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I’d been so busy talking to him that I hadn’t even noticed where we were going. He’s turned onto a dirt road that I know leads down to a trail that ends up at the river.
He parks by a few other cars and hops out. I follow him to the trunk. There’s a cooler and the bag from the convenience store. I peer closer at it.
“Are those live worms?” I gag and scuttle a few feet back like the worms are going to grow wings and fly at my face.
He laughs at my reaction. “Yeah,” he answers. “I’m sorry they’re not gummy.”
“Why do you have worms?” I nearly shriek at him.
“To go fishing, of course.” He grabs the cooler and bag, then goes around to the back passenger side to grab two fishing pools that were lying on the floor of the car.
“Here, let me get that,” I say, reaching for the cooler. There’s no way in hell I’m holding the bag with the worms.
“I got it,” he says, side-stepping me.
“You’re going to drop something,” I warn him as we head down the path.
“You better hope I don’t or worms might end up all over your feet.”
I look down at my open-toe wedges and gag. “I think I might throw up if that happens.”
It doesn’t take us long to get to the shore. The water is a little choppy, but there are people in it kayaking. We walk aways down and Ryder sets everything down. There’s not a picnic table or anything like that so we sit on the ground.
“I should’ve brought a blanket.” He frowns. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I like this.”
I’m not just saying that, I really
do. This is so much better than anything I could’ve imagined.
Ryder smiles sheepishly and opens the cooler. “I got subs on my way to your house and chips. It seemed fitting for this kind of setting.” He shrugs. “I also brought water and iced tea. Which do you want?”
“Water,” I say and take a bottle from him when he holds it out. He hands me one of the wrapped subs from a local place and a bag of chips. I unwrap the sandwich and wait for Ryder to do the same before taking a bite. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was,” I tell him.
“Me either,” he agrees.
“Is Cole with your parents this weekend?” I ask.
He nods. “Yeah, it wasn’t their weekend to do it but I asked if they’d mind. They were cool with it, of course. They’ve told me they’d like to do it more often but usually weekends are the only times I can do something fun with him.”
“Maybe next time Cole can come with us? We could go to the movies or something?”
His eyes shine as he grins. “Already planning on a next time then?” I duck my head, embarrassed. His fingers touch my chin, lifting my head up. “I like that you’re already thinking ahead.” His voice grows deep. Husky. “Why are you embarrassed?” he asks and lets go
I want to look away but it’s impossible. “This is all so new and different,” I say.
“Yeah, I know what you mean,” he agrees. “But new and different isn’t always a bad thing.”
“No, it’s not.” I smile up at him. “I like being with you,” I tell him. It’s a bold statement for me but I don’t cower. I want him to know I mean it.
His smile is so large and bright it rivals the sun. In fact, I think he might be the sun. My own personal sun, that is. He came into my life when I was in the darkest of places and immediately filled it with light. He hasn’t healed me, but he’s given me the strength to do it on my own.
“I like being with you too, Blaire.” He tilts his head towards the sun. “I feel like I’m living again,” he whispers so low I’m not sure I heard him right.
We finish eating and stuff our trash back in the cooler.
Ryder then picks up the two poles and the bag of worms and we head closer to the shore. I kick off my shoes and chide myself for wearing a long dress. The end of it will have to get wet.
