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24
Dane
The last threedays have been beyond my wildest dreams. I can only hope Caiti and I continue moving in the right direction because the glimpses she’s given me of a future could sate me for the rest of my lifetime. I stretch out on my bed beside the woman occupying my every waking thought, taking in the sweet scent of cherry blossoms. I press a swift kiss to her forehead before rolling off and out and moving silently to the dresser to dig out clothes for today's canoe trip. After slipping on a plain blue tee and a pair of shorts, I turn back to my sleeping beauty.
She mumbles something in her sleep and rolls over. The tee she’s wearing rides up, giving me an uninhibited view of her tight ass in nothing but cotton panties.
If Rhett wasn’t such a good friend, I’d skip our adventure, call in a friend to pick up Ophelia, and crawl back in beside her. Fighting the temptation to do just that, I slip quietly from the room.
The coffee pot starts to trickle so I can fill a thermos, the smell instantly perking me up. I pull out my laptop to search for airline tickets. With the situation concerning her boss finally squared away, we have new plans to accomplish. Starting with getting the rest of her stuff, putting her house on the market, and moving her fully to Arrow Creek.
Caiti doesn’t know it yet, but I already have a call in with a real estate agent to find us a more suitable home. Living above my bar has had a lot of perks over the years. Namely the nonexistent commute. But it’s time to move on.
Images of raising a family in a house with a yard take precedence. I’d drive fifty miles each way if that’s what she wanted.
With a few clicks, I have two tickets booked for next week. I might be moving fast, but the sooner her stuff is here, the sooner we can cross our list off. If I had my way, we’d have a place and be living together officially by next week, but I understand she might need a little more time.
As long as she realizes she’s not alone in this, she can have all the time she needs.
I gather the confirmation sheets from the printer in my living room and set them on the bar. She’ll see them when she wakes and hopefully have enough time to sort her feelings before I return this afternoon.
I pour myself a thermos, grab the small bag I packed last night, and lock the door behind me, shutting my girls safely inside. When I emerge in the early morning sunlight, Rhett’s Jeep idles at the curb.
“You look like a lovestruck schmuck.” He laughs when I climb in the passenger seat.
“So you confirm you know what one looks like?”
“Touché. Welcome to the club.”
I’d never admit it, but it’s a club I’m happy to be a part of. “We lucked out on the weather today.” The forecast predicted rain earlier in the week, but it’s starting out as a cloudless day. Pale blue sky begins to overtake the peach hues.
“Wind might pick up later, but a few hours in the sun on the river is just what I need.” He takes the highway out of town to the river entry about ten minutes away.
“Everything okay?” Something in his tone hints at restlessness.
He scrubs his forehead before heavily dropping his hand. “Evie’s struggling, man. I’m worried trying to have a baby will throw her into another depression.”
“Another?”
He nods, his voice turning serious. “When she left her ex, she explained how she spiraled. Now I’m nothing like that fucker, and I’ll do everything in my power to help her, but I can’t deny I’m scared.”
Hearing my best friend admit he’s scared slices me straight to the core. “I’m here for you. We both are. If you two need anything, you call.”
“Evie told me about Caiti’s panic attacks. As much as that sucks for her, I hope it makes Evie feel less alone. Even if she doesn’t want to talk to me, she should talk to someone about her feelings.”
“Caiti’s moving here, so I’m sure she’ll keep an eye on her.”
Rhett flicks his attention to me for a split second before returning to the road. “I’m thrilled to hear that.”
“I am too.” I can’t contain the flash of teeth the thought provokes.
“On a happier note, thanks for helping with Tommy for our honeymoon. If you two need us to repay the favor, just give me a call.”
“You can count on it.” The gong of wedding bells rings in the back of my mind. How long is an acceptable amount of time before I ask her to marry me? I don’t doubt she has feelings for me, even if she’s yet to admit them. They’re more than evident in her actions. I’m simply waiting for her to come to terms with the fact she might love me back.
Because I do love her. I said I’m falling, but I realize I’ve already fallen.
Gravel crunches beneath the tires as Rhett turns into the pebbled lot. We work together to move the canoe from the roof rack and carry it to the entrance to the river.
“I’m really glad we made this work,” I remark. My keys, phone, and wallet all find a home in my small pack, along with a couple of snacks. We used to get out almost once a week before the women started picking off our men one by one. This is only the fourth time out all summer.
“With all the weddings and babies and kids, we need to start scheduling this shit.”
