"You guys hold on to them," Mitch said as he leaned into the car, and gave Sammy a kiss. "Have fun, girls."
"That means Natalie and Veronica too. They're girls," Sammy said to Gloria. "Bye, Daddy."
"Bye, honey. Be good," Mitch said.
He and Enrico waved to her as long as they could see the car, then Mitch turned to him with narrowed eyes. "Why are Wyatt and Sam doing this?" Mitch asked letting his suspicion show now that Sammy was gone.
"I didn't ask them to, if that's what you're asking. I texted Sam that we made up. I guess they wanted to give us some time alone," Enrico told him.
"So should we make dinner?" Mitch asked.
"We don't have to stay in. We could go for a drive and stop somewhere to eat," Enrico suggested. He seemed kind of nervous. Maybe it was too much pressure to be alone together after they had only just come to an understanding. They needed some breathing room, not to be cooped up.
"OK," Mitch agreed. "Where do we go?"
"We can follow the river. That will give us a nice view with the sun setting. What do you think?"
"Let's go," Mitch said and offered him his hand.
In the car, he told Enrico. "I'm texting the sheriff that we'll be out. She upped the number of patrols in this area since the break in. I think they should know no one will be home."
"I knew you were still worried about that," Enrico told him.
"And I appreciate you staying over. I didn't tell you that when we were fighting. Sorry," Mitch told him. Having Enrico so close left him sleepless all night, thinking about him, wanting to go to him.
"That's OK. I'm not doing it for thanks. I like watching over you guys," Enrico said and he gave Mitch a sweet smile that pierced his heart.
They were on the road soon and looking at some gorgeous scenery. "Great timing," Enrico said as Peach Tree Hill rose up ahead of them backed by the sun low on the horizon, lighting it up in shades of coral and gold.
For a while they just drove, and every time Mitch looked over at Enrico, he saw a smile playing on his lips. In the glow of the sunset, he was the most beautiful thing to be seen out here.
Eventually their hunger got the better of them and they decided to stop at a roadside diner. They didn't want to eat there though. Sitting at the counter while waiting for their takeout, Mitch noticed Enrico eyeing an elderly, redheaded waitress.
"She looks like a combo of Lara and my grandmother. I think that's what Lara will look like in a few years," Enrico said.
"You mean in a few decades, or do you want her to kill you?" Mitch asked him and he laughed.
They left with fried chicken sandwiches and cold drinks. Driving for a little bit, they discovered the perfect spot to eat them.
It was a makeshift picnic area with logs lined up along the water for sitting. Further on, there was a fire pit full of ash with logs framing it. They picked the last log and sat facing the river. Though no one else was there yet, that was the spot where they were least likely to be disturbed.
Even after they were done eating, they kept sitting there, not talking, just leaning on each other. For the moment, Mitch was perfectly content to just drink in the glow of the horizon as Enrico's head rested on his shoulder. But then a noisy group of teenagers came over to sit on the logs by the fire pit.
Sitting several yards away from them, Mitch wasn't sure they even noticed him and Enrico, but with the mood ruined, the two of them left. Back in the car, they followed the road further up the river.
"You want to get some drinks or something? Or keep driving," Enrico said as the road took them by a roadside bar and grill with a patio in the back that overlooked the river.
The place had possibilities, but Mitch didn't want to go anyplace where he would have to share Enrico with a crowd. "Let's keep driving," Mitch said and watched Enrico settle back in his seat.
"That's fine by me. I would rather be alone with you than in some noisy bar," Enrico said and reached over to squeeze Mitch's knee.
Every time he caught Enrico's eye, the look he gave Mitch was full of meaning. Mitch had to get him alone.
Enrico must have felt the same way, because he pointed down a narrow, dirt lane that took them through an area of small trees and thick undergrowth that crowded the riverbank. Pointing to a spot where they should park, Enrico peered around.
Getting out of the car, he led the way through the underbrush. As they went on, the bushes only grew thicker, and the path appeared to lead back to the river. Soon they reached the river's edge. There was nowhere to go from there, but Enrico still moved forward and motioned for Mitch to follow.
Stepping through shallow water, they got around some thorny bushes and then there they were. Enrico had led them to a small clearing next to the river. There, a tree grew sideways like it had been partly uprooted but it hung on. The bushes surrounded it, leaving a grassy patch in the middle that went right to the edge of the river.
