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In other unrelated news, I booked us flights on a private plane direct to Ohio. I organized a rental car to be waiting for us when we landed as well.
I glance across at Brinley as I drive, and I swear I’ve never seen a person look happier just staring out a window.
She’s got the windows rolled all the way down and the music turned all the way up. Her hair is moving softly around her cheeks and there’s the tiniest hint of a smile curling her lips up at the corners.
She’s so damn beautiful it takes my breath away.
Yeah, she looked hot as hell all done up with her tight clothes, hair, and makeup at the show the other night. But right now, right here in this very moment–makeup-free, wearing leggings, flip-flops and an oversized sweatshirt–I’ve never in my life been more attracted to a woman as I am to her.
We stopped on the way from the airport at a Dunkin Donuts drive-through for a coffee hit, and Brinley ordered a bag of glazed donuts. She’s eaten all but two of the donuts herself, and this makes me so happy I could fucking cry. Not only is she eating properly again, but when she licked her fingers to get the sticky sugar off them, I almost lost my shit completely and drove us straight into a ditch.
“Next right,” says Brinley, pointing to the exit. “And stop looking at me like that. It’s creepy.”
I laugh and flick on my indicator. “I’m not looking at you. Get over yourself.”
“You are. Stop it.” She pretends to be annoyed, but I can tell she loves the way I look at her. “We’re nearly there. It’s only a couple more miles once we get off the highway.”
I keep driving, looking out the windshield as we pass by a couple of small farmhouses on properties that seem to stretch on for miles and miles in every direction. The pastures are a blend of green and golden light and the breeze blows through the crops, making them look like they’re dancing. It’s actually really beautiful here, and I wonder why I’ve never made more of an effort to travel to this part of the country before. It’s so quiet and peaceful.
I glance across at the pretty woman sitting next to me, reaching across the console to hold her hand. “Why do you suddenly look nervous?”
Brinley doesn’t answer me straight away. She looks out the window again. “No reason.”
“Spill it, Tink.”
“It’s just... ” She grips my fingers, rubbing our joined hands along her thigh. “That was Dean’s place we just passed. The guy I told you about.”
“Your high school boyfriend?”
“Yeah.”
“The guy who broke your heart?”
“One and the same.”
“What a fucking moron,” I grumble under my breath. “Who the hell lets Brinley Thomas walk away without putting up a fucking fight?”
This makes her smile, and I’m glad I can make her smile.
Her smile is infectious.
As instructed, I turn down the second to last driveway on the right-hand side of the road, and eventually, we pull up out the front of a pale brick, ranch-style house with a wide wrap-around porch.
There are potted plants lining the porch stairs, a timber-framed star on the wall beside the front door. And fuck me sideways… is that an American flag on the flagpole out front?
The whole place oozes old-world country charm.
It’s beautiful. And it really surprises me that I think of it that way. I could totally see myself living in a house like this someday.
As I climb out of the car, stretching my back with my hands above my head, I notice the garden and lawns surrounding the house are immaculately kept. There are half-barrels of miniature fruit trees off in the distance, and the railing fence that borders the nearby fields are blinding white, set against the slowly sinking afternoon sun.
Just as I’m lifting our bags out from the trunk, the screen door flies open and Brinley squeals with delight when she looks up and sees a tall man with hair the same golden color as the fields, striding down the front stairs with a toothpick in his mouth.
He chews on it as he takes me in, and I can tell he’s not sure what to make of my torn jeans and faded black sweater. He’s probably not crazy about my lip ring either.
“Hey, Daddy.”
“Hey, pumpkin.” The man holds Brinley at arm’s length, looking her over from head to toe, and then wraps his arms all the way around her. “I’m so glad you made it home in one piece. I’ve been worried sick.”
