Page 22 of The Texas Hero's Homecoming

“I’m glad you joined us,” Nicole said. “It’s been a special night.”

While her head pinged earlier, the buzz from three watered-down margaritas was gone now. And sadly, it was time to go home. “This has been the most fun I’ve had since, I don’t even know when. I can’t remember the last time I danced. Thanks for inviting me, Nicole.”

“Of course. You’re part of the Honeysuckle club now. We teachers have to stick together.” Nicole chuckled.

The music from the live DJ, started up again. “And, hey, don’t look now, but that cute guy across the room is looking your way again, Autumn. You’ve danced with him four times. I think he’s going to ask for a fifth.”

Autumn glanced at Jared Harmon and their eyes met. He was a rancher from Whiskey River, and newly single, having just broken up with his girlfriend of two years. He’d been polite and a true gentleman, one with Southern manners. And he could really move on the dance floor. “He asked for my phone number.”

“He did?” Taylor said. “And you gave it to him, didn’t you?”

Sam’s image quickly flashed in her head. Why she had him on the brain, when she was out with her new friends, when a nice man wanted to ask her out, gave her a headache. “Well, I didn’t turn him down. I told him I’d think about it.”

“You’d better think fast. We’re leaving soon,” Julie said.

“If I were you, I’d march right over there and hand him your number,” Taylor said. “Unless, you don’t like him.”

“He’s nice. I do like him,” she said. “But… I’m not into dating.”

“You will be if you meet the right guy,” Taylor said.

“There’s no harm in talking to him,” Nicole added. “You won’t know unless you give it a chance. Unless there’s someone else.” Nicole shot her a knowing look. “Someone special.”

Immediately, she shook her head. “No, there’s no one special.”

Sam didn’t fall into the special category anymore. If he did, she’d be too big a fool. “Someone hand me a pen,” she said.

Magically, a pen appeared, and she wrote her number on a napkin along with the words, “Call me.” She folded the napkin, rose from the table and walked across the room heading to where Jared stood by the bar. His dark eyes followed her every movement until she was face to face with him. “I’m leaving now.”

“Wish you weren’t.”

It was a sweet thing to say and her buried female ego suddenly resurfaced. And did a little jig.

They’d only had a few brief conversations between dances, but he was easy to talk to and she was comfortable enough to hand him the napkin she’d folded. “It was nice dancing with you,” she said.

“Same here.”

“Good night, Jared.”

He glanced at the napkin and what she’d written and smiled. “Good night, pretty lady.”

She gave him a quick smile and returned to their table. The girls applauded her, as if she’d done something substantial. Well, maybe she had. Maybe putting herself out there, after a two-year dry spell from dating, was something to celebrate.

A bottle of champagne was delivered to the table and the server announced it was from the groom, Garrett Brown. Nicole gushed at the sweet gesture and all of the girls toasted the woman of the hour. It was a perfect ending to the evening.

Garrett had style—she’d give him that. What woman wouldn’t want a guy like that?

Sam came to mind. He’d been thoughtful lately too. Giving up his days to work on the farm, and giving up his night so she could go out with the girls. Heavens, why was he always popping into her head? It wasn’t as if shewantedto think kindly of him.

She glanced at Jared from across the room. His eyes were smiling, and he raised his glass to her. She smiled back, her mouth a little wobbly. What if he did call? What would she say to him?

She put her arms through her coat sleeves, buttoning up, and had no doubt it’d be frigid outside tonight. Maybe that was what she needed, a cold slap of reality. She walked out the door with the girls and all of them were shocked to see how hard the rain was falling. They hadn’t been aware. Tall pitchers of margaritas might have had something to do with that. Along with loud music inside drowning out the storm. It was a doozey.

They hugged each other farewell one last time just as lightning flashed in the distance, the sky bright for a second. It was time to go. Autumn covered her head with her purse, and dashed to her car. Rain pelted down, giving her a solid soaking and finally once inside her car, she slammed the door closed. “It’s freezing,” she muttered, shivers stealing over her body. She started up the engine and turned the heater on full blast. Five minutes into the drive, she was warm enough to turn down the heat. The storm wasn’t letting up, though. It was hard to see the road.

The windshield wipers barely doing their job, oncoming lights blinded her for just a split second and she swerved off the road. The car plummeted. The front end careened straight into a ditch. It wasn’t life-threatening or even a big ditch, but she sat there a minute, totally stunned. What just happened?

Her four attempts at revving the engine failed pretty badly. The tires had nowhere to go; they kept on spinning in the mud. She was stuck just off the main highway on the road that led to her farmhouse. Another mile and she would’ve made it home.

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