It was over too soon and we left the dance party and returned to the truck.

As soon as he had parked in front of Foxy’s house, Vance angled toward me and sighed. It was as if the gesture pushed away the giddiness to bring the seriousness front and center. “We’ll be just fine with me living a little farther down the road, Austin. Heck, now that I’ll have my own place, we’ll finally be able to spend time alone together. We’re always surrounded by lots of people, so doesn’t that sound appealing?”

I fiddled with the fringe on my shawl. “You might figure out you don’t like me all that much if it’s just the two of us.”

“I think we already proved tonight that I like you even more when it’s just the two of us.” He waggled his eyebrows, and just like that, the heaviness dissipated.

I elbowed his side and started scooting to the passenger side, but that only spurred a goofy wrestling match between us that ended up with another serving of sweet kisses.

Lost in the feel of Vance’s soft lips moving over mine, the tapping on the window scared the tar out of me. Planting a palm to his face, I shoved him away and turned to see Foxy staring at me. The full moon glanced off her smirk and seemed to illuminate the lavender head wrap tied perfectly around her head. I opened the door and moved to climb out, but she stopped me.

“Everyone is asleep. Jinx will bring them home first thing in the morning.” Foxy made a shooing motion and leaned around me to eye Vance. “My girl is allowed to kiss you, but you better not even think about going anywhere near her virtue.”

“I’m a perfect gentleman, Miss Foxy. Austin’s virtue is safe with me.” Vance winked, so full of himself. “I promise.” He tipped his head overconfidently. The arrogant doofus.

Foxy regarded him coolly. “You break that promise and I may have to learn some of that voodoo this town accuses me of knowing and cast something on your cute behind.”

After a few rounds of teasing with Foxy and then a firm promise to behave, Vance took me home. Even walking me to the front door for one more kiss.

With my fingers pressed to my smiling lips, I stood on the porch and watched the truck disappear down the drive before heading inside. The faint crooning of “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” drifted toward me as soon as I closed the door. Holding my breath, I stood still to see if any other sounds would register. Nothing but the chorus, so I released the lungful of air on a heavy sigh and moved to the living room to see what form of Pa awaited.

He sat slumped on the couch, head leaned back, eyes closed. At first I thought he was asleep, but then his lips began to barely move as he sang along quietly. I took a step back, hoping to slink off to bed undetected just as his eyes opened to half-mast, halting my getaway.