“So, I was wondering if you wanted to come to Cannon Beach with me for Thanksgiving. You could meet my family. They’d love you. That’s a promise.”
Jett glances at me before his eyes are back on the road.
“Do they… know about us?”
“Sure do. They already knew I was thinking about seeing you before we did. But I told Mom today when I asked her if you could come with me. You can meet my best bro, Dennis, and his husband, Mike. They’re like the sweetest couple ever. We can run on the beach, hike through Ecola State Park, Dennis’ favorite spot. Or we can fish. Grandma is the best cook. She always makes Thanksgiving really special, but we all help out. We decorate and everything, but if you—”
“I’d love to.”
“Yeah? Will your sis be okay with it?”
“I…” He grips the steering wheel tighter, and he’s tense as hell. Did I say something wrong? “I don’t spend Thanksgiving with my family. They… spend it with our parents.”
“Oh. Gotcha. I’m sorry.”
“It’s… fine. I’ll be happy to spend it with you.”
“Cool!”
I pry his fingers off the steering wheel and hold his hand. I want to ask him more about it, but I don’t want to push. He likes to give me little bits about his life, but I know the closer we get, the more he’ll open up. We’re in no hurry.
The hike to Blue Pool at Tamolitch Falls is about two miles. While it’s a relatively easy hike, there are a lot of cliffs down to the McKenzie River.
“It’s gorgeous out here,” Jett says, adjusting his backpack.
“The leaves are stunning. It’d be prettier if it were sunny.”
Rain is expected today, but we’re prepared for it, since it’s always rainy, especially this time of year.
“And maybe not so cold,” he chuckles.
Despite the popularity of the place, there aren’t a lot of hikers out today, so it’s a pleasant hike. The trees sway in the breeze, the river rushes, and the birds sing. If you’re stressed, this is the place to be.
Despite telling myself not to prod about Jett’s life, I ask him some questions anyway, but nothing to do with running or his dad. “So, what was baby Jett like?”
He looks at me like I just grew a second head. “Baby Jett?”
I snort a laugh. “Yep. What were you like as a child?”
“God, years and years of pushing myself to be the best at running, I sometimes forget what it was like just to be a kid.”
I wasn’t expecting him to say that much, so I shut my yap and let him get it out.
“Of course, I ran all the time, but it was only for fun. Sometimes I miss Cannon Beach. There’s no denying the beauty of the place. The simplicity of a small town.” He ducks under a hanging tree branch. “Say, isBruce’s Candy Kitchenstill around?”
“Sure the hell is. I love that place.”
“They had the most amazing saltwater taffy. I used to run over there on the weekends, using my allowance to buy a bag of it.”
“No, shit? So did I. We need to go there over Thanksgiving.”
I’m not paying attention and trip over a large rock. Before I topple over the edge of the cliff, Jett snags my backpack and yanks me back onto the trail.
“Whoa!” I gasp, my heart threatening to explode out of my chest. I’m never that clumsy. Shit. “That was close.”
Jett’s hand is on his heart, and his eyes are closed. “Jesus… don’t fucking do that again.”
I press up against him and wrap my arms around his body. “My hero.”
