I’ve felt us slowly rising for the last couple of minutes and had to close my eyes as we got higher. I can feel a breeze on my face, even though part of it is practically buried in his chest. I might as well be sitting on his lap at this point with how much I’m clinging to him. The mossy green shirt he’s wearing has a small spot of powdered sugar from the elephant ear and it makes him smell sweeter than he normally does.
“Open em’, Smalls.”
I take a small breath in and out before opening my eyes. We’ve come to a stop and we’re just at the top. The wind is blowing my hair back and I look around at the sights below. Lights, the water nearby, the smell of cotton candy and popcorn somehow drifting all the way up here.
And then I look over at Nate, but he’s not staring at all the wonder around us. He’s staring down at me. His blue eyes take on a more navy tone as his chest pumps up and down against me. These little boxes we’re sitting in aren’t made for people that are six feet tall, so we’re sitting awfully close and touching longer than normal. His stare right now feels different– it feels… real. Too real.
“This view really is beautiful,” I say quietly as I look up at him and then back to my surroundings.
His throat clears and I can feel the heat coming from his body as we sit next to one another, thighs tight against each other, his arm draped around my shoulder holding me close to his side.
“Stunning,” he answers.
I get caught on the word he uses, slowly sending my gaze back up to him. I can hear people down below chatting and their laughter, the sounds of the rides nearby, but the loudest thing I hear is the pounding of my heart in my ears. Nate’s stare is intense, it’s consuming, I barely know how to handle it.
Within a moment, the Ferris wheel begins to move again. Except this time, I don’t close my eyes.
“So you offered to drive across the country with him? Are you sure that you want to do that?” Summer has officially moved to Tampa and is now part of Saturday morning brunch with Abby and I. Normally, we’re at Marker’s Café or somewhere else downtown, but since I still have a shit ton of packing to do, I offered to have them over at my place.
“He wants to spend some time at home and asked me to come with him. It’ll be good for him to have time back up there. Everything is a slower pace there for him, he needs it. I only offered the road trip because airports are stressful and driving would be more relaxing for him.” I grab the waffle from the toaster, tossing it on a plate quickly. Summer reaches for the peanut butter and lathers up her waffle in that before adding honey and cinnamon to the top.
“How is he doing? When did all of this start? I feel so bad for our sweet baby Nate. I honestly wanted to just hug him thesecond I saw him go down.” Summer’s face turns into a frown as she takes a bite.
“He’s going to be okay. Making the decision to step away was hard, but needed. He’ll be okay.”He’ll be okay, I repeat in my mind.
“Well, are you sure that going on a road trip—just the two of you—is a good idea?”
“Why wouldn’t it be? Nate and I are together all the time as it is. That won’t be new.” I shrug off Summer’s concern.
“You’re okay with sharing a bed with Nate? What happens if things start to… tingle?”
“Excuse me, who said anything about sharing a bed?”
“Knock, knock!” Abby taps on the door and walks in. She’s carrying a binder in her hands, which I can only assume holds countless ideas for her wedding that she wants to go over.
“For you.” I gesture to the coffee as Abby comes and greets me.
“You're a gem.” She winks at me and takes a seat at the bar, next to Summer.
“Back to our conversation. Mia was just sharing how she and Nate will be taking a romantic road trip across the scenic Midwest.”
“Oh my God, I most definitely did not use half of those words,” I say with an annoyed laugh.
Summer’s hand waves in front of me as I’m standing on the opposite side of this kitchen counter feeling like I have both of their prying eyes on me.
“Is he doing okay? Ford said he hasn’t heard from him. I figured he wanted some space from everyone. Well, except you obviously.” Abby brings the coffee cup to her lips and takes a sip.
“He’ll be okay.” I may as well record myself saying that just so I can replay it anytime someone asks.
“But what I actually said earlier was, Nate’s parents invited me to their 30th wedding anniversary weekend. They’re having a party and staying in cabins. Nate asked me to go with him and then I offered the road trip. You know how I love road trips, and I just figured it would be something good for him. Honestly, road trips can help reduce stress, and I’ve read that they can help restore your mind-body connection. He needs this.” I don’t go into too much detail, but they’re all aware that he’s been struggling.
“I’ve heard that too. I mean, I get it. But are you going as his plus one or they personally asked you? How is it going to work in hotels? You know he won’t let you stay in a room by yourself in a strange town off the interstate. He’s wildly protective of you. Remember in Hawaii, he literally wouldn’t let you take a separate Uber than him when we were going five minutes to a bar.” Abby makes a good point. I guess I didn’t consider that last part about the hotel, but hotels do have rooms with two beds.
“Well… he was just being safe. But anyway, his mom sent me an invite and hotels have rooms with two beds,” I shoot back, feeling proud of my rebuttal.
The two of them exchange glances and just nod at one another with knowing smiles.
“Don’t do that.” My index finger wags in their direction. “Your little smirks and smiles. I know what you’re doing.”
