I turned to face her.
“I’ve known Garrett my whole life. I know the type of person he is, and he would never allow you to leave your family. He is going to want what is best for you.”
I felt the tears building in my eyes because I knew she was right. Garrett would tell me to be a good little girl and do what my parents said.
I shook my head and looked straight ahead. “No,” I whispered. “He gave me his heart. I won’t leave him.”
Peggy put her hand on my shoulder. “Emma, if he said that, he meant it. He’ll wait for you. He is going to want what is best for you, but he is true to his word.”
I quickly wiped the tears away and got out of the car.
“Where are you going?” Margie asked.
“I’ll walk from here.”
Margie jumped out of the car and ran around it. “Bullshit you will. That walk is a few miles long.”
She pushed me back inside the car and then opened the gate before getting back in the driver’s seat to head toward Garrett’s house. Before she got to the house, she turned down another dirt road.
“Where are you going?” I asked.
“Billy was going to call Garrett and tell him to meet us at the barn. This road pulls up just shy of the barn. Mrs. Mathews won’t know we are here, so she can’t tell my parents that she saw me dropping you off.”
I looked at Margie and then turned to look at Peggy. “Oh, I see. I take it y’all have snuck out before?”
They both laughed as Margie brought the car to a stop. She smiled bigger, and I followed her stare. Billy, Raymond, and Garrett were all standing there, talking. Billy waved as Raymond slapped Garrett on the back. Raymond headed toward the car as Billy said something to Garrett before turning and making his way over.
“Two hours, Emma. I’ll give you two hours before we meet back here, and I take you home,” Margie said with a serious look.
I nodded my head and got out of the car. Raymond jumped into the back with Peggy, and they immediately began necking. Billy winked at me as he took my seat, and then he shut the door. I watched as Margie turned the car around and took off down the dirt road. I spun around, only to see Garrett leaning against the tractor. My stomach began doing all kinds of weird flips as he stood there, smiling at me. I let out a sob and ran to him. His smile faded, and he caught me as I jumped into his arms.
“Buttercup, what is going on? Why the secret meeting? And why the tears?”
“Just hold me for a bit, Garrett. Please just hold me.”
Garrett held on to me tighter and whispered, “Emma, you’re scaring me. What’s going on?”
In that instant, I knew what I had to do. I pulled back and looked into his eyes. “Make love to me—right now, right here.”
His face dropped, and he took a step back as he looked at me with a stunned face. “What?”
My heart started pounding. Maybe he doesn’t feel the same way about me? I did the only thing I could think of. I just started spitting everything out, “My parents are moving. I mean, we’re moving. We’re moving to Austin because of my dad. They’re making me leave, Garrett. My father went on and on about how I needed to go to college and that if I stayed here, I’d get nowhere, or I’d end up marrying you and just be a housewife with nothing to show for, um…well, I mean…” I stopped talking the moment I saw the devastation in his eyes.
I closed my eyes and cursed myself for saying what I’d just said. When I opened them, Garrett was running his hand through his brown hair. His blue eyes were filled with so much sadness that I wanted to hit myself for hurting him.
“Garrett, I didn’t mean—”
He held up his hand for me to stop talking as he gave me a weak smile. “You’re moving to Austin? When?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t know. I guess soon, but I didn’t give my parents time to get that far. When I found out, I just kind of ran away. I needed to get to you right away. I don’t want to leave you, Garrett. I…I love you.”
His whole body slumped slightly as he let out a sigh and closed his eyes. He turned away from me and looked out onto the open field. I glanced up and couldn’t help but smile. It was so beautiful out here. The hills took my breath away, and I wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of my life here with Garrett. I walked up to him and wrapped my arms around his waist.
I was just about to start talking when Garrett let out a small chuckle. “This is just my luck, I guess.”
I pulled back when he turned to look at me. “What do you mean?” I asked as I tilted my head.
He smiled, and my stomach did a few twists and turns.