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“Can we take one together?” she counters.
“Sure.” To fit both of us in the picture, I hold the phone out a good distance.
“Those big strong arms make a handy tripod,” she mutters.
I crack up right as I hit the button.
“My eyes are closed,” I say. “Let me take another one.”
“I like that one, though. Keep it,” she says.
I’m not sure what she likes about it. I look like an idiot. She’s adorable, though. Half smiling up at me, like it brings her joy that she can make me laugh.
I take another. Then lean in and kiss her cheek. “Good?”
“Aw, you caught that one too.” She points to my screen. “Will you send those to me?”
“You want the one with the doofy guy who has his eyes closed?” I tease.
“Hey.” She curls her fingers in my shirt and tugs. “My guy is fine as hell.”
The thrill of satisfaction burns through my veins. I love that she thinks so. She’s the only woman whose opinion has mattered to me in a long damn time.
I lean down and kiss her. “The feeling’s mutual.”
She stares up at me in this sweet, honest way that burrows into my chest. “I’m really glad you called in sick.”
A faint smile ghosts over her lips. “Me too.” She tugs on my hand. “Can we sit and admire the view for a minute?”
We don’t go far. She climbs up onto the highest part of the stone wall overlooking the entire valley below and sits down. I sit right next to her, sliding my arm around her waist to keep her secure.
She inhales deeply and closes her eyes. “This is nice up here. I know Johnsonville’s a small city, but it always feels old and…dirty or something, you know?”
“I know it’s old and there isn’t much out there. Never thought it was dirty necessarily.”
“Not the good dirty.” She nudges me with her elbow. “Like,polluteddirty. From all the old factories that used to be out there. Water quality testing is what I do for a living, remember?”
“Ahh, right.” She never talks about her job all that much. “Why stay, then?”
She shrugs and stares straight ahead. “I can’t make Libby change schools when she’s so close to graduating. But once she’s done, I want to sell the house and just…I don’t know. Roam free?”
I’m extremely familiar with the desire to roam. “You should.”
She hums a disbelieving noise. Like it’s only a pipe dream.
“How’d you sleep last night? You know, after?”
She doesn’t move or say a word. She might have even stopped breathing.
“After I scared the shit out of you?” she asks.
“You didn’t scare me. I was worried about you.” I hesitate. Maybe this isn’t the best time or place to have this conversation. “I got the impression from Libby that you have nightmares a lot?”
She snorts out a soft noise of disagreement. “I used to. Not so much lately.”
“Can I ask what happened to your parents?” I search her face, seeking any sign she’s uncomfortable talking about it. Who am I kidding, there will never be a comfortable time to have this conversation.
Sadness tugs the corners of her mouth down and she sighs. “It’s a really unpleasant story.”
