Page 13 of Coulda

“No’s echoed from everyone.

“Then we all make the commitment that we’re going to be there now,” Amber stressed.

“I’ll be there,” Beau answered.

“I’ll be there,” Maisie promised.

“I’ll be here,” Harper tweaked the phrase, making them laugh.

“I’ll be there,” Colt promised. “I miss home more as time goes on.”

“I’ll be there, too. I’m not breaking a pinky promise. That has to be years of bad luck,” Amber reminded them as she made herself a note. She’d block out six months before the reunion to make sure she was in town. She was tiring of always being on the move. Maybe it was time for her to move back to the only real home she’d ever had. Too bad her friends couldn’t be there, too. Or even…

“Ever hear from Rio?” Harper asked, reading her mind.

“Not a word. You’d think I’d stop missing him,” Amber lamented.

“We were all sure we’d find our Little girls and Daddies. Maybe they don’t exist,” Maisie suggested.

“They exist. Some of us just refuse to admit it,” Beau said pointedly.

“Like you could be a Daddy with your position,” she answered. “You’ll probably be the president by the next reunion.”

“I have always been a Daddy. I’ve just not had a Little girl,” Beau said softly with steel in his words.

“Ditto,” Colt echoed.

“Enough seriousness, guys. Everyone tell us something funny that happened to you this week. Harper, you start, and no strange objects shoved up a toddler’s nose,” Amber warned as Harper opened her mouth.

“Crap. You go first, Colt. Amber just vetoed my story,” Harper complained with a laugh.

“So, I’m on the tour bus and I look out to see,Hi, Colt!written in strange letters formed by something on the ground. I’d just figured out it was material when I saw the three naked fans.”

“Good-looking girls?” Harper said sharply.

“Two men and a potbellied pig,” Colt answered.

“What was the pig wearing?” Maisie asked.

“Nothing but a smile,” Colt reported, making them all dissolve into delighted laughter.

I miss them all so much.

CHAPTER5

The twentieth reunion

Amber pulledinto the parking lot of Murphy’s. Crossing her fingers, she hoped everyone would be able to make it this year. They’d said they would be there but until she saw them, Amber wouldn’t believe it even with the pinky swears that served as a solid contract.

Their twentieth high school reunion was a big deal. It seemed so long ago that she’d dragged herself through those last weeks of classes and thrown herself into preparations for college.

After graduation, everyone had scattered in different directions except for Harper; it had been difficult to stay in touch, but they’d all made the commitment to talk once a month. They were in such different places in their lives but, remarkably, were still the same people she’d trusted more than anyone else since third grade. She’d never seen them like others did—the politician, the brilliant biomedical engineer, the daycare worker, the country superstar.

She crossed her fingers, hoping everyone wouldn’t be too star-struck for Colt to relax and enjoy some time off or eager to debate politics with Beau.

A knock on her window made her jump. Throwing her door open, Amber jumped out of the car to hug the sweet woman standing next to her. “Harper! I’ve missed you so much.”

“Silly! We’ve had video chats practically every week,” Harper reminded her, and squeezed her friend a bit tighter before stepping back.

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