“Remind me not to get in the shower with you again.”Drea wandered into the small kitchen while running a comb through her hair.
Cujo smiled and poured her a glass of the red Zinfandel from the bottle he’d brought with him.“Hey.It’s not my fault you look so darned delectable wearing hot water and soap.”
Dwarfing the space in the kitchen, his track pants hung low on his waist revealing his lickable six pack, and those beautiful lines that led down to… well, whatever they were called, yumminess.She yawned and pulled her phone out of her hoodie pocket.One o’clock in the morning.
She flipped to the photo he’d just taken.In some ways, it didn’t even look like her.She appeared too confident, flushed with excitement.Was it really how he saw her?
“I can’t even look at it without getting turned on,” Cujo said, peering over her shoulder.
“Cool it, soldier,” she laughed, hopping onto one of the breakfast bar stools.
The robust wine was delicious.She turned the bottle on the counter to take a better look at the label.It had been a couple of months since she’d been able to afford any, but it was one of her favorites when she could.
“I want to take you paddleboarding at sunrise tomorrow.I’ve got boards in the back.I know it’s a ridiculously small number of hours away, but I thought you could add it to your list of hobbies to try.I got you this.”He placed the pink-and-white-striped bag in front of her.“Got to be honest, Harper helped me pick it.Said men couldn’t be trusted.”
“Trent bought her an incredibly tiny black and white polka dot bikini,” she laughed, wondering if Harper had taken it to Tahiti.
“Figured you feel a bit more comfortable in something a little less… you know… given it’s your first time.If it’s cold, you can always wear a hoodie.We’re staying in the shallows, so you’ll be fine.”
The pretty emerald green two-piece was perfect.“Thanks, Brody.”She rose to her feet and kissed him on his cheek.The corner of his mouth lifted in a warm smile.
They took their drinks outside, choosing to sit in the chairs on the porch.It had long since gone dark, and Cujo lit the candles on the table.
“Thank you for making this so special, Brody.I feel like I’ve had a week’s rest, not a day’s.”
He sat down then reached across the small table and took her hand.“My pleasure.I meant what I said the other day you know.Without all the other stuff, you and I are good.”
Drea let her head rest on the back of the chair.“I’m sorry I keep forgetting that.”
“Easily done, Shortcake.I do, too.”
They sat in silence, savoring the moment.His thumb rubbed circles over her knuckles.
“I’m worried I’m going to make my next choices based around you and me,” Drea said quietly.It had been invading her thoughts in those early morning moments between sleep and being awake.
“In what way?”She heard him shuffle in his chair, knowing he’d turned to look at her, and reluctantly opened her eyes.Fear was knotted inside her.
She considered her word choices carefully.“I don’t work in a coffee shop because I’m not smart enough to do anything else.I just couldn’t study while holding down a part-time job and helping my mom.I didn’t consider college because I knew I’d grow to be resentful I wasn’t there.”
Cujo kissed her knuckles, then held her hand tight.“I can see that, Shortcake.The way you make sense of all those environmental reports blows me away.And the way you connected the dots that led to Gilliam, and ultimately to Don.”
“I don’t want any constraints on what I do next.But I think our relationship will do that.Like what if I fall in love with the idea of going to Florida State, but don’t because it’s five hundred miles away from Miami?”
Drea took a sip of wine, needing a moment to compose the thoughts banging through her brain like metal balls in a pinball machine.
“I meant what I said after the funeral,” he said.
“Which part?”
“When I said I’d go with you.You don’t need to worry about the location.”
“But you have everything here.Your brothers, nieces, Trent, the studio, the garage.Why would you want to go with me after such a short time?”
“It’s not that short.We’ve known each other nearly six months.And everyone you mentioned, they’d still be here when I came back to visit.And we could video call.We’d figure it out.”
Fuck.She was a bad person.First she had to have her mom die to get out of the life she had.Now Cujo was talking about giving up everything he held dear so he could follow her while she did it.“I can’t ask you to do that.”
“No, you can’t.But I can offer.I wouldn’t be following after you like some lovesick puppy.We’d make a decision as a couple to move.I’d make a decision to support you while you do it.The choice of how I earn the money is mine.”
