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I didn’t answer, and the sting of his passive accusation hit home. He suddenly brightened though, smiling and turning to walk backwards in front of me. The gesture was so familiar, so like I remembered him.
“I got it, the solar farm! You have to come back and do another article when it’s all in place. Just this morning I gave the go ahead to rip out part of the hay and put in these giant solar panels on pillars, they’re gonna send electricity back to the power grid. The electric company partnered with me, and they estimate it’s gonna pull in enough power for two counties!”
We talked some more while he cooked us dinner—which I never could remember agreeing to, but suddenly found myself eating—and all through dessert. It was unnerving how the conversation always turned away from architecture or innovative design, and somehow came back around to our families, our friends, our past
. Every time I tried to steer things back to something useful for my story, he would circle back around and draw me in with another tale of our childhood antics. It all suddenly felt too familiar, too alluring...being back home again with someone I could be forced to admit I’d had a tiny crush on when I was younger.
“Well, I should head back into town,” I finally said, gathering my recorder, notebook, and camera and shoving them unceremoniously in my bag. “It’s a long drive, and the road out to your place is a bit of a doozy.”
Colt looked out the wall of south-facing windows and saw it was almost dark. “Now? Is that a good idea? Why don’t I put you up in one of the guest suites, and you can leave first thing in the morning?”
Of course you have guest suites, I thought ruefully, but instead I smiled and shook my head. “Sorry, but I’m on a bit of a deadline with this story as it is. And if there’s any chance of seeing my family before I have to drive back, I’ll need to get started right away. But thanks for dinner, and for the ride…and for the conversation. It was really great.”
“Well, if you’re sure. I just hate the thought of you trying to find your way out of here in the dark, especially since I got a glimpse of what I assume you consider a car. Why don’t you skip the coyotes that are waiting out there and have a drink instead?” He smiled, and if it had been anyone else the invitation would have been a little creepy. But this was Colt, he was practically family. Surely just one more glass of wine before staying in the safety of one of the guest suites couldn’t hurt…
No, Meredith! I argued with myself. You don’t actually know this guy, not anymore, no matter how far back he and your brother go. Do your job and get yourself outta here!
I shook my head, thanked him for the amazing dinner, then all but raced out the door to my Volkswagen. I swore I could feel his confused gaze pressing against my back as I walked to the car and climbed in. I climbed behind the wheel, tried a few times to get the old vehicle to turn over, then smiled with relief when it finally started.
Colt lifted his hand wanly to say goodbye as I whipped the car around in the driveway then turned back in the direction of town. My breathing only steadied when I felt the first lurch of a pothole in the dirt road, telling me I was heading back to the comfort of lonely civilization.
What is wrong with you, Meredith? I thought angrily as I drove away. That had to be the least professional assignment in my entire career, all because I practically swooned over a long lost unacknowledged crush. I could only hope there was something useful stored in the camera, and that I had enough notes to pull a good story out of the air.
The farther I drove, the calmer I became. Maybe it wasn’t so bad. I had gotten quite a few really awesome shots. And the rest of the story was all in the digital recorder. It’s gonna be okay, I reminded myself, it’ll work out, you were just nervous about seeing…
CLANG!
There was a sudden grinding noise from underneath the hood of my poor old car, and then red and yellow indicator lights lit up the dashboard like a Christmas tree. The car wheezed for purely dramatic effect, then rolled to a stop and died.
“Nooooo! No, don’t leave me out here, baby!” I cried, begging the car to rise from the dead while I tried repeatedly to start it. After more than a few minutes of trying in vain, I reached for my cellphone, hoping I could give the roadside assistance driver adequate directions to where I sat.
“No service?” I shrieked, staring at my phone’s screen. “How could you do this to me? And how is it possible that there’s a spot left in America that doesn’t have service? New Jersey even has service, you know!”
I tossed my phone angrily back onto the seat, and weighed my options. It had been a good twenty to thirty minutes’ drive on this terrible road to get out here in the first place, so it could have easily been around thirty miles back to town. I’d just come from Colt’s house only a few minutes ago. The walk couldn’t be that bad, could it?
Full dark had set in, but it couldn’t be more than a mile or two back to the house. I gathered up my bag and my expensive gear, then headed back in that direction.
Chapter 5
Colt
I watched Meredith pull out of the driveway and was struck with a really strange feeling. She'd been out at my place for only a few hours, but the second her old car disappeared around the bend, I had this sudden empty feeling come over me.
That's weird, I thought, suddenly missing the sound of her voice. Yeah I had enjoyed her here, had probably flirted with her a little more then her brother would have liked. But while doing it I had never considered it more than just the first beautiful woman I had entertained in a long time. I didn’t really see it as Meredith I was attracted to, but that luscious, curvy woman before me. I was having a hard time reconciling the two in my mind.
For better or worse, I didn't have long to wallow in my thoughts. I'd just finished washing up our dishes and putting things away when I heard a deranged banging on the front door, followed by someone yelling my name.
“Colt! Help! Let me in!” Meredith screamed, still pounding on the door. She was using both fists from the sound of it.
I raced across the kitchen and through the foyer. Once I threw the door open, I ended up catching her when she fell against my chest. My arms instinctively pulled her close to keep her from falling, but I held her even closer when I realized she was shaking uncontrollably. I looked down at her tear-streaked face, her eyes wild with fear, and kept both my arms around her.
My instincts kicked in and I was instantly on alert, all muscles of my body tightening hard around her.
“Shhh, Meredith, you’re all right. What happened?” I finally asked, trying to calm her.
“There were… animals… and my car… and then I started running…” she managed to say between gasps. She looked back over her shoulder once, only calming down after I closed the door behind her.
“What animals? What happened? Start from the beginning, and go slow…” I said, leading her over to the sofa and lowering her gently. I grabbed the only thing handy, a paper towel I’d dropped on the table as I passed, and held it out to her since she was still crying.
