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I spent the rest of the day practically vibrating with excitement and counting down to seven when I would get to see Rylee again. When the clock turned seven, I was already waiting outside, impatiently tapping my foot against the concrete. I’d made an effort with my appearance and I was wearing an expensive black shirt with a pair of denim jeans. Still, I knew I couldn’t really compare with guys half my age, but I hoped that Rylee was the type of woman who didn’t care.
A few minutes passed before Rylee appeared still wearing her uniform and my face lit up at the sight of her. She let her hair out of the bun that had been tied on top of her head and now her stunning blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders instead. Every time I saw her, I was overwhelmed by her beauty.
“Good evening, Rylee,” I greeted and took a few steps toward her.
She walked toward me with her arms crossed and she avoided my gaze. Clearly, she was still feeling awkward about everything. “What is this all about, Spencer?” she asked, her posture stiff and unyielding.
“If you get in the car with me, I’ll happily explain everything,” I told her.
She rolled her eyes and let out a sigh before saying, “Fine.” We both climbed into the car and I set off in the direction of the place I wanted to take her.
“Where’s Mom?” Rylee questioned, staring over at me and pouting.
“She isn’t coming. It’s just going to be the two of us,” I answered as I kept my eyes trained on the road. “I suggested to Robin this morning that I should take you for dinner and help get you on the same page as us in terms of the fake boyfriend plan.”
Rylee nodded her understanding before turning and looking out the window again. She didn’t seem to show any interest in maintaining a normal conversation with me which didn’t bode well for me, but I wasn’t going to give up without trying my best.
“Besides, I figured it would give us the chance to talk and clear the air about what happened yesterday,” I added with a quick glance to my right.
Rylee wasn’t looking at me. Instead, her eyes were trained on the passing countryside as she stared out of the passenger side window. I desperately wanted her to look my way again. I wanted to see how she really felt about spending time with me, whether she was excited or annoyed. But instead, she kept her face turned away and it was frustrating.
“Where are we going?” she asked after a beat of silence.
“I have a nice little spot in mind,” I explained. “It’s not far and it shouldn’t take us long to get there.” We’d already passed the outskirts of Halston by that point and after a few more minutes of driving, I turned down a back road that was made of gravel.
“There’s no restaurant this far outside of Halston,” Rylee pointed out.
“That’s because we aren’t going to a restaurant,” I responded with a devilish smirk.
Rylee turned to me then and I took the opportunity to glance over at her. Her face was unreadable. I couldn’t tell how she was feeling at all and I hated not knowing. I turned my eyes back to the road and focused on driving instead, determined to reach our destination as quickly as possible. It was only a minute or so before I found the turning that led to a small parking lot. I drove inside and parked up before switching off the ignition and climbing out of the car.
“You’re taking me for a hike?” Rylee asked as she followed me with one skeptical eyebrow raised. She looked over at the trail markers and studied them for a moment before looking down at her feet. “I’m not exactly wearing the right shoes for this. Not to mention I’m in a skirt… My work uniform of all things,” she complained.
I grabbed a large rucksack from the backseat of the car and nodded. “It’s a short trail, don’t worry. We’re not going far and if you struggle, I can always carry you.” I caught her eye and winked in her direction. She rolled her eyes at me but followed me regardless. That had to be a good sign, right?
I pointed in the direction of the beginning of the path and thankfully, Rylee seemed to be willing to play along at the very least. The trail started out rather steep and I could tell that Rylee was struggling a little bit after such a long day at work. I placed my hand on the small of her back and helped encourage her to climb. The gentle touch was enough to set my pulse racing with excitement. I wished I could touch Rylee like that everyday and if my plan succeeded then I would get to. The idea of having Rylee all to myself and being the one she could rely on was such a heady thought that I couldn’t stop myself from smiling.
