The olive henley that makes my eyes really pop. The dark jeans I can move in. The black boots that are cute but also actually practical.
That's not trying too hard to look cute. That's just functional.
My phone lights up before I've finished the internal debate.
MADISON: It's Thursday!
LILY: IT'S THURSDAY!
EMILY: How are we feeling?
MAYA: We are feeling normal and calm and professional…
CHLOE: She's been up since six thirty, she texted me earlier.
HOLLY: Yes I saw her light on when I went to get water.
MAYA: I hate this resort and everyone in it.
AMBER: What are you wearing?
MAYA: Barn clothes. Functional barn clothes.
MADISON: Describe the barn clothes.
MAYA: Olive henley, dark jeans and good boots.
LILY: That's a cute outfit.
MAYA: It's FUNCTIONAL.
EMILY: Functionally cute, you mean?
HOLLY: He's going to think you look adorable, especially if you put your hair in pigtails.
MAYA: I'm not putting my hair in pigtails. I’m going to go wait outside now.
CHLOE: She's so gone.
MADISON: Go get your Daddy.
He pulls up at eight on the dot in the truck that he rear-ended me in, or maybe I reverse rear-ended him since I stopped so closely? Either way, I'm already outside because I've been outside for five minutes and I'm going to pretend that's not because I’m excited to see him.
He looks at me through the windshield for a moment before he gets out. Just a moment, but I'm starting to learn that Anthony's moments mean something.
"You're here.”
“Why are you surprised?” I ask him.
“I was expecting to wait at least a few minutes. That’s been my experience with most guests here.”
"I’m not most guests,” I tell him.
"No, you definitely are not." He holds the passenger door, and I climb in, and for a second before he closes it he's very close and I get the smell of him, something warm, cedar maybe, and something that makes me want to take a deeper breath and memorize this smell. It smells like… I can’t place my finger on it but one-word pops into my head, home.
I take a discreet, slightly deeper breath.
Cedar and something else. Something that belongs on a man who starts work before sunrise and works late without expecting anyone to notice.
