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CHAPTERFIVE
Joey
It’s weird; no denying it. This long, stretched silence is awkward, but luckily my plan seems to have worked itself out. Not ideally, but now I don’t have to worry if he wants me to show up here or not. Despite his outburst and the shy smile he’s trying to hide, I think I’m going to be ok.
We hear Billy the Kid cry out from the other room, and my heart constricts.
“Couldn’t we let him out?”
“I thought he bothered you?”
“Bothered is a strong word. I was in shock waking up in your bed.”
I let that part hang, testing the waters.
“Your bed. If you want it. Mine’s down the hall.”
Well, that’s not exactly an invitation to wild hot sex, but the bed is better than my car. I shake my musings away as I remember my goal. Get the guy to see me as a woman, not just his friend. Then maybe sex would be invited. My stomach turns with nerves at the thought. I can totally pull off this seductress thing. Maybe. I hope.
I watch him walk away from the table, and when he comes back, it’s with my intruder in his arms. The sight sends an unexpected warmth to my center so fast that I’m forced to clench my legs together.
“Here, eat,” Gavin orders the tiny Billy Goat, who obeys, eating something in a big dog dish. “He’s a runt. I shouldn’t keep him, but the clever critter won me over. Now he keeps sneaking into the house. Kinda won me over with his smarts.”
“Aww.”
That deadly smile stretches across his face, and mine matches. Something about making Gavin smile does unexplainable things to my insides. At that moment, I make it my new mission to make him do it again.
“Anyway, eat. I thought you might want to check the place out.”
There’s no question in his tone but in his swirling dark eyes. Do I do that to him? Is he nervous?
“Ok, Daddy, anything else?”
He s grunts at my smart-ass reply, but we quickly eat our breakfast, which consists of the world’s greatest pancakes, and much-needed Tylenol, then head out on his Four Wheeler.
The air smells of pine, and the wind whips against my face as we ride, and I take in the Gold property. A rolling valley sits nestled into the mountains, and in the distance, I can see a glittering airstrip and a large warehouse. Lush green plants, and to my delight, wildflowers cover the land. It’s amazing how something so delicate can survive the harsh climate of the mountain, and the thought reminds me of my friendship with the now grown man I’m plastered to the back of. He might sound gruff to most, but inside, my best friend is as delicate as a flower. He’s hurting even now. I wish he would share more of himself in real life and not just on paper. At breakfast, it seemed like we were falling back into our comfortable pattern, but I realize it’s going to take some time. And if this ride is any indication, I will have a lot of fun in the meantime.
Adrenaline rises as he takes a sharp turn into the tree-lined forest.
“Do you trust me?”
“Yes, Aladdin, I trust you!” I yell, bouncing behind him. We both have a fondness for the movie and once wrote each other quotes from our favorite scenes. He also loved the Princess Bride but really, who doesn’t? If someone says they don’t, they are lying their faces off and shouldn’t be trusted.
“Hold on!” He yells back just as the ground in front of us disappears, and suddenly, we’re speeding down a dirt trail. Steep and rocky, tall pine trees on either side. I’m in good hands, Gavin is capable and knows this land ‘cause it’s his backyard. His own personal playground, and he’s taking me out to play. I laugh with excitement as we swerve around boulders and stumps I would never have seen, all at a crazy speed.
As much as I might trust him, I’m also scared every time he takes a sharp turn. I feel his chest rattle with laughter as we take a steep hill, and I cling to him as tight as I can. I wrap my legs around his waist, and I’m not even a little embarrassed about it. I’m terrified but also having the best time of my life.
After a minute, we slow down and reach a field with tall grass and colorful butterflies fluttering around. It’s beautiful, like something from a fairy tale. The field ends at a waterfall. A large natural spring from the surrounding mountainside. Like a painting, the running water glistens, lush green moss, and small wildflowers sprout everywhere. Birds chirp, and the engine purrs as we continue to the water’s edge.
My heart syncs with the rhythm of the waves crashing into the rock. A mist hangs by our feet, and I mentally wonder where the men playing the violin are because this is too perfect.
“Wow, this place is amazing!” I yell until he cuts the engine.
“Beautiful, isn’t it? Remember that drawing I made you? Told you I’d show you some day.”
I choke at his sentiment. Grateful for his back as I wrestle with my stupid feelings.
But what if this could be more? What if he saw me as more than a friend?
“Thank you.” That is all I manage to say, but I hug his back, hoping my action is louder than words, not because I’m scared for my life anymore, but because he brought me here. A place I alone know he escapes to when he’s feeling too much. My proud friend has a bad habit of holding everything in and not talking about issues that bother him. Instead, he comes here.
