I prepared two salads for Aspen and I incase he doesn’t have any food at home and put them in a bag to take with me.
There is no doubt in my mind that I will be coming tomorrow. I had such a great day that I want a repeat of it again.
“Uhh, Genevieve,” Raul stops me before I head out.
“Yeah?” I ask him.
“Please don’t mention that little mishap with Aspen. I don’t want to worry anyone,” he says.
That’s what assured me exactly what I predicted. Raul is not okay, and he’s now put me in an awkward situation by asking me not to tell Aspen. But I wouldn’t betray his trust like that.
“Yeah, of course. I won’t tell anyone,” I tell him truthfully, because I won’t, that’s not my business to tell.
He says he’s just sleepy, but I know what exhausted looks like, and Raul looks like the weight of the world is tucked into his apron pocket. I’ve never really thought about what it takes to keep something like this running, or how often people like him just push through, pretending everything's fine. The type of tired that doesn't go away after a nap.
After spending the day along Raul’s side, I have a lot of earned respect for him, and that’s exactly why I’ll be back tomorrow, helping him in any way I can.
I turn back towards the door. When I step out of the building and walk towards the car, Aspen is already waiting for me right in front of my passenger side door so he can open it up for me.
“Long day?” He asks.
“Yes, but great,” I tell him, then I give him a little peck on the cheek. He proceeds to blush and then opens my door and lets me get settled in before he closes and comes back around to his side.
He sits in his seat and says, “I’m glad to hear it. You sure you’re not a secret famous chef back home?” He asks.
I giggle because that would be something. At least I wouldn’t have to figure out what I want as my major then. “No, just lots of cooking with my brothers and watching the cooking channel I guess,” I tell him.
“I need to hop on that. First my best friend and now my girl tells me that. The cooking channel sounds like a hidden gem. We can watch it together if you want,” he says.
I should be telling him itisa hidden gem, but all I can think about is how he just called mehis girl.Did he really think of me as his girl? I don’t mind it, but we haven’t really put a label on what we are or have talked about where we go from here. Does that make me his girlfriend? It is a question that lingers in the air around us both, that we are too scared to touch.
In the back of my mind, the tiniest voice whispers: What happens when Derek comes back? Will Aspen ask me to leave and will that just be it? Or are we going to enter a long-distance relationship? These are questions that spin in my mind and I continue to ignore and put off. I don’t even want to know the answers yet. Because I have a feeling I’m not going to like the answer.
“Uhh, Genevieve?” He breaks my thoughts, his hand is rubbing my left thigh to grab my attention.
“Sorry! Yeah, I would love that!” I tell him as he drives out of the parking lot, towards his apartment.
As I’m staring out the fogged up window watching all the pine trees go by, my mind betrays me and I sit in the passenger seat thinking… I wouldn’t mind beingAspen Davis’ girl.
28
Aspen
Genevieve isn’t the type of girl you’d expect to love snowboarding, or to get her hands dirty cooking in the back of a resort bar, or to enjoy hiking for that matter. But that’s the thing about her, she keeps surprising me in the best possible ways. Just when I think I’ve got her figured out, she throws me a curveball that makes me fall for her a little more.
The sun’s still high enough in the sky, so I decide to take her to one of my favorite lookout spots, this little hidden gem just a fifteen minute hike from my place. It’s an easy hike, one I’ve done so many times I could probably walk it blindfolded. And I packed us dinner in the backpack, courtesy of the leftovers she snagged from the resort kitchen. A sunset picnic seemed a hell of a lot more romantic than eating in my sad, echoing kitchen.
As we start the trail, the late afternoon air is crisp, and the breeze carries the scent of pine and melting snow. I glance over at her as she looks around, taking everything in like it’s magic.
“I can’t remember the last time I went on a hike,” she says, her voice soft with wonder. “This is so nice and peaceful.”
I smile to myself. “This spot’s my favorite place to watch the sunset,” I tell her. “Thought we could have dinner with a view.”
Her whole face lights up. “I love that,” she says, and that one little smile makes the entire trek worth it.
The hike is short and gentle, barely enough to get our heart rates up. Along the way, we pass nothing but squirrels dartingthrough the brush and the occasional bird call echoing through the trees. Peaceful, just like she said. It’s rare to be out here and not run into some kind of wildlife, especially in the evening. Deer, mostly. Thankfully I’ve never seen a bear. And while I’m not usually one to tempt fate, I figured we’d be fine—especially since we’re close to home and the sun hasn’t dipped too far yet. Still, the thought of getting mauled while trying to impress a girl? Not exactly ideal.
“I wanted to show you something,” I say as we round a bend and reach a small clearing. “Come on. We’re almost there.”
