Page 52 of Rhett & Moses
“What was that about?” Rhett asked, his hand finding the small of my back in a subtle gesture of support.
I glanced around, ensuring we weren’t overheard before relaying the substance of Hayes’s message. Vanessa’s eyebrows rose higher with each detail, while Rhett’s expression shifted from surprise to cautious satisfaction.
“So, Mayor Hayes and Soren’s lawyers are producing legal statements over everything,”
“I didn’t expect that from the Mayor.” Vanessa announced. “Maybe it’s why he came here tonight?”
Whatever Mayor Hayes motivations, his and Soren’s statement would provide a kind of closure that had been missing, an official acknowledgment of the truth I’d carried alone for so long.
“It does,” I agreed. “It definitely does.”
The rest of the evening passed in something of a blur, more conversations, more handshakes, more business cards exchanged. By the time we finally made our excuses and departed, the tension that had gripped me at the beginning of the night had transformed into a different kind of energy, notanxiety but anticipation, a sense of possibilities opening rather than closing.
Outside, the night air was cool and refreshing after the warmth of the crowded hall. Rhett and I walked slowly back toward the hotel, our hands naturally finding each other in the darkness.
“How are you feeling?” he asked after a comfortable silence. “It was quite a night.”
I considered the question, taking stock of the tumultuous emotions beneath the surface calm. “Relieved,” I decided. “Vindicated. A little overwhelmed. But mainly... free.”
Rhett squeezed my hand, understanding the gesture. “Freedom suits you.”
We continued in companionable silence for a while, the streets of Gomillion quiet and peaceful around us. I found myself seeing the town with new eyes, not as the site of my greatest shame, but as a place where healing had finally begun, where truth had eventually prevailed.
“What are you thinking about?” Rhett asked, reading my contemplative mood.
“The house,” I admitted, the answer surprising even me. “The property you showed me. I’ve been thinking about it since we visited.”
Rhett’s step faltered slightly, his expression cautiously hopeful in the glow of the streetlights. “Oh?”
“It’s beautiful,” I continued, the words coming more easily now that I’d started. “Peaceful. I can see why you’re drawn to it.”
“But?” he prompted gently.
“But nothing,” I replied, stopping to face him fully. “I think we should consider it seriously. As a possibility, at least.”
The joy that bloomed across his features was radiant, transforming his already handsome face into something almostluminous. “Really? You’re not just saying that because of tonight, because things went well at the dinner?”
I shook my head, certain of this at least. “No. I’ve been thinking about it since yesterday. About what it would mean, what it could represent for us. A middle ground, like you said. A place that’s ours, not just yours or mine.”
The significance of what I was saying, the commitment it implied, the future it suggested, wasn’t lost on either of us. After twenty years apart, after a week of revelations and reconnections, I was ready to consider building something permanent with Rhett Callahan.
“There are still practical considerations,” I added, not wanting to seem impulsive. “Logistics to work out, finances to discuss. But the idea of it, the possibility... I want to explore that. With you.”
Rhett’s response wasn’t verbal. Instead, he cupped my face in his hands, drawing me into a kiss that conveyed everything words couldn’t: gratitude, joy, promise, and desire. When we finally separated, both slightly breathless, his smile was soft and intimate in the moonlight.
“Well then,” he said, his voice rough with emotion, “I guess we have some exploring to do.”
The double meaning wasn’t lost on me, and I returned his smile with one of my own, feeling lighter than I had in years. “I guess we do.”
Hand in hand, we continued toward the hotel, toward whatever the future might hold, no longer running from the past, but walking together into a present filled with newfound honesty, hard-won freedom, and the possibility of a shared tomorrow.
CHAPTER 14
MOSES
The day after the dinner,Moses and I found ourselves caught in a whirlwind of activity. As promised, Mayor Hayes and Soren’s formal statement had been released to the local media, creating a fresh buzz of conversation throughout Gomillion. Moses’s phone had been ringing constantly, calls from journalists seeking comments, former classmates of Moses and local townsfolk offering belated support, and even a few business inquiries regarding his gin collection.
By evening, we were both desperate for a reprieve from the noise and attention. When I suggested a late-night walk to clear our heads, Moses agreed with palpable relief.
