Page 96 of The Hometown Legend

Maybe Gideon was right.

She was looking for a parade when the big change needed to happen inside her.

She was looking for a parade when it didn’t matter. What mattered was what she wanted.

An image of Gideon swam before her.

She swallowed hard.

Tomorrow they were climbing a mountain.

So who knew what else she might find the courage to do?

That almost scared her.

She was scaring herself.

She laughed. In the emptiness of her car, she laughed.

Her own audacity was a little bit disconcerting. And that might be a good thing.

Maybe that was what it was all about.

If she could terrify herself and show up anyway, if she could throw caution to the wind and see where it blew her, maybe that was what might make her truly legendary. To herself.

And maybe that was all that mattered.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

HEWASEXPECTINGher bright and early, so when she showed up with her giant backpack already on, and a grim, determined expression, he wasn’t surprised, but he was a little bit amused by the intensity.

“How was the date?” he asked while he began to assemble his own pack to put in the truck.

“It was fine,” she said.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” she said. “Just fine.”

“Check anything off your list?”

“I don’t know that we’re close enough to have automatic list disclosure occurring.”

“Weird. I thought we were. Considering I bought your dress for the event.”

“I didn’t ask you to.”

“Which one did you wear?”

“Why? The green one.”

That made him want to smile. Because the green one was pretty, but not the one he would’ve picked when he thought she was trying to signal she wanted to be taken to bed.

“Good choice.”

“I don’t think you mean that.”

“What do you care what I mean?” he asked.

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