It was late, the quiet hum of the Texas night seeping into Candy Montgomery’s kitchen. She sat at the table, the phone cord wound around her fingers as she stared at it, debating. After a deep breath, she dialed, her heart skipping when the line connected.

“Hey, it’s me—Candy,” she said, her voice warm, almost casual, though there was an edge of something she couldn’t quite hide. “Hope I’m not calling too late. I was just… thinking about you and figured, why not?”

i leaned back in her chair, her fingers still toying with the phone cord as a small smile tugged at her lips.

“You know,” she continued, her tone light but teasing, “you’ve got this way of staying on my mind. It’s dangerous, really. I keep catching myself wondering what you’re up to, or… who you’re up to it with.”

i left out a soft laugh, one that she hoped sounded casual enough to mask her growing interest.

“I mean, I see where you get it from—your mama always had a kind of spark about her, but you…” She trailed off, letting the words hang in the air for a moment before shifting gears with a playful edge. “Well, let’s just say you’ve turned it into an art form.”

i bit her lip, listening to your soft laughter on the other end, feeling her confidence grow.

“You should be careful with that,” she added, her voice dipping just slightly. “Not everyone can handle that kind of charm, you know. But maybe I could.”

i stopped herself there, forcing a pause to keep from saying too much, though her pulse quickened as she waited for your response, her mind already racing with where this could lead.