Tyler:She managed to put a ball and chain on you? ’Cause I gotta meet her and then mark my calendar that hell just froze over.
Toby chuckled but felt his heart tug at thinking of himself shackled to Rose. He smiled down at the screen as he responded.
Toby:Man, she didn’t do a thing, I put the damn shackles on myself like some lemming shouting, “Sure, I wanna jump that cliff!”
Tyler:Lord, sounds like you got it bad. Call me. Gotta know a lot more about Rose’s situation before I know if I can help her.
Toby:Thanks, man.
Tyler:The boys just went to bed. Now’s a good time.
Toby grinned, snagged his wad of bags, and jumped down out of the truck. Stella waved at him from across the lot, pushing a full cart.
“Toby Dixon! How’s that archaeology gal working out for you?” she called.
Toby shook his head but couldn’t suppress his smile. “Turns out, she is different!” he called back, grinning as Stella’s face dropped in comprehension, then a laugh bellowed from her gut.
“I had a feeling! Dun dun-da-dunnn…”
Was she singing “Here Comes the Bride”? God, woman, it was a little too soon for that.
“So when are you going to cut that mop off your head and look respectable?”
He waved her off without looking back, shaking his head, and she kept ribbing him. But still, he pulled off his cap and ran his hand through his scruffy hair again. He did have a first impression to make. He woke up his phone to check the time. He could still hit the barber shop around the corner if he hurried… He kept walking through the electric doors and tapped his brother’s number, putting the phone to his ear as he snagged a cart.
Tyler picked up on the first ring, laughing at his expense. “Baby brother, you are hooked, man. It’s about dang time.”