While Tristan made his delivery, I visited the ladies’ room and freshened up a little.I also checked my phone to see if there was any word from the kids.My notifications were painfully absent.Hopefully, they were having a good time being mom-free.
Feeling a bit refreshed, I met up with Tristan whose hands were packed with the kind of road fare a child would relish.
“Ah.The holy grail.”Tristan’s hand brushed my shoulder lightly as he gestured toward a wooden barrel near the counter.
My gaze travelled downward to the handwritten sign: MYSTERY BAGS – $10.CONTENTS UNKNOWN.BRAVE SOULS ONLY.
“Oh, no,” I said immediately.“We’re not doing that.”
“Oh, yes, we are,” he countered, already grabbing one as he balanced the other items like a pro.
Mr.Moose’s head poked out from my armpit as I crossed my arms.“You realize that’s how horror movies start, right?Two idiots open cursed bags in a ghost town.”
He grinned, the dimple in his chin flashing like a dare.“Then we’ll die laughing.”
I took one just to shut him up, the blue question marked wrapped paper crinkling in my hand.“You’re incorrigible.”
“Big word,” he teased.“You learn that in nurse school?”
“You mean university?Yes.”I gave him a flat look.
“Touché.”
Putting my fuzzy mascot beside the display, because it was wild and crazy enough to amuse me later, I snapped a quick photo and paid for our two mystery bags after he paid for the snacks and refreshments.“You’re going to owe me if this contains glitter.”
He walked to the van with a confidence I admired.And envied.
Opening my door, he gestured.“Hop in.There’s a perfect spot on the other edge of the lake to sit and catch our breaths.”
“Catch our breaths?We’ve been driving all day.”
“Trust me.”
“You and viewpoints.”I gave my head a shake but a smile brewed on my lips.
His eyebrow shot sky high.“Have I steered you wrong yet?”
“Not so far.”
We took our spoils to a picnic bench overlooking the lake saddled between rocky-edged mountains with flecks of green and gold trees.White fluffy clouds dotted the sky.The water was still enough to hold the reflection of the red roofs from the Three Valley Gap Chateau.It was postcard-perfect, if you ignored the mosquitoes.
“So?”A bemused grin settled over his face.
The last of the daylight glowed off the lake, the reflection so still it looked painted.I hope it looked as amazing in the photograph I took.
“Nice.”
“Nice, she says.”He shook his head and sat on the low wooden bench.
The bench had a questionable stain so if I wanted to sit, I had no choice but to snuggle right next to Tristan.Feeling the flutters of an adolescence crush that never fully disappeared, I sat beside him trying to be as nonchalant as humanly possible.Our knees brushed once, then twice ...Accidentally.Probably.I told myself I didn’t notice, and I tried to pretend it didn’t affect me, but my heart betrayed me with its ramped-up speed.
It would be so easy to fall into this.Too easy.But easy was how mistakes started.
I took a long breath and shook away the embers of something unfamiliar and longing.
“All right,” he said, holding up the two mystery bags.“Moment of truth.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”Feeling my bag, I tried to guess what was inside but came up empty.I tore into mine first.“Okay, I’ve got...socks.Neon green.With...is that a moose or a llama?”I held them up; the animal’s face was warped beyond recognition.“Either way, majestic.”
