“What kinda guy do you take mefor?”
“One thatborrowsboats…”
“Touché. But, you don’t have nothing to worry about, it’s my landlord’s land. And he’s half batshitcrazy.”
Her eyes crinkled. “So, are you gonna show me yourhouse?”
I didn’t want to, but I didn’t want to tell her no. “Maybe, if you get on thesled.”
“It’s not a sled.” Rolling her eyes, she stepped around me, grabbed the rope, and plopped down, right in the middle of the upside-down table. “Are you gonna pull me orwhat?”
“Just let go of the rope if it’s too fast,” I said, walking to the driver’sside.
“Okay, how about younotgo toofast.”
“Well, my idea and your idea of fast is probably a littledifferent.”
“Noah!”
Laughing, I climbed inside and revved the engine. In the side mirror, I could see her shaking her head and gripping the ski rope so tight I bet her knuckles were white. “Ready?” I called out thewindow.
“I guess so.” She sighed. “Just don’t flip meover.”
“Aw, now, whether you flip over or not is up to you, dear…” I cranked the radio up, letting “Country Girl” echo out into the night before I pressed my foot on the gas. The rope caught, slowly dragging her behind the truck. When I saw her grinning, I picked up speed until I was doing about twenty miles per hour across the field. I turned, and the table slung out to the side. I could hear her squeal over theradio.
That night, all that mattered to me was her and thatsmile.
23
Hannah
The wind whipped through my hair, the smell of exhaust and freshly cut grass swirled around me when Noah took a sharp turn. He kept driving me in circles until I was dizzy, laughing and screaming like akid.
When the truck came to a stop, he opened his door. I tossed the rope down and hopped up, staggering a few steps as my equilibrium leveledout.
“Now you’ve been Redneck Sledding.” His hands landed on my hips and he yanked me to him, placing a soft kiss on mylips.
Rubbing my lips together, I pulled away a little. “So, now you can take me to yourhouse.”
He scrubbed a hand over the back of his neck before picking up the rope and winding it around his forearm. “There’s not much tosee.”
“I don’tcare.”
With a sigh, he chucked the rope over the tailgate, followed by thetable.
“Please?”
“Come on, but if Old Man’soutside—”
“OldMan?”
“Yeah, I don’t know his real name. That’s what everyone calls him, and he’s a pervert, so just don’t make eye contact withhim.”
“Okay.”
We climbed into his truck and took off through the pasture, barreling over a creek. Everything inside of the cab jostledaround.
“You don’t believe in roads, doyou?”
