“You’re a fool,” Erin says from behind me. Why is everyone sneaking up on me today? Oh, yeah. It’s because I’m distracted by a cowboy I’m trying desperately to ignore, that’s why.

“Seems to be the consensus.”

“He doesn’t seem to be leaving any time soon.”

She’s right. He has no intention of going away. “That’s what I’m afraid of.” I turn and lean against the wall.

Erin shakes her head. “I won’t tell you what to do, but I will say that I’ve never seen a guy give up his whole life for a girl he only liked.”

“Yeah,” I agree. “I know that. I can’t let go of some of the things he said.”

“Well, I don’t know all the details, but he clearly loves you. I can only imagine how badly you both were struggling in the face of unimaginable grief. I’m not saying that gives him a free pass, but maybe a little forgiveness?”

“You don’t even know him!” I say with exasperation.

Sure he’s here and clearly being sweet, and I’m not too foolish to see that. However, that doesn’t erase the way he made me feel. Then again, he was struggling, and not just with our relationship. He was getting hit from every angle.

“I don’t have to know him to see how much he loves you.”

“Shut up.” I grin at her.

“How long do you plan to make him suffer?”

“I think he can wait it out a bit more.”

She nods. “Definitely make him feel the pain for a bit longer, just don’t let it go on too long or one of your employees will scoop him up and ride off on that horse of his into the sunset.”

Yeah, that’s definitely not going to happen.

They continue to talk and my phone rings. “Hey, Mrs. Kannan.”

“Hi, sugar. I hope I’m not bothering you.”

I walk away from the window and head toward the back of the store. “Of course not. How are you?”

“Oh, I’m just fine. I got that fancy coffee maker and I can’t figure out how to turn the dang thing on! It’s got so many buttons and different spouts. What ever happened to a good ole cup of Folgers?”

I can’t stop the smile that forms. I can picture her tossing her hands in the air as she walks around. I miss her something fierce. I miss them all.

“I’m sure it came with a manual.”

“Sugar, that book was a hundred pages long. I’ll be dead before I figure out how to actually make a mocha whatever it is you call it.”

“Macchiato.”

“Whatever,” she says with exasperation, and I giggle.

“Don’t you laugh at me now. I’m going to need you to get your tiny butt back here and teach me how to use this contraption.”

“I wish it were that simple.” It could be, but I feel as if I’d be giving in too easily. I have no doubt that she knows he’s here. If his mother knows, she knows. And my intuition tells me there’s more to this phone call than the machine, but I can’t be sure.

Mrs. Kannan is known for her interfering. If I let my guard drop even a millimeter, she’ll pounce.

A long pause goes by before she says anything. “I’ve been around a long time, honey. Long enough to know when two people are bein’ just plain stupid. Forgiving someone isn’t a surrender, it’s a gift. One that not only saves the other person, but also yourself. I could sit here and lead you around in circles.” She sighs. “But I won’t this time. Not for something so important. Wyatt screwed up. Lord knows that. He knows that more than anyone. I don’t know that I have ever seen him as devastated as I did the day you left.”

“Mrs.—” I start.

“Listen, darlin’. I’ve been married a long time, and more than once, one of us was ready to walk out that door. It was a choice to forgive the other person for whatever hurtful things we said or did. I could’ve left him. Hell, I probably should’ve.” She laughs. “I just know that no matter how bleak a situation looks, it doesn’t mean that y’all can’t find your way back to each other.”

“And what if we’re too lost? What if I’m too scared and hurt to trust him again?”

“We’re not perfect people, honey. We’re human and we make mistakes. He’s owning that right now. He’s showing you who he is and what’s in his heart.”

I thought I knew what was in his heart. I thought it was me. Then our life went down a very different path, and we ended up with a fissure dividing the road with him on one side and me on the other. Grief drove us apart. It didn’t have to, though. We each made choices that brought us to this juncture.

“I love him,” I admit. “I never stopped loving him, but he hurt me so much.”

“Love is the strongest and most beautiful thing we can bestow on another person. Have mercy in your heart, Angie. Be gracious enough to see that he wasn’t hurting you because he didn’t love you, sugar. He was hurting himself because he didn’t think he was worthy of your love. You think about that, and we’ll talk soon. Take care now.” She disconnects before I can say another word.

I walk to the window and look at him. Are we being stupid or do we have the ability to find a way back to what we were?

After my call with Mrs. Kannan, I start seeing things in a new light. Each time Wyatt talks to me, I try to really hear him and not just listen to the words.

We have dinner together, and then he kisses me on the cheek and goes back to his apartment. I can’t stop thinking about what she said. Thinking about how I can find a way to fully forgive him.

I’m getting ready for bed when my phone dings.

Wyatt: Can I borrow some salt?

I look at the text, unsure if I should respond. But I lean back against the headboard, which is against the wall that touches his apartment. He’s right there on the other side. It’s crazy that right now he’s this close and yet he’s so far.

Me: I think you’re supposed to ask for sugar.

Wyatt: Then let me borrow some of that, too.

He’s a mess. A very cute mess. I talked to Presley today, and she told me about their talk. I was surprised she went off, but she also said she’d never seen him like that. I feel like I’m not only resisting Wyatt, I’m resisting the entire town of Bell Buckle.

Me: It’s late.

Wyatt: It is, but I really need that salt.

Me: What the hell do you need salt for at eleven o’clock at night?

Wyatt: I’m making something.

This could go on forever, but I’m actually having fun. Talking to him like this reminds me of our time together. The bickering, the back and forth, it made us who we were.

Me: I’m all out of salt.

Wyatt: Then I have to ask you something about my jackass brother and Presley’s wedding. I figure since we’re both going, maybe we should make arrangements.

Me: The wedding is in a few months. You’ll be gone by then.

Wyatt: Not unless you’re going with me.

Me: You’re not going to stop this until you see me tonight, are you?

Wyatt: Not likely.

I figured as much. I have to give him credit for persistence.

Me: You’re a pain in my ass.

Wyatt: Open the door, baby.