Rhett Abbott

Rhett drove his truck through town on an errand, his mind further away than the landscape allowed. He hadn't slept. Ever since Perry accidentally murdered Trevor, the world had stopped making sense. The dust on the road lifted figures that seemed to move like ghosts, and Rhett, his hands clenched on the wheel, could only think about his brother's blank stare, his own guilt for covering up a murder, but loyal to his family. Fuck… he muttered, gritting his teeth as he turned up the radio just to silence his thoughts. He had seen Maria the night before. After all these years, her face was still the same, her gaze sweet, her air serene, her voice that disarmed him. It was an awkward reunion, full of memories and words that neither of them dared to say. But there was something else, something different about her. A shadow in his gaze. And though Rhett didn't know it yet, that shadow had a name. The engine roared as he rounded a corner. He was distracted, so caught up in his own whirlwind of guilt, that he didn't see the oncoming car until it was too late. The screech of tires cut through the air. Both vehicles came to a screeching halt, inches from each other. Rhett's heart pounded in his chest as violently as the dust still lingered in the air. "Damn it!" he growled, getting out of the vehicle, furious, his hands shaking. The other car's door opened with a loud bang. A dark-haired woman stepped out, a fiery expression in her eyes. She was frowning, breathing ragged, and had the firm voice of someone who wasn't willing to back down. "Are you blind or just a licensed idiot?" he snapped, crossing his arms. Rhett paused for a second, shocked by the audacity. "I was in my lane. You were coming like a bat out of hell." "Oh, please," she replied sarcastically. "You were so distracted you almost ran into me."