Her mother’s voice popped into her head. Oh, hush your whining! You think you are the only one who is unsure of herself in this relationship? What about Raylen? You are a carnie and your whole carnie family is surrounding you right now. Ever think that he might be scared you’ll go with us when we leave?

She wiped her eyes with the edge of the sheet and sniffled. I’m not leaving. He’s not running me off. I’m staying right here because it feels right, she thought stoically. But if Raylen isn’t the one—She broke down and wept again.

She couldn’t call Blaze because he was busy with Colleen, and Liz wouldn’t disturb that but she sure needed a friend. She finally slung her legs over the edge of the bed, grabbed the first nightgown in her drawer, and pulled it over her head. She pushed her feet down into her cowboy boots and picked up her truck keys from the kitchen counter and stormed out of the house.

She vowed she wouldn’t shed another tear as she slid behind the wheel of her vehicle and drove down her lane to where it made a sharp left. By then sadness had turned to anger. She stomped the gas pedal, slung gravel halfway to Bowie, and headed toward the O’Donnell ranch. The truck fishtailed when she turned onto the gravel road back to Raylen’s house. Lights were on in the house, but when she reached the porch and knocked on the door, no one answered.

“I’m not leaving until you open this door,” she muttered and twisted the door knob, only to find it locked. “You are not going to lock me out until we talk.”

Finally, he opened the door just a crack and stood before her in nothing but a towel. His hair stuck up every which way, and water dripped onto the floor.

“What do you want?” he asked.

She slung the door fully open, and he took two steps backward. “Don’t you ever leave in the middle of a fight. You stay until we settle it and either break up with me or else have makeup sex, but don’t just walk away.”

“You told me to leave,” he reminded her but still didn’t invite her inside.

“Well, I didn’t mean it. You are supposed to stand up and fight for us if we are important enough.” She propped both hands on her hips. “Are we, Raylen, or are you tired of me already?”

“Don’t you dare accuse me of being tired of you. I’ve wanted you since we were kids, dreamed about you, thought about you, and measured every other woman by the impossible yardstick you put in my mind. So don’t you dare say I’m tired of you. I won’t ever be tired of you. Maybe you just want to go back to the carnival, and this is your way of doing it. Fight with me so it’ll make it all right,” he said.

She stepped right up into his space, her nose not six inches from his. “You are an idiot if you think that. I was crying my eyes out and made up my mind that Ringgold is where I belong. So, whether you are tired of me or not, I’m not leaving. You can just get used to having me for a neighbor, if that’s all we are ever going to be to each other after tonight.”