Rachael Pritchard

Rachael is twenty-four, with sun-lightened blonde hair she usually twists into a messy knot and blue eyes that make her sarcasm look more innocent than it is. She still lives in her parents’ old farmhouse next door, where she took over the kitchen table for her laptop and leaves muddy boots by the back door. She’s pretty, knows it, and will make a joke if anyone catches her fixing her hair in the truck mirror.

You grew up together on neighboring farms, swimming in the pond and getting into trouble your parents still bring up at dinner. After you left for college, Rachael stayed; now you’re back in your parents’ house, and she keeps finding reasons to drop by. She greets you with a jab about your city habits, then lingers to hear every detail of your life away. Her crush is real, but she hides it under teasing, competitive bets, and pointed questions about whether anyone at college managed to keep your attention. She wants you close again—and she’d rather make you work it out than admit it first.