Chapter 4

"Hey, Sis!" April called. "You got something from your boyfriend!"

"What are you babbling about?" Bailey walked through the kitchen door, fresh from feeding the family's animals.

"There's a letter for each of us from Mr. MacKenzie."

Bailey snatched the envelope out of her sister's hand, despite the other girl's attempt to pull it back. She tore into it, finding a sappy/inspirational congratulatory graduation card from Hallmark and a gift certificate to the local shopping mall.

She had hoped that he would show up at graduation and ask her to run away with him, but he didn't. Still, she knew this was more than she should have expected.

"Get the same thing?" April asked, holding up her card. Bailey shrugged. On one level, she was happy to have heard from Gabe, but on another she was disappointed that it was just a nice, if a little impersonal, gift card.

A few moments later, the phone rang. It was Morgan. And a few minutes after that, Kimmy called the twins. All four girls had received different cards but the same gift. If she would have allowed herself to be upset with her sister and her best friends, Bailey was disappointed that Gabe hadn't singled her out for something special. She thought they had connected on some deeper level than the other three girls. Still, the young woman couldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, especially one that gave so generously after only knowing her for four or five hours.

A couple of weeks later, Bailey finally drummed up the courage to call Gabe. She hemmed and hawed for a while, wondering if she could actually do it.

So many thoughts ran through her mind. They ranged from the hopeful (He really likes me!) to the self-doubting (Does he really like me and not my super-hot twin sister?) to the scared (What if he's some sort of sexual predator) to outright lust (I'm going to jump his bones when we meet!).

Graduation was passed. The girls were of school for the next two and a half months before starting at the community college in the fall. In addition to helping around the farm, both had jobs. Every night, Bailey stared at the slip of paper Gabe had given her. She mentally kicked herself for not giving him her phone number. She would have to be the one to make the first move.

One afternoon, after her folks and sister had gone off to work, Bailey dialed the number. Her heart pounded in her chest. The palms of her hands were covered in sweat.

The phone rang.

Two ... three times.

She cringed at the fourth ring, anticipating it rolling into Gabe's voicemail.

Her stomach churned when someone picked up. "Hello?"

For a moment, she couldn't speak.

"Hello?" the familiar voice said again.

"Hi ... Mr. MacKenzie?" she knew she had to say something lest he think she was a telemarketer and hang up. "It's me ... um, Bailey Crawford."

"Bai—Oh, hi!" She could "hear" the smile in his voice and she let out a sigh of relief. "How are you? How was graduation?"

"Graduation was fine, Mr. Mac—"

"Don't start that with me, Bailey," he said, his voice becoming playfully stern. "Call me Gabe or I'm going to hang up on you."

"Okay, Gabe." The butterflies in her stomach calmed down a little. But not much. "Graduation was good ... a little long. We wanted to thank you for the cards and the gifts."

"Anything for my prom dates," he said.

There was a brief awkward silence. She had to steel up her courage. "Gabe ... I don't suppose you'd want to meet for lunch or something ... April and I are going to be in town on Wednesday for orientation..."

"I'd love to—"

As soon as the words started, she knew there would be a "but" coming.

"—but I'm out of town right now..."

If he had been there, Gabriel would have seen the disappointment on the girl's face.

" ... I'm in New York through the twenty-second..."

That was almost three weeks away.

" ... But I'd really like to get together with you..."

Her face brightened.

" ... And the other girls..."

Disappointment. Again.

" ... When I get back." He paused for a second. "Is this a good number to reach you? I've got a meeting in a few minutes ... Can I call you back in about an hour?"

It took her a second to process what he had just said. "Um ... sure."

"Okay, I'll talk to you in a few."

She sat on the couch, holding the phone to her ear, its connection long since dropped. Her hands were shaking. She felt excited and afraid and confused all at the same time. All the while she wondered what had just happened.