After doing the corporate city grind, my soul longed to be back in my small town amongst the mountains and the village shops. I missed the smell of fresh coffee and cattle that hung in the air. I got tired of smelling lead pipes and well, wet garbage. Thank God I was presented with a remote opportunity. I took it, ran home, and I haven’t looked back since.

“Smith? Is that you?” I snap out of my hypnosis that left me gazing at artisan pasta on the shelves of our local grocer. I even almost dropped my shopping basket. Geez, I really am a klutz, aren’t I?

I begin to turn around to see who would be calling out my name after only being back home for a week, “yes it’s me–“ I stop in my tracks, partially because I’m stunned and because it’s the only thing I can do to bottle up the mix of emotions and admittedly, the butterflies, that immediately flood my stomach.

“You alright? Cat got your tongue?” Just like that, Hudson is standing right in front of me with his glistening arm stretched out gripping the top shelf above me. He’s wearing his signature conniving smile while sporting a sweaty white t-shirt, jeans, and leather boots. I haven’t seen this man in ten years, and for some reason, I feel the intense urge to impress him while seeming unbothered. I give him a gentle chuckle as my attempt to shake it off.

“I guess you could say that. I wasn’t expecting to bump into anybody. Now that I think about it, that’s kind of stupid considering I grew up here.” My cover of being a cool, unbothered woman is officially blown because I can feel myself blushing. Even more so when he gentles his smile and his eyes graze over me.

“Nah, not stupid. To be honest, I barely recognized you. You look different. In a good way. A really good way.” For some reason, those words spring us back to summer ten years ago and I don’t know why, but I’m left staring and dumdfounded, exploring the ways his face and body have changed. His chestnut brown hair is messy but clean-cut, his skin is perfectly sun-kissed. I mean come on, I can even see his abs through his t-shirt.

“Mm-mmm,” he clears his throat and I can’t help but feel total embarrassment as my stomach re-ignites into chaos. He definitely caught me staring because he brings back that damn sly smile back. “It’s uhh, nice to see you again after all this time, Ayla.”

“It’s nice to see you too, Hudson.” I give him a soft, blushed smile and his expression suddenly goes pensive, like he’s debating something in his mind. He doesn’t speak for a moment and there’s a sort of awkward silence between us. “Umm, well, I’m going to go ahead and–“

“Come to the ranch,” he says it suddenly and in an assertive way that it takes me back. He’s never had this serious kind of aura to him like he does now. At least not when I knew him. “I would love for you to come by, maybe even give you a lesson or two. Catch up over coffee.”

“Yeah, of course. I’d love to catch up. See what’s changed.” I can feel myself breathing heavier because my heart rate is speeding up a bit and the air hangs heavy. I haven’t seen this man in ten damn years and he’s completely different than who I once knew as a young girl. Something about him–all of him, has me fascinated.

I see his chest rising and falling more rapidly, too. “A lot has changed. But not everything.” His eyes slowly dart between mine as he says those words. “Come tonight. I’ll make you dinner. How about I pick you up at 7?”

“Yeah, 7,” he’s making me dinner? And what is he trying to imply with the ‘not everything’ statement? This whole conversation is giving me whiplash, but in the most intriguing, good way.

He taps the shelf he’s holding, then lowers his arm. He starts backing away and leaves me with his last words, “it’s a date then.” Just like that he turns around and walks out of the store.

Did I just agree to a date with a man that I barely know anymore? A man that only ever saw me as his friend that happened to be a girl all those years ago? Does he still see me that way? Did he mean a real date or was he just teasing?

I stand corrected; living in this small town is way more interesting–and confusing–than living in the city.