Josh squeezed her arm. “I’ll behave,” he murmured. “For now.” She’s going to pickle your cucumbers.” “He has more than one?” Natalie whispered. “That’s between me and Kimmie,” Josh replied.

If my mom sees you here, she’ll ---“ “Paper the walls with my innards while the innocents watch?

Right on time, sugar.” Josh draped his arm around her shoulders and steered her through the lobby. “Traffic okay?” “Yeah, except when that alien spaceship landed on I-90 and then all those crickets jumped out to perform Beethoven’s Fifth on kazoos. Otherwise, clear sailing.

Are those the Edible Undies cupcakes?” one of the women in the kitchen asked. “They’re the Nipple Lickers,” Kimmie answered. “Without the nipples.” “I heard you perfected the Sex on a Peach cupcakes,” another feminine voice said. “Can you squeeze me in for a double order of Spank Me Strawberries the weekend before Knot Fest?

She was the only one who made him hear music. The only one who made him feel home. The only one who wanted nothing more than for him to be plain, simple Will Truitt.

Though everyone who mattered to him told him to walk away, though Lindsey herself told him to walk away, he was still here. And she was still glad.