“Are you all right?” she asked. “My truck died on me as I went around the curve. I tried to push it out of the way but I couldn’t.”

Miguel got out and stood in front of her. He was glad to see that he was now taller than she was. When they were kids, she’d been half a head taller than he was. Frowning, he advanced on her. “Well, why couldn’t you move the truck?” he said angrily. “Just pick the damned thing up and twirl it around. How hard could that be?” She didn’t back away from him. He halted when his face was close to hers. She was alone on a country road with an angry male stranger. Most women would be fearful. But not Vera.

“My truck is made of kryptonite,” she said.

It took him a moment to understand what she was saying. It was from the Superman comics they used to read.

Realizing that she did recognize him made him laugh. He put his arms around her and swung her in a circle. “When’d you get so short? At least your hair is the same.”

He set her down and they looked at each other.

“I see you lost your fat cheeks. Still have a belly?” Smiling, she put her hand on his stomach. It was hard, flat, strong. “Oh my goodness. You must have a lot of girlfriends.”

Laughing, he took a step back. “Haven’t you heard the town gossip? I’m a mail-order bride.”

She gave him a look he remembered well. She was trying to figure out something. That summer they’d shared, it had been a constant job to keep Vera interested. She was curious about everything in the world. He would ride his bike to the library and search for books on subjects Vera knew nothing about. He’d stay up late reading them so he could impress her the next day.

“So I heard,” Vera said. “Gabrielle. Rafe and Forey brought you to Kansas not to work but to marry her.”

He grinned. “You may be short but your brain still works.”

“You do know that everyone in town thinks you and Gabby are in love, don’t you? I think Forey wants a double wedding with Kelly and Paul.”

“Paul? Is he new in town?”

“Nope. Been here for ages. Dr. Carl’s stepson.”

Miguel shook his head. “Still don’t remember him.”

“Me neither and I see him all the time. Kelly says he’s scared of me.”

“Scared of a little thing like you?”

She laughed. “Will you stop it? You grew taller than me. You made your point.”

“Remember when we were in the cellar and you said I should stand on your shoulders because I was the shorter one?”

She was laughing. “I can tell you’re still deeply hurt.”

For a moment they stood looking at each other, smiling in memory.