HOLY SMOKES

six. only you

Magnolia was up with the sun. She'd gotten a coffee and a bowl of fruit from the diner before she put her headphones on. She loved listening to music when she was making her posts on social media.

On Twitter, she had described the terrible scene she had seen, even adding a few pictures of the wreckage, before she added the link to the relief fund. She also added the link to the Tornado Wranglers Twitter as well as their YouTube channel.

On TikTok, she shared a video that one of her team members had taken of a brief interview they'd had with a woman that had lost her house and her animals when the tornado came through.

On Instagram, she posted pictures she had taken of the wreckage. And even a few of her team members digging through the rubble, all sporting work gloves to protect their hands – there were even a few of herself that Hunter had taken.

And on each post she made sure to post the link to the fund.

She smiled when she saw that Dani had already retweeted her on Twitter. She had liked her TikTok and she had commented on her Instagram post with a heavy endorsement from the Tornado Wranglers.

She lifted her mug up to her lips and took a sip, smiling as more and more people commented, expressing their admiration for the cause. There were a few who claimed she was just doing this for the publicity, but Magnolia never let herself dwell on those.

She believed in what she was doing wholeheartedly.

What caught her off guard was the fact there were pictures of her and Boone circulating. And a few of the Wranglers’ fan accounts were commenting about how she was the girl in the photos.

And when she saw the photos, her jaw nearly dropped. It had been a private moment between her and Boone in the back of Tyler's truck, but now it was all over her comment section. All they had done was hold hands, and he kissed her cheek, but still.

“Hey, Maggie.” Dani greeted as she joined the girl, and though she wore a smile, it didn't reach her eyes.

Magnolia blinked a few times, pulling her headphones off, but her eyes were still wide.

“I assume you saw them.”

“How'd did… why would… That was a private moment.” She mumbled.

“I'm sorry, Maggie. That happens sometimes, sorta comes with the territory. We shoulda warned you.”

“I-It's fine, I guess.”

“Oh the bright side, people seem to like the idea of you Boone.” Dani offered, trying to lighten the mood.

And Magnolia just nodded. It wasn't horrible that people thought she and Boone were dating, she supposed. They had dated, though it had been nearly ten years.

“It'll blow over, I'm sure.” Dani added, hoping to ease the blonde, who had started playing with her necklace.

“I just hope it doesn't interfere with my work, my job is everythin’ to me.”

Dani reached over and placed her hand on her forearm, “if anything, this could help you. We are pretty famous and I hate to say it, but if you're seen with us, it could raise your numbers.”

“But that feels sleezy,” she shook her head, her nose scrunched a little. “I don't like the idea of using anyone, much less Boone.”

“Don't think of it like that, think of it like… an extension of our business arrangement. If we do a few videos together, post a few photos of all of us, it could get more people's attention. You could grow your own fanbase.”

She shook her head, “I won't use him like that.”

Dani nodded, then after a moment of thought a smile tugged at her lips. “I got an idea.”

>>>>> • <<<<<

Magnolia toyed with her necklace, her bottom lip between her teeth and her delicate fingers toying with her necklace. Her eyes were on the large red truck before her and on either side of her stood the Tornado Wranglers.

“I-I don't know ‘bout this.”

“You said you wanted to do some videos with us,” Tyler reminded her, patting her back.

“This ain't what I meant and you know it.” She muttered then she turned to look over at Dani, “how’s this supposed to help?”

She shrugged, “seemed like a good idea.”

“And if you get scared, you can hold Boone's hand,” Tyler teased and she narrowed her eyes at him, which just made him laugh. She couldn't look menacing if she tried.

Then her eyes moved over to Boone who stood to her right, he hadn't really said anything. Mostly because he was busy watching her as she toyed with the chain around her neck. He couldn't make out the charm that hung from it, but he knew she was nervous. She always played with her necklace when she was nervous, but back then it had been the necklace that was now slung around his neck and tucked safely under his shirt.

“Hey, Maggie,” she turned, looking over her shoulder at Hunter as she let her necklace fall back to her chest and Boone watched it. His heart nearly stopped when he realized it was the ring he had given her. “You coming?”

She looked back at the truck then at each of the Wranglers, before her eyes met Boone’s. His eyes were wide, his lips parted slightly like he wanted to say something but he was holding himself back. Instead, he offered a smile and nodded his head a little, because he wanted more than anything for her to be in that truck with him. He slid his hand into hers, bringing a smile to her lips.

She looked over at Hunter again, her eyes squinted against the sun, “no, I’m gonna ride with them.”

Hunter’s eyes grew wide, his eyebrows shooting up his forehead, “You serious?”

She took a breath, not even she could believe that she was agreeing to it. “Yep, looks like it.”

Boone grinned, tugging her closer to him. He dropped her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her in close. “Don’t be nervous, we’re professionals.”

“She’s in good hands,” Tyler added, grinning at the way Hunter watched Magnolia lean into Boone’s side with an emotion all too clear on his face before he turned around.

Dexter saw it too, even if he wasn’t much for reading people, “hey, Maggie, just a question.”

“Anythin’,” she smiled over at him, still under Boone’s arm.

“There something there?” He asked, using his finger to motion towards Hunter and her brows creased as he followed the moment, then she felt Boone tense up beside her.

He knew that she had probably been with other people, hell, it had been ten years. He wasn’t proud of it but he had taken a few girls back to his motel room over the years. But the thought of Magnolia – his angel – with anyone else killed him. He couldn’t stand it even if he knew it wasn't fair.

“Oh, no, I’d never date a coworker. Especially since I’m technically his boss.” She told him, and Boone relaxed a little at her side, until he saw the smirk on Lily’s face.

“Then have you dated anyone else?”

Her cheeks burned and her hand moved up, her fingers gripping at her necklace, which Boone  noticed. “Um, not really.”

Tyler’s eyes grew wide, “what does not really mean?”

She shrugged her shoulders as she subconsciously shifted away from Boone. It was embarrassing, really. She hadn’t really dated anyone but him. Sure she had gone on a few blind dates that Kelly set up for her, and only one of those resulted in a second date.

“As in none?” Dani asked, her eyes wide. “But you're gorgeous.”

Magnolia let out a nervous giggle, tucking her hand behind her ear. “I mean, I went on a few blind dates, but they were mostly corporate types. Not for me.”

Boone was conflicted. He loved that she hadn’t been with anyone else, that he had been the only-

“Hold up,” Lily raised her hand a little, moving towards the blonde. “Does that mean no sex either, or does that not fall under dating?”

“Oh, God, Lily.” Tyler groaned, covering his ears like a little kid. “She’s like my sister, I don’t wanna know that.”

“Then go away, ‘cause I do.” Dani waved him off and he walked away, followed by Dexter, but Boone was frozen in place. His eyes glued to Magnolia as she kept her eyes fixed on the ground as she kicked at the dirt with the toe of her boot. Her cheeks were so red they were basically glowing and it was obvious that she was purposely not looking in Boone’s direction.

“I mean, if you’re comfortable answering.” Lily added. “I didn’t mean to overstep, I do that sometimes.”

Magnolia shook her a little, “no i-it’s fine.” She breathed out, hyper aware of Boone, and the fact that his eyes were fixed on her. “But, uh, n-no. Almost happened once, but I-I couldn't. Personally, sex without love just ain’t worth it.”

“What!?” Lily nearly shouted, her eyes wide.

“I can’t even…” Dani mumbled. “So have you ever…”

Oh, God, couldn’t the ground just open up and swallow her whole? Couldn’t she just fall into a hole to never be seen again?

Boone watched as she reached for her necklace again, finally coming to his senses. He couldn’t believe he had let them ask such prying questions and all because he was curious and didn’t really want to ask her himself. He stepped in front of her, waving Lily and Dani off as if they were pesky flies.

“Y'all got no boundaries.” He muttered, shaking his head a little and they backed off. But they weren’t stupid, it was obvious that she and Boone had dated – she had been all he talked about when he got hammered. So they assumed they had also had sex, and Magnolia’s red cheeks and her silence only drove the point home. “Sorry, angel, I shoulda stopped ‘em.”

She smiled small, finally looking up at him. Her cheeks were still flushed and her fingers still toyed with the ring and he so badly wanted to ask why she still wore it, but before he could, her soft voice cut him off.

“Only you, Boone.”

It took him a second, his brows had creased as he tried to work it out. But the second it clicked, his eyes grew wide and his chest exploded.

Though his moment of happiness was tainted as the guilt crept in… he had been with other women. Not many, but still. And he hated himself for it.

“Well, we should get on the road.” She mumbled, making her way around him and towards the others.

NOVA SPEAKS

another chapter!!

so, i've a bit of a wall a little farther into this book, i have a few chapters prewritten, but i'm struggling a little with what to do with maggie and boone when tyler goes after kate.

i have a little bit, but what would y'all like to see??

also, i have another twisters fic in my drafts, it's a tyler fic. the oc is kate's sister and javi's ex-girlfriend. also, javi and kate are gonna be endgame, too because drama.... anywant a tag?

i'm gonna post it when I get a little father into this book!

and don't worry, i haven't forgotten about heart like a truck, i'm just struggling a little with that one.