"I am so excited to get there! Now the horses will have more room to run, and I want to get little goats, and oh…we have to get…"

"Hold on now slow down," Michael laughed " We haven't even moved in ourselves yet, and you have all kinds of animals planned!" He said putting his arm around her and kissed her forehead.

Phoebe smiled and nestled up to him as they drove the big U-haul truck down the freeway.

She was anxious and the move was going to be a new start for them. She wanted to leave the past as far behind as possible.

Hermiston , Oregon was going to be a good start. The farm was going to be very different than the busy streets of LA.

"Honey, lets stop in this little restaurant, I am starving!" Phoebe said sitting up and reading the passing food sign.

"I need to get gas anyway" Michael said putting on his blinker, and pulling in the gravel parking lot.

Phoebe jumped out and fluffed her hair, taking a deep breath. The truckers at the station noticed Phoebe immediately.

Michael got out and took off his baseball cap as he looked around. Then locked up the truck.

They walked into the restaurant, and sat at a booth by the window. Michael threw his wallet and phone on the table, and winked at Phoebe, across the table. She gave him a luring smile.

"I saw a Motel sign ahead…have you done enough driving today?" Phoebe asked slipping her foot between his inner thighs.

"Phoebe…contain yourself…we are about two hours away" he said jokingly, and moved her foot to the safe side of his thigh.

"What can I get you two?" The waitress asked pulling the pen from behind her ear.

"I'll have the special, and a large chocolate shake" Michael said and sat back in his seat putting his arm around the back of the booth.

A flatbed truck with hay in the back pulled into the parking lot. Phoebe watched out the window as four guys filed out of the truck. They were all dirty and sweaty, but the all looked tan and very attractive.

"Phoebe!" Michael said nudging her under the table

Phoebe broke out of her trance, and looked at Michael and then at the waitress.

"Oh, I am sorry, I will have the same" She said flustered.

Just then the guys came through the door and sat down across the way. Phoebe felt her stomach drop and her head start to spin as she made eye contact with one of the guys. The guy waved, and started to walk to their table.

"Phoebe? Hey!" The guy said walking up.

Phoebe felt her stomach drop again and she tried to hold her composure.

"Hi Cole" she said trying to sound calm and collected.

"Michael, this is Cole…Cole, this is my," Phoebe felt a lump in her throat and swallowed around it, " husband" she finished.

Michael nodded.

"Hey man" Cole said and then looked back at Phoebe, "Do you guys live out here?"

"Yeah…well, Hermiston…we just stopped for lunch" Phoebe said trying to avoid eye contact.

"Right on…Well, I guess I'll see you around then." Cole said giving her a wink and turning to walk off.

He looked back at Phoebe, and she look up at him…their eyes met intensely.

"Bye" she said smiling, and twirling her hair around her finger nervously.

"Who was that?" Michael said breaking Phoebe's stare.

"Oh…someone I knew when I was a kid" Phoebe said and grabbed her drink to guzzle it.

Through the meal Phoebe could feel Cole staring at her. She tried to put on her best show for him, and she was smiling and laughing at what ever Michael said.

She wanted to give the impression she was so happy and so in love, even though she was, she wanted him to know.

When they were through with lunch, they stood up and Michael walked to the counter.

"I have to go to the bathroom…I'll meet you in the truck" she said and walked to the bathroom, knowing she had to walk by Cole's table.

Phoebe waited in the bathroom until she gave Michael enough time to get to the truck. She didn't want him to ask anymore questions about Cole.

Phoebe was short of breath and she couldn't help the smile she had when she thought about Cole sitting out there. She fluffed her hair, and put on her lip gloss. Then she walked out.

"I'll see ya" She said in her most mature voice, as she walked past his table, doing her best to steady her weak knees.

"See ya" Cole said and watched her walk out.

Phoebe walked to the truck. Michael was sitting inside with a tooth pick in his mouth watching her.

"Ready?" He said as she opened the door.

Phoebe slid over by him and looked in the restaurant windows to see if Cole was watching. He was.

"I got it this time" Cole said as he picked up the check from their table and walked to the counter.

He put a tooth pick in his mouth and glanced out the window.

He watched as Phoebe drove off and then he looked back.

"How's Debbie and the girls Cole?" The waitress asked, ringing the ticket up.

"Good sweetheart…How's old Howard?" Cole asked taking a deep breath.

"He's as ornery as ever!"

"I bet you still keep him hoppin' Elsie"

"Oh Cole, your such a tease" She said looking at him over her reading glasses.

"You're a good woman Elsie…see you next month!" Cole said winking at her, and followed the guys out.

"Ok, darling'!" She said.

Michael and Phoebe pulled up to their house at dusk. It was a two story farm house that sat just off the gravel road.

They got out of the truck and stood in front of the house. They smiled at each other and wandered around to the front door.

"Well, home sweet home honey!" Michael said, and scooped Phoebe up in his arms.

Phoebe screamed playfully as he carried her into the house.

Just then Cole and the guys drove by the house.

"Hey, There's a U-haul truck in the drive way…The new owners must be moving in." One of the guys said as they drove by.

"Yeah, I'll have to go by tomorrow and see if they need a hand with anything…show I am neighborly and all." Cole said smiling at the guys.