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I’m still a sheep as I shadow Tommy walking into the woods. His large build ducks under low-hanging branches and glides through tight spaces. My own steps are more careful. Despite worrying I’ll fall and get hurt, I’m mostly concerned about keeping up with Tommy.
He doesn’t talk as we walk. I start wondering if he really does have a woman somewhere. I don’t know anything about him. The Tommy I’m obsessed with might be no more than a figment of my imagination.
As we leave the woods and begin down a rocky incline, Tommy turns to me and reaches out his hand.
“You’re not wearing the right shoes for this,” he grumbles, sounding put out.
Despite his gruff tone, Tommy’s touch is gentle as he steadies me on the way down until we reach the basin’s bottom. He releases my hand and steps back. His gaze studies me, searching for something. I suspect he hopes I’ll ask to go back.
A part of me does want to retreat and give up on this crush. If I could accept my failures, I could begin again in Vegas. I might take night classes. I’d make friends and maybe date. My life isn’t over, even if the shop is a flop and this man doesn’t want me.
Except once Tommy’s gaze focuses on me, I’m willing to follow him wherever he goes. Vegas feels like a step down from breathing in this man’s presence.
We spend thirty minutes walking. The heat makes it hard to breathe. My feet ache, and my calf muscles throb. I’m sweaty and worn out, yet I don’t complain.
Instead, I study Tommy’s wide back and wonder about the life he led to reach his current destination.
“We’ll settle for a bit,” he says and glances back at me. “You look overheated.”
“I get flushed, even just bringing in the groceries. Nothing to worry about.”
Tommy frowns, probably wondering why I’m so out of shape. The reality is I can hustle like a beast when I’m in the kitchen. I just turn off my brain and go on autopilot. I used to work fourteen-hour shifts before going home to crash. I’d sit down to eat only once a day. Mostly, I snacked in between tasks. I was always working.
But I don’t want to be on autopilot with Tommy. With me fully alert, I notice how my feet hurt. Or how sweat pools near my tailbone.
I’m absolutely ready to drop until Tommy’s gaze is on me again. Even frowning, he’s a revelation. I’m immediately struck by a new jolt of energy.
His scowl darkens by whatever dumb smile I’m giving him right now. He can’t possibly understand my thinking. Or maybe I’m not complicated at all. I’ve never been a particularly deep person. I just do whatever the tasks are for the day and then plan for tomorrow. I rarely have a chance to sit back and examine what’s happening around me.
That would explain why I’m thirty-seven and can’t figure out what I did with my youth. Everything flew by too fast.
Tommy settles on the ground in the shade of a massive tree. I sit nearby before scooting closer when he offers me half of his sandwich. Rather than mention how he asked for extra mustard and I hate the taste, I focus on how he’s sharing his lunch with me.
“Wynonna, Landry, and the others came by the shop.”
“Yeah, I heard,” he mutters and scratches the back of his neck just under his thick blond hair. “Bet they said a lot of embarrassing stuff.”
“About what?”
“Me, I’d assume.”
“No. They mostly talked trash about Kendra. They also mentioned you had a sister.”
Tommy’s expression darkens. “What about Kendra?”
“Do you know her?”
“It’s a small town, Xenia. I know everyone.”
“Well, she’s been a troublemaker at the shop. Nothing to worry about,” I lie before asking, “Is your sister younger or older?”
Tommy looks me in the eyes and asks in a rough tone, “What makes you think I want to talk about that?”
“What would you rather talk about?” I reply rather than react to his annoyance.
“What makes you think I want to talk at all?”
“You let me come along.”
