I worked Wednesday and Thursday—Haley wasn’t with me because she had two days of continuing education classes.
By Thursday night, I’d made the decision to go that weekend.
I messaged Wes, Lucas, and Gabe to let them know I wouldn’t be out on Saturday night, then gathered Maverick’s food and supplies I’d need for him for the weekend.
As eager as I was, as I started packing my bag, an unexpected wave of hesitation hit me—I found myself suddenly thinking about Haley, and the idea ofnotseeing her for another few days gave me pause.
It wasn’t sitting well.
I folded up a sweatshirt and slipped it into my bag, then paused, leaning against my bed. A conversation I’d had with Haley months ago came floating to the forefront of my mind. I tilted my head in thought, wondering if it was too impulsive…but that’s exactly what she said she wanted.
Early Friday morning, just after nine o’clock, I pulled up outside of Haley’s townhouse with Maverick in tow.
We walked up the pathway and up the stairs to the front porch, and he sat beside me as I knocked.
A few moments later, Haley opened the door, her hair mussed from sleep. “Hey,” she greeted me, followed by a yawn.
“Did we wake you up?”
“Maybe.” She smiled sleepily, reaching down to pet Maverick as he went between her legs before disappearing inside. “But that’s alright.”
“Good,” I said with a nod as I walked inside. “I need you to pack a bag.”
She closed the door, turning to look at me with a confused expression. “A what now?”
“A bag,” I repeated.
“A bag…for what?”
“For the weekend,” I said matter-of-factly.
Her brow arched. “I’m confused.”
I chuckled and stepped up to her, my hands settling on her T-shirt-clad waist. “I need you to pack a bag for the weekend.” She still looked confused. I didn’t blame her. “If you’re up for a random drive and an impulsive trip that’s not too far, that is.”
As I repeated her words from months ago, the confusion on her face turned to genuine surprise. I wasn’t sure if she was more shocked that I planned to take her somewhere or that I remembered that conversation and her wish about wanting the little things.
“Wait,really?”
I smiled. “Yeah.”
“Where—where are we going?”
“I’ll tell you on the way. Come on,” I said, giving her a nudge down the hall toward her room, patting her ass as she turned. “You’ll want some warm clothes—sweatshirts, pants. It’s still chilly up there.”
“Upwhere?” Even as she asked the question, she was hurrying down the hall. “Can I shower real quick?”
I chuckled. “Yeah, but hurry up so we can get on the road.”
Thirty minutes later, I slid Haley’s bag into the back of my jeep, got Maverick into the backseat, and we slipped into the front.
As she buckled her seatbelt, she looked over at me, her hair still wet from the shower, and I could see the excitement and anticipation in her eyes.
“So…?”
I smiled as I pulled away from the curb. “So what?”
“Where are we going?” she asked, amusement and frustration blended in her tone.
