Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Another Town
“I’m officially an Idaho resident,” I said, waving the paper copy of my driver’s license in the air and grinning at Brooks.
He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and hugged me to him as we walked across the DMV parking lot.
“The line wasn’t that long, either,” I said. “That’s almost unheard of for a DMV.”
“Don’t get too excited,” he quipped. “We’ll be back here in a few months for your name change.”
“A few months, huh?” I peered up at him with a toothy smile.
He looked down at me and smiled. “Yeah, Freckles. A few months. The bookstore will be open by then, you’ll have told your grandfather about us, giving him time to fly back to the States, and Hadley and Salem both will have given birth, so they’ll be able to imbibe and enjoy themselves.”
“You’ve thought of everything.”
“Yeah, I have,” Brooks said, forcing me to stop.
I frowned in confusion as a man I didn’t know approached us. Without removing his arm from around my shoulder, Brooks held out his hand to the stranger.
“Brooks,” the man greeted.
“Hi, Terry. Thanks for meeting us here,” Brooks said.
The middle-aged man shook Brooks’ hand vigorously. “Made the most sense, didn’t it?”
“This is my girlfriend, Poet,” Brooks said, introducing me.
“Poet,” Terry said. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too,” I said, though I was still wicked confused.
“You ready to take it for a test drive?” Terry asked.
“Take what for a test drive?” I queried.
“The car,” Terry explained. “Didn’t he tell you?”
“No, I wanted to surprise her,” Brooks said, hugging me tighter. “Terry’s selling a gently used Volvo XC90. You’re going to take it for a spin and tell me if you like it. You like it, we’ll buy it.”
I blinked. “What?”
“Oh yeah, I can tell she loves surprises,” Terry drawled. “Well, we’re here. May as well check out the car.”
Terry led us to a spot with a silver SUV. He held the keys out to me. “I’m gonna be waiting over there.” He pointed to the bench outside the DMV building. “You two can talk without me around.”
“Thanks, Terry,” Brooks said.
Terry strode away, leaving me alone with Brooks. I wrangled his arm off me and turned to face him. “You did this,” I stated.
He nodded.
“You found a guy selling a car and had him meet us at the DMV so I could test drive it?”
He nodded again.
“Wow,” I murmured right before I launched myself at him and hugged him around the middle.
Chuckling, he said, “Guess you’re not pissed at me?”
I shook my head.
“You wanna take it for a test drive?”
I nodded again.
He took my hand and led me to the driver’s side door. He opened it and I slid into the comfortable seat. Brooks shut the door and then went to the passenger side and climbed in.
“It’s got seat warmers, automatic lights, and three rows of seats.”
“Three rows of seats?” I asked in surprise, turning around to look behind me.
“For the car seats, Freckles,” he said, grasping my chin and coercing me to face him. “For the many, many car seats.”
My insides liquified with need.
I took a deep breath, and he dropped his hand. “I need a minute,” I muttered. “Otherwise, I’m gonna crash before I’m even out of the parking lot.”
Three hours later, I was sliding my-new-to-me car into a spot on Silver Street. Brooks parked the truck behind me.
“You look good at the wheel, Freckles,” he said as he came to me.
“It feels good to have a car.” I draped my arms around him and stared up at him with a smile. “How can I ever thank you?”
His eyes flashed with heat. “I have some ideas.”
Brooks leaned down to capture my lips, and I was just about to sink into him when I heard catcalls coming from across the street.
I wrenched my mouth from his and stared in the direction of the noise. Salem and Hadley were standing outside Sweet Teeth, hooting and whistling like fans at a sporting event.
“Maul her on your own time!” Salem yelled. “She’s ours for the afternoon!”
I looked at Brooks. “My gratitude will have to wait.”
“It’ll keep.” He kissed me one last time and then released me.
I crossed the street toward my friends. Hadley was holding a pastry box and Salem had a drink in her hands.
“You guys were getting pretty carnal in public,” Salem teased.
“We were just kissing,” I said with a laugh.
“No, you were ready to climb him like a spider monkey,” Hadley said. “No shade though.”
“So, you got your new driver’s license?” Salem asked.
I nodded. “And then Brooks bought me a present.”
“What did he buy you?” Hadley inquired.
I pointed to the silver car across the street.
They looked over to my shoulder.
“He bought you a car?” Hadley asked, her eyes widening.
“Yep.”
“Oh, wow,” Hadley murmured.
“Can we go upstairs and enjoy the pastries sitting down?” Salem asked.
“Sure.”
We headed in the direction of the vacant storefront. I had them sit at the kitchen table while I was the one who moved around to get the plates and glasses of milk.
“I’m calling Wyn,” Salem said. “And hope like hell the kid is napping so we can gossip about this car present.”
I let out a laugh and shook my head.
Salem propped her phone up onto the table as Wyn’s face appeared on the screen.
“I have fifteen minutes,” Wyn said. “So, if there’s something important, let’s get down to it.”
“It’s important,” Salem said. “Brooks bought Poet a car.”
“Not a car, an SUV,” I corrected. “With all-wheel drive so it’s safe in the snow.”
“Wait, what?” Wyn asked, her mouth dropping open in shock.
I set the glasses of milk on the counter and then went to my purse. I pulled out my temporary ID and held it to the screen. “I’m also an Idaho resident now. And my license plate has a potato on it. A potato with a pat of butter. A literal baked potato license plate.”
“Well, of course there’s a potato on your plate,” Wyn murmured. “Holy shit, he bought you a car?”
“Why is this such a shock to everyone?” I demanded. “Declan bought Hadley an SUV, and no one thought that was weird.”
“Well, yeah, but that’s because I’m pregnant and we were going to get married.”
“Wait, are you pregnant?” Salem demanded.
“No,” I said with a roll of my eyes.
“You better be careful with cowboy sperm on the loose,” Hadley teased.
I wasn’t about to admit to her that I’d been less than careful with Brooks more than once already. I paused and internally thanked God for my period arriving when it did.
“Guys, look,” I said. “Since Wyn doesn’t have a lot of time, let me lay it all out for you. Brooks and I are together.”
“We know this,” Hadley said.
“No, you don’t understand . . . we’re together together,” I emphasized. “He moved in with me. Your dad pointed at him during a family dinner and said there was going to be a wedding. Brooks didn’t even flinch.”
“Honey, it’s so fast,” Salem said. “Like an insta-husband.”
“Just add water,” Wyn quipped.
“It’s just a lot,” Hadley said.
“It’s a lot for me too,” I said quietly. “But I’m happy. Can’t you all be happy for me?”
“I’m happy for you,” Wyn said. “But you have to admit that it’s kind of nuts.
You do get that right? All three of you actually .
. . what the hell is it about Huckleberry Hill?
You guys move there and find your dream man and poof, happily-ever-after.
One of you I could chalk it up to luck. Two, coincidence.
Three? That’s magic. That town is magic, I swear.
Is there like some secret magic wishing well or something you guys toss coins into? ”
“No wishing well,” Hadley said. “But we do have the hot spring.”
“Right, the hot spring!” Wyn exclaimed.
One night a few days before Hadley’s wedding, the four of us had gone camping for a night under the stars. There was a hot spring on their family’s land, a hot spring with healing waters. Or so the story went.
“Who’s picking me up from the airport next week?” Wyn asked.
“All of us,” Salem said. “Obviously.”
“We’ll bring snacks,” Hadley said.
“I can’t wait to see you guys,” Wyn said with a sigh. “It’s lonely here without you.”
“It’s lonely here without you,” I said back.
“Liar,” she teased. “The three of you are busy. And looking very well satisfied. If you weren’t my best friends, I’d be very jealous. Fuck that. I am jealous.”
“No time to date?” Salem asked.
“No time. No inclination. I’m on a hiatus. I paused all my dating apps.”
“No way,” Hadley said.
“Way. It was getting depressing—not to mention a complete waste of time. These city boys . . . who raised them?”
“Note the use of the word boys,” Salem said. “You need a man.”
“You need a cowboy,” Hadley said.
“Like I’d find that here in the city,” Wyn said with a sigh. “Okay, kids. I’m off. Congrats on your new sweet ride, Poet. And the new car too.”