Authors: Alisha Watts
“Which is why he won’t be able to consider it!” Steve thought, as a brilliant plan to basically trap his friend into going on a camping trip evolved in his mind.
“I’m going to the store while you finish up in there,” Steve shouted towards the bathroom, “You want anything?”
“No,” Chris’ muffled reply came from beyond the door, “See you when you get back, lock the door behind you.”
With that, Steve darted out the door, into his waiting Chevy Silverado, and over a few streets to a nearby sporting goods store; where he purchased and packed everything the two of them would need for a few days of roughing it outdoors. He then concealed it under a tarp in the back of his truck so that Chris might not notice it as soon as they approached his truck. With all the gear and plans in place, Steve started back to Chris’ apartment.
Steve drove as fast as he dared on the way back to the apartment complex in the hopes that Chris would not notice quite how long he had been gone. To that effect, he sprinted up the apartment stairs to Chris’ door, turned the knob, and in his excitement bashed his head into the locked door of his friend’s apartment. With a grumbled mutter he pulled the spare key out from beneath the rug and unlocked the door.
“Everything okay out there?”
Steve relaxed when he heard his friend's voice still coming from the bathroom. “Fine, just fine. Do you have a first aid kit in there?”
“First aid? The heck are you doing out there?”
“Missing crucial steps to basic functions,” he called back as he raided Chris's closet for enough changes of clothes to get through the next couple of days. He stuffed them into a bag that was sitting next to the things Chris had started to pack and then slung both bags over his shoulders.
When he straightened he was left staring at a bewildered but fully dressed Chris watching him from the bathroom door. “You don't look like you need first aid,” Chris pointed out slowly.
“Not right now, but it's better to be prepared,” Steve grinned as he grabbed his friend, first aid kit and all, and all but pulled him out to his truck.
“Prepared for what?” Chris asked sharply.
“Don't worry, we're not going down frat row again.”
“That doesn't answer my question.”
“Well, maybe one of those books you packed has the answer. Do some research while I drive, won't you?”
Steve made a show of innocently driving while Chris watched him suspiciously for a long moment. It wasn't long before Chris caved to the temptation of research, though, and Steve relaxed. By the time his friend looked back up from that book they were going to be deep enough in the mountains that Chris couldn't protest enough to make him turn back.
He would just have to hope that the notebook he had packed for Chris to use as a word processor was going to be enough of a peace offering to let him live through the first night. Not that he thought Chris would actually attempt to physically murder him but the looks that his friend had sometimes were soul scathing.
Still, Steve thought with a grin, it would totally be worth it to see his face when he realized what had happened.
Chapter Three
“So who do you keep texting over there? Tara and Andrew having problems again?”
“Dad,” Skylar said with a deadpan look at her father. “Tara and Andrew never have problems.”
“Uh-huh. Are they domestically disputing over there?” he asked. It wasn't all that unreasonable a question, Skylar surmised, since Tara did have a habit of texting when she was angry or upset so no one would know she was crying or yelling.
“No, I'm not talking to Tara. I'm talking to Grayson.”
Some parental sense made the set of her father's shoulders change. “Is Grayson a boy or a girl?”
“He's a guy,” Skylar said as her thumbs flew across the keypad screen of her phone. Really, she was much too old for her father to have that kind of reaction to who she was talking to.
“I'd appreciate it if you would look at me when I'm talking to you,” her father said.
Skylar looked up at him, sent a quick message to Grayson to tell him she'd be a minute before replying, and then gave her father her full attention. “Yes?” Apparently she was wrong. There were some tones a parent could adopt that no child could safely ignore despite their age.
“Where did you meet him?”
“With Tara.”
“How old is he?”
“Twenty-six.”
“Does he do drugs?”
“Daddy!”
“Well? You never know about kids these days.”
“You know about me,” Skylar said, stung on Grayson's behalf.
“Only because I know you,” her father grumbled.
“And you should know I wouldn't hang out with somebody that does that,” Skylar countered.
He made a dissatisfied noise in the back of his throat and went back to watching the news. “You're just talking?”
“He's taking me out to a movie tonight.”
Her father thought about that for long enough that Skylar started to pull her phone back out to text Grayson back since she thought he was done speaking. “You know the rules.”
“Dad. I'm twenty-eight.”
“Good, then you should know the rules extra well by now.”
“What rules, honey?” her mother asked as she came in to join them in watching the news, still shaking her hands slightly to dry them.
“The dating rules. She's going on a date tonight.”
Her mother caught her eye with a look that was equal parts delighted for her and worried. “How long have you known him? What's he like?”
“A couple of days, and he's really very sweet, Mom. We spent an evening just talking about books and movies and what he likes about the world or would change about it, and he's really smart and kind hearted. And when he sings it's just beautiful.”
“He sings?” her father asked with a flat look.
Her mother gave him a look and then smiled at her daughter. “Why he sounds wonderful. You be sure to have fun but don't stay out too late. You know what impression that gives.”
“I don't have to worry about that. He's a gentleman and has been getting me home well before anything like that comes up. Even Tara likes him.”
“Tara likes Andrew, too,” her father commented darkly. “Doesn't stop her texting you about him.”
“Only sometimes, and I'm sure that won't happen with Grayson. He's different, Dad, I know he is. He even asked if Tara and Andrew could double date with us so that I'm more comfortable with it.” She glanced down at her phone and made a startled sound of surprise. “Oh, but the movie starts at eight and it's almost seven!” So saying, she dashed up to freshen her makeup and change into her cuter pair of jeans and her favorite sweater since movie theaters got cold.
Skylar caught sight of herself in the mirror and she fluffed her hair and then frowned at herself. Something wasn't right. She gave her reflection an excitedly mischievous smile and changed out her sweater for a short sleeved blouse. If he was a gentleman, she reasoned, he'd bring a coat for her so that she wouldn't be cold. Besides, it was better to show him that she's interested by looking her best rather than wearing something just because it was practical.
She couldn't help but give voice to an excited squeal after she had found the perfect jewelry to go with her outfit. She danced around the room excitedly and then bid her parents a hasty farewell as she went to get into her car. Perhaps she was acting a little immature but no one had ever made her feel the way that Grayson did and she couldn't wait to make him a larger part of her life.
Skylar took a few deep breaths as she fussed at how her hair fell over her shoulders. Maybe she was moving too fast, she thought as she stared at herself in the mirror. What if he wasn't all that he seemed, or if she had been mistaken about the moment happening between them? What if he didn't like her friends or appreciate her? What if he never went anywhere as a singer and she had to support them so that they could have a family?
After a panic driven minute she smiled at herself and shrugged. She wouldn't know unless she kept trying to figure it out. Besides, the worst that could happen would be that she would realize that she wasn't happy and break it off. Guys broke things off with her all the time so it wasn't going to be a big deal.
The drive to Tara's house seemed to be both the longest of her adult life and the shortest. She attributed the nervousness that she was experiencing to wondering whether she would still feel the same way about him. It seemed like he was definitely thinking about her, after all, what with all of his texts and the fact that he wanted to go out with her.
“Hey, girl, you look good,” Tara told her as she and Andrew climbed into her car.
“You think so? I wasn't sure if it was too much,” Skylar fussed.
Tara gave her a considering look and chuckled. “I'm sure it will be fine.”
“So this guy's a singer? What kinds of things does he sing about?” Andrew asked.
“Probably nothing you would find interesting,” Tara responded. “Mostly love and how it's a firework or a dying rose or whatever.”
“The lyrics are more meaningful than that,” Skylar protested. “They're very soulful.”
Her friends exchanged glances. “Of course they are. Does he do most of his own writing, then?”
“He writes the lyrics and comes up with a lot of the guitar parts and then the others add in their parts. That way it lets them all have their own voices in it and it sounds more organic.”
Tara wondered if Skylar actually thought that was the case or if she was merely parroting back things that Grayson had told her. She allowed the subject to drop, though, so that she wouldn't hurt her friend's feelings.
“What else does he do when he's not singing?”
“He works with his family at a landscaping and gardening shop. He works in the tree center, nursing baby trees to health.”
The saccharine quality to her voice made it difficult for Tara to not wince. “Aren't they supposed to be healthy in nature?”
“Well, yes, but he
helps
them.”
“Skylar.”
“What?”
“... nothing, honey. Just remember to be looking at everything about him, not just what he tells you.”
“It's fine, Tara. I thought that you liked him, too.”
“I barely got to talk to him at the club.”
“Hm, well, you'll have plenty of opportunity to talk to him while we wait on the movie tonight.”