I think I’d like that.
I blinked at the screen, reading the message thread again. Then a third time. None of the words changed or rearranged themselves. It was there, in black and white. I told myself to breathe and stop acting like the prettiest girl in school had just asked me to a Sadie Hawkins dance. While I was still awkward, I was an awkward grown man, not a hormone-driven teenager.
But she hadn’t shut me down. Instead, she’d opened the door at my tentative knocking.
Now to not mess it up.
21
Jocelyn
Istared up at the spinning ceiling fan, the blades making atap, tap, tapsound as they passed a particularly sticky part in their rotation. Mama snored lightly beside me, and the early morning rays wormed their way between the slats of the blinds along the east-facing windows, spilling light into the studio apartment. I rubbed at my eyes, feeling like a cast member fromThe Walking Dead. Between the worry of watching Mama throughout the night to make sure I didn’t need to rush her back to the hospital and the blush of feelings Malachi’s texts had spread through me, I hadn’t gotten much sleep.
My phone made a muffleddingunder my hand. Had I been cradling the device the whole night? A whisper of anticipation blew across my breast as I unlocked the screen.
Malachi:
Just wanted to be the first
one to say good morning
and that I hope you have
a good day. I’ll be thinking of you.
Okay, who was this guy and what had happened to the shy, reticent man I’d known at the ranch? The one who’d duck his head and retreat any time he thought someone was likely to corner him. Not that I was complaining exactly. The timid Malachi was sweet, and I’d enjoyed coaxing him out of his shell, but this more vocal version of the same man left me reeling.
If I were to drive back to the ranch today, which man would meet me? The one who seemed slightly uneasy in my presence or the one who admitted that stunning sunsets made him think of me and raced to be the first person to greet me in the morning?
Not that I could head back today. Or the next few days even. I needed to get Mama settled then get myself back home and return to work. Maybe in a couple of weeks I could take the weekend to get away and drive back up. Would conversation flow easily between us, or would Malachi return to his taciturn ways?
Which brought back a question I’d been wondering about for a while.
Jocelyn:
Good morning. In the
spirit of getting to know
each other better, can I
ask you something?
Malachi:
You can ask me anything.
Jocelyn:
I couldn’t help but notice
that you aren’t exactly
an extroverted type of guy.
Malachi:
Guilty as charged.
