduation and asked me to marry him with a ring he’d made himself. The one hanging from that very mirror.

“You still have this?” I breathed, my voice hoarse.

His gaze was heavy when he met my eyes. “I meant it when I said I’ve never forgotten you, Maggie Ray.”

Tears pooled along my bottom lash. “I think I need you to take me home.”

“Mags?”

I brushed away the tears sliding down my cheeks. “I’m sorry, it’s just a lot to see it.”

“I’ll take it down,” he offered quickly. “It’s been there so long, I didn’t think about it upsetting you.”

I shook my head, my hand falling from the ring. The symbol of our past and our broken future. With a sniff, I said, “Leave it there. But take me home.”

“I want you to know I didn’t sleep with Lola.”

Maybe it was the look on his face or the ring in front of me, but... “I believe you.”

His expression softened to a smile. “Let’s get you home.”

We drove toward my house, and after a few minutes, he stopped in the driveway, putting his truck in park. We both looked at my house, the wire wind chime illuminated by his headlights.

I looked at the metal design and took a deep breath. “There’s this thrift store in Austin near the house Cam and I used to rent. I’d go in there from time to time and find wire art, like the kind you used to make... I guess I didn’t want to let go ofallthe parts of our past. There were good memories there too.”

He tilted his head, eyes illuminated by the dash lights. Even with a serious expression, there was a ghost of a smile on his lips. “I hope there will be new ones too.”

I lifted the corner of my lips. “Are you going back to the dance?”

He dropped his head back. “Shit.”

“What?” I asked.

He ran his thumb over his lip. “I told Coop he could stay in my house with Cam tonight.”

I laughed. “You’re just supposed to sleep in your truck? You’re a good wingman.”

“I can sleep in Coop’s place.” He cringed. “Maybe my truck would be better.”

I shook my head. “I’m sure my couch is better.”

Raising his eyebrows, he replied, “Are you sure you’re okay with that?”

I nodded, then sent him a wink. “But I’m not going to beg.”

13

RHETT

I followedMags into her house, still in disbelief she’d let me get this close. But when she opened the door and showed me inside, it was hard to stand up straight.

That wind chime wasn’t the only wire art she had. There were twisting wire coffee cups in the kitchen. Wire birds on the wall of the living room. A stand in the center of the table with wire flowers sticking up.

She wrapped her arms around her middle. “It’s not much, but it’s home.”

I swallowed to clear the emotion from my throat. “It’s great, Mags.”

---