Page 52 of Together Is Where We Belong

Such a gentleman. Even after all these years, he still held some of the traits he’d had when we were together.

“Thank you,” I said as I climbed inside. Leo closed the door and ran around the front of the truck.

The truck still smelled the same, that new car smell that you love when you purchase a new vehicle. I never understood how it still smelled brand new all the time, but when I looked over at Leo I noticed an air freshener hanging from the turn signal.

We spent so many days in this truck, driving down the back roads of Haven Valley, my bare feet propped up on the dash with the windows rolled down and the radio turned up. My heart hurt at the memories that crashed into my mind.

The slamming of the driver’s side door brought me back to the present.

Leo’s bright smile waned as he glanced over at me sitting in the passenger seat, but he quickly recovered as he looked over his shoulder and smiled back at Luke.

“You ready to go, bud?” he asked Luke as he started the truck.

“Your truck is so cool, Dad. Let’s go,” Luke replied as he kicked his feet and hit the back of my seat.

“Alright then,” he said as he buckled up and put the truck in reverse.

I buckled my seat belt and looked out the passenger window as he drove the familiar backroad to his parents’ ranch.

“Are we going to the ranch?” Luke asked.

“Yeah, we are,” Leo answered.

“Yes!” Luke beamed.

During the drive, I kept my stare out the window so I wouldn’t glance over at Leo. Seeing his strong hands gripping the steering wheel might make me long for the days when his hand used to reach for mine, and how our hands would settle on the seat between us; every so often one of us would squeeze the other’s hand, no words being spoken, just a subtle reminder that we were thinking of the other person. We’d oftentimes end up in Willow Bend, a couple hours away from Haven Valley, another small town where we’d just walk around in the shops or stop off on a side road and lay in the bed of his truck as we stared at the clouds above, my head rested on his shoulder with his arms wrapped tightly around me. Those were the days when everything was simple, and the only worry we had was when we’d get to spend our days together.

“You okay over there?” Leo asked, breaking me from my thoughts.

“Yeah, just lost in thought. I … ummm … wanted to say thank you,” I whispered, my eyes focused looking out the window.

“For?”

“Fixing the porch steps.”

“How’d you know it was me?” he asked and I looked away from the window over in his direction. His cheeks were tinged pink as he blushed.

“I texted Gus thanking him and it wasn’t him. He said I should thank my neighbors and I knew it was you.”

“You don’t have to thank me. I’ll always do anything to keep you and Luke safe. Even if it’s only a piece of rotting wood,” he said with a smile.

I nodded over at him and turned back to look out the window, mulling over his confession as we continued the drive to the ranch.

The rest of the drive we didn’t speak another word to each other. My mind ran rampant, and my nerves increased when Leo slowed the truck and pulled up to the familiar wrought iron gate with the cursive C and R in the center.

“You have a gate?” Luke squealed in excitement.

Leo and I both chuckled as he entered the code. The gate slowly opened, and Leo drove forward.

“This house is huge,” Luke said in amazement.

Turning around in the seat, I watched Luke’s eyes grow big as he leaned forward to take in the sight. The Courtrights had a beautiful home. We’d all spent many nights gathered on the front porch while the sun set enjoying sweet tea. I vividly remember how Leo and I along with his siblings would bring Mason jars in the front yard and catch lightning bugs. One night I’d caught the most, and my jar illuminated with the lightning bugs as I held it up in front of my face. Leo started to switch between calling me firefly and cara, but back then, I’d loved it when he called me cara more.

I shook off the memory as I turned back around and settled in my seat while Leo drove the rest of the way down the dirt driveway.

Leo parked behind a truck I didn’t recognize, and I unbuckled my seat belt and picked up my bag off the floorboard.

Leo got out of the truck, and I opened my door and hopped out, putting the straps of my bag over my shoulder. Leo got Luke out of the truck and set him down. Turning to face them both, I saw Luke hiding behind Leo’s leg. I’d never seen him act shy before. I wanted to pick him up and carry him away from here, maybe ask Leo to take us back home if Luke wasn’t ready, but I refrained. Instead, I waited to see what Leo would do and how he’d handle this situation.