“Are you serious?” Liz said barely above a stunned whisper.

Becca laughed. “I finally got the best of you.”

“You did not!” Liz argued.

“Oh yes I did.” Becca sounded happy. “Now let Raylen talk.”

“He’s going to be so disappointed, Becca. He wanted to be your maid of honor at your wedding, and now he’s got this beautiful apricot-colored dress that he won’t ever get to wear.”

Becca’s laughter echoed off the walls.

“Congratulations, and I do not have a dress of any color,” Raylen said, “but why did you listen to Liz? I’ve been giving you the same advice for months.”

Becca lowered her voice. “It took a woman’s point of view, I suppose, and Raylen, she’s a smart cookie. Hang on to her.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“She’ll make you toe the line like Taylor does me. Neither of us could ever be satisfied with a wimp.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good night. I love him, Raylen. Have for a long time. This will change things between me and you, won’t it?”

“Sometimes change ain’t too bad,” he answered.

Liz looked at him with questions on her face when he turned the phone off and laid it on the arm of the sofa.

He raised a dark eyebrow and grinned. “What?”

“Change is good? Do you really believe that?” Liz asked.

“With my whole heart,” Raylen answered.

She rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. “I can’t get a rousing good argument out of anyone.”

“Why do you want to argue?” he asked.

“Because if I’m angry, then I won’t be sad,” she admitted.

“I’ll be here when the exodus begins.” He kissed her. “And honey, until you aren’t wishing, that you are ready to really give up your wings, you can’t grow roots that will bind you to this place.”

Liz walked him to the door, kissed him goodnight one more time, and was asleep two minutes after her head hit the pillow, but she was restless all night, tossing and turning, reaching out for Raylen only to find an empty pillow beside her.

Chapter 25

Hugs were given.

Promises made.

Then it was time for Liz to stand on the porch like her Poppa had done for years and wave as the parade went down her lane. Tears dripped off her cheeks and dropped onto her sweatshirt. She’d made up her mind and she was at peace with her decision. She liked her roots. She loved Raylen. But why did clipping her wings have to hurt so badly?

When the last taillight was out of sight, she tucked her head into Raylen’s shoulder and sobbed. “Now I know how my Poppa felt when we all left him behind. I miss all of them, Raylen, and they’re not even to the highway heading west yet.”

“They’re only hours from here, Liz. You can go see them any weekend that you want to. You can take off when you get off at two on Saturday and come home the next day. It’s not like you won’t see them for a year,” he said.