“Do I look ready? Let me clue you in, buddy, it takes a while to get this,” I flung my free hand up and down my body, “ready.”
“I doubt that. Come on, I want to go.”
“Go wait with Smitty.”
I shooed him out, partially dried my hair in messy waves, put on some makeup and lip gloss, shimmied into jean shorts and a tank, grabbed flip-flops, and ran down the steps like a kid on Christmas morning. And thinking that didn’t even bother me.
Settled in his pickup truck, Smitty in the backseat, I asked, “Where are we heading?”
“Bald Eagle State Park.”
“Oh, that’s right, they have boat rentals there. Abby went once for a birthday party. Cried the whole time because her new light-up shoes got wet.”
“That’s the worst. Legitimately. No one wants their new shoes to get wet…they freaking smell forever, then, especially the light-up variety.”
“Glad to see you understand light-up shoes.”
“All about the shoes.”
“I can tell, especially when you wear those shitkickers.”
He gave me a deep laugh, one that felt exclusive to me, and I dreamed of ways to make him do it again.
I should’ve felt bad, laughing with Aiken, chatting about Abby so nonchalantly, but it felt the exact opposite. Refreshing.
“Here we are.” He parked at the far end of the lot and opened the door for Smitty, letting him jump out of the cab before leashing him. I jumped down on my own and looked up at the sky.
“Gorgeous.”
“Oh, that you are…”
“Stop.” I faux-punched him in the bicep, and he pulled me against him, placing a small chaste kiss on my nose.
“Come on.” He took my hand in his and kept the leash in the other.
“Are you stealing my dog?”
“Allow me to let you in on a secret…when a man has a good thing, he never leaves. Hence, Smitty is yours.”
“That’s not what my ex said.”
“Well, he’s not a man. He’s a pussy.”
My mouth opened.
“Don’t even think about arguing with me.”
Aiken walked up to a small shed and gave his name, and soon we were sailing away in a pontoon boat.
“So, I was a sure thing when you asked me on a boat ride?”
“Definitely. I called as soon as I beat you back from a run. You really have to work on your speed.”
“You better behave, or I’m going to push you overboard.”
“You couldn’t move me if you tried.”
That was pretty much how we spent the next hour, Smitty with two paws on the back bench looking out at the water, and Aiken and I joking, making easy conversation.
