“I’d expect nothing less.”It was said with warmth.
When he hadn’t moved, I asked, “Aren’t you getting anything?”
“Nah, been up for a couple of hours already.Checked on the van, which is going to stay here for a bit, conjured up a rental, acquired a new client, and already stuffed the rental full of the remaining crates, minus a bottle of my finest red.”
“Conjured?”
“Sure, gloss over the fact I’m a true salesman and focus on that particular word.”
Finally, my eyes met his.“You still practice magic?”
“Only on days ending with ‘y’.”
“Really?”And here, I’d thought it had been a high school hobby he’d outgrown.
Finally, he slipped out from the table and glanced at his watch.“We should get moving.I still have a couple more deliveries to make and you still may have a flight to catch today.”
Relief and disappointment collided in my chest.
Right.Moving forward.Reality put your seatbelt on.
The statement hung like a heavy cloud.I hadn’t yet fully committed to spending the night at his place, but I hadn’t fully agreed to go home today either.I needed to make a decision.And pronto.
With my hands full of pre-packaged foods I would’ve never allowed the kids to eat, we stepped outside into the bright, unfiltered morning.The rental car waiting there was...
“Wow,” I said.“That is...yellow.”
A sports sedan, sleek and confident, but sprayed in a sunshine hue that belonged more on a highlighter than a vehicle sat waiting for us.
His mouth twitched almost in mocking embarrassment, and yet somehow, a ribbon of pleasure was woven in as well.“It’s the only one with the trunk space I needed.”
“I feel like if we park near a hive, bees might adopt it.”
He opened the door for me, amused.“You love it.”
“No, no.I’ll tolerate it with curiosity.”
But I smiled, and so did he, and for a moment we felt likeusagain.
––––––––
The drive out of Merrittwas quieter than the night before, even with the music on.Tristan tapped the wheel sometimes, like words tried to crawl up his arm but didn’t make it to his mouth.He’d turn his head in my direction, lips parting slightly only to close before any sounds escaped.
I was just as silent, staring at the passing mountains and thick groves of trees longer than necessary, afraid of the thoughts waiting if I looked at him too long.
Somehow, the time passed with mindless small talk about the odd bird flying overhead and patterns carved across the sides of the mountains.
He slowed the car as he turned into a turning lane.
“Bridal Falls,” he said.“I need a quick rest stop.”
Rest stop at a tourist place or another amazing glance at scenery I’d only seen on tv?
We followed a long road up the mountain and parked in a small lot.I stepped out into the crisp air and inhaled the freshest scent imaginable, all earthy and damp.
“Ready for a bit of hike?”
“What?”I didn’t even need to start scaling the mountain to have my heartbeat spike.The last time I’dhikedwas when the elevator stopped working and I had to huff up five flights of stairs and down the world’s longest hallway to find a patient before surgery.I swallowed down a morsel of fear and nodded.“Sure, why not?”
