We watch until they’re out of sight—the music and lights of the concert weaving with the sounds of the summer night.
“Did you really call the police?” I pull her closer to me to find her shoulders shaking. I step away to get a look at her face, keeping my hands on her heaving shoulders. “Oh, shit, baby—er—Becky, are you?—”
“S-s-stoppit—”snort, “Di-did you see herface? She wascovered in mudin her se-se-sexy little blackskirt! Shepulledmyhair,and I thinkI broke her nose?” She struggles to get the words out, randomly squeaking on some, but I get the gist of it when uncontainable laughter completely overtakes her ability to speak. I’m too wound up to join her, but my lips tip up at her out-of-control amusement.
Becky finally stands straight, running a finger under her eyes after succumbing two more times to wordless hysterics. “What did you ask?” She sounds as distracted as she looks—eyes crinkled on the sides, lips twitching. I’m not confident she is done laughing.
“The police? Did you call them?” She’s shaking her head before I finish asking the question.
“Oh, no. Why would I call when they’re right there?” She gestures towards the crowd where—yeah—they usually have a couple of officers around just in case. “I just messaged Jill that her niece was back here causing problems.” She says with a grin. “I heard that her dad was here looking for her earlier before Jill roped him into helping her with the Peacock.” I smile back at her, the vision entertaining, especially when I couldn’t miss the way Becky eyed Taylor’s father. “I can’t believe she agreed to offer photos with her bird to help raise money for my trip.”
I tentatively reach out and tuck a stray hair behind her ear just to ease the tension, the need I have to touch her and feel her joy. I miss her joy. I feel like I’m bursting with her so close. When she doesn’t pull away from my touch, something settles inside of me. Until hersmile changes into something more serious. Becky’s eyes trail across my face and down to my chest, when she reaches out and places a hand over my heart. I try to hold back my shudder in response.My Becky.
“I wanted to do a lot more than hit her when I saw her touch you.” She says it like a confession. She’s standing so close, her hands on me, eyes locked onto my own. My hands twitch at the need to pull her closer. I lift them to wrap around her, but before I can, she takes a step back, out of reach. My hands fall empty to my sides. “I still need to decide some things, okay, Carter? Do you understand?” She whispers this to me, her hands reach back to me, but she clenches them into fists instead, tucking them into her sides. “But—” She lets out a sigh and looks toward the stage for a moment, the lights reflecting in her wet, glistening eyes. “But I think I’d like to spend some time with you to help me figure everything out.” The emptiness that was swallowing me whole disappears at her words.
I feel like she just offered me the chance of a lifetime.
“Ye- yeah.” I manage to choke out. “Yes, I think I’d like that too. Always.” I’d like that more than anything.
28
THE STARS
BECKY
The familiar rumble of Carter’s truck echoes in the living room when he pulls up to his usual spot. Tonight is our first true date since—for a few months. It’s our old anniversary—the day I gave into him four years ago. I froze when he asked me to go out with him this night. Last time it was…unplanned. We went to a movie and then for a drive. Next thing I knew, we were both naked in the back of the truck where he made me come once on his fingers, once on his mouth, and a final time riding his—I let out a sharp breath.Nope, stoppit you little hoe.
My skin feels flushed, and to help, I head to the bathroom in search of a washcloth. I run it under the tap until it gets saturated with some cool water and plop that bad boy on the back of my neck. I have to calm down. A knocking at the door makes me pause while checking my make-up in the mirror.Odd.We passed the door knocking phase a few weeks ago. I finally told Carter that he cleans poop in the yard, so he can let himself in as long as I know he’s coming over. He does not do door knocking.
A second knock has me rushing to the door.Maybe it’s not Carter? Maybe—I pull open the door to see Carter standing there with a box of chocolates balancing in one hand, and a small planted cactus in theother. A grin breaks across my face at the gesture. Silly man is still making up for the lies the little red viper told.
Tay-Tay who, last I heard, lost her job in our school district, and was kicked out of her daddy’s house when she failed to appear at court for her laundry list of offenses. She was supposedly picked up by the police for contempt of court, and may also be in jail or something now. The rumor is she tried to bribe the wrong person with sex or money. Her father rushed the court proceedings for our civil case, and I won. I plan to put away my money forsomeday. Carter was also able to increase his restraining order on her, so we are fairly confident this means it’s over, and she is never coming back.
“Can I come in?” Our eyes meet and I nod slowly because I just realized he’s wearing a baseball hat.Lord have mercy.He steps past me, but turns back and hands me my cactus first. It’s a round, adorable little thing, with lots of tiny pricklies and a pinking color along the top of it.
“Oh she is a cutie!” I grab it with my hand holding the rag, and pray he doesn’t ask about it. He follows me into the kitchen, where the little cutie goes on the packed window sill. I step back and tilt my head this way and that until I’m confident it’s in the best place. Currently, four other succulents are crowded in our window. Three of them are cacti, and the last one is Sonic. I couldn’t risk him at school, so I brought him home the week after the concert. “Oh yeah! Carter, guess what?”
“What?” He steps up next to me and holds out the chocolates. I snag the box, but place it on the counter for later.
“It’s official! The fundraisers from the summer did fine, but the one from your friends and the Friday Night Music Extravaganza fully covered all of the eighth grade DC field trip and at least three other field trips any of the classes want to take this year!” I bounce on my feet while I tell him, his eyes soft on me. A soft caress across the top of my hand makes me jolt and realize that Carter is currently holding both of my hands, and I have no idea who grabbed who. His thumb slides across my fingers two, three more times, before I clear my throat and pull my hands away. “So, yeah, great, right?”
“That’s amazing.” He leans in and gives me a kiss on the cheek, brushing the corner of my mouth with his. “You’re amazing. Congrats Becky.” He backs up a step and scans my body. “You need a jacket, baby.” Instead of waiting for me to grab one, he strides to the coat closet. He pulls out two of my jackets and holds them up for me to inspect my options. He’s so intent and focused; his care makes my heart sing for him. He holds them both up to me, one a puffy black coat that’s warmer, but definitely not with my sexy tight pants, high boots, low cut shirt vibe. The other option is a black peacoat that fits the vibe, but isn’t quite as warm. He mumbles something under his breath.
Last week, Carter asked me out on this date, and he was very clear that it was going to be a date. We could both feel how our time together was filled with so much tension and awareness. We’ve kissed more than a few times, and a couple of those times our kisses got out of hand, quickly. When Carter left me after the last time things got hot and heavy, he told me he couldn’t do things halfway anymore, and that he was going to take me out on a date. Surprising the both of us, I said yes to him without hesitation. A few days later, he called me about today’s date, asking me to double check it would be alright for me to stay out late and to let me know I needed to dress warm.
“I’ll double check with my daddy and make sure I’m not breaking curfew.” I tease while we stand near the door. I love the way he smiles at me. It’s a little bit bashful, and a whole lot of devil-may-care. Holding my gaze, he steps closer and places his hands lightly on my shoulders. They glide down, barely grazing my pebbled skin until his warm touch envelopes my hands. He gathers them into his own, and in one smooth motion, he spins us, lifts them over my head, and backs me into the front door. Holding both of my hands in one of his, he slides his other to the back of my head, tangling his fingers into my hair, and tilting my head up with a small tug. His eyes bore into mine before he dips them down to my slightly parted lips. Then slowly, so fucking slowly, he leans forward until our noses nearly touch and our mouths brush when he answers.
“No, sweetheart. I don’t think that’ll be necessary.”
Then, he let me go, and I swooned so fucking hard. He gave me thefull force of hisCarternessand made it extremely clear what would be on the table, or counter, or bed, or floor for us after this date. I’m ready for that step. I’vebeenready for that step. He has been making me wait. “This one. Are you ready?” He raises the coat in question, the warmer, puffier one, and I nod, turning around so he can slip it over my shoulders. Warmth settles over my heart when he grabs my matching hat and scarf and attempts to put both on me, making a mess out of my hair with the hat. I wrestle it out of his hand and do it myself, but allow him to wrap the scarf around my neck and shoulders. Finished, I snatch his hand so we can walk out together.
Muscle memory, and a little hope fueling me, I sit my happy ass directly next to him on the bench seat, so he has access to me in any way he wants. The heat of his palm sears into the skin of my thigh, but he doesn’t make any other move. I hurrumph, and he chuckles. At first I think we’re going to the movies, but then he keeps driving right past the town limits and up into the hills and beyond on the back, windy roads. I don’t mind the drive. We used to do this all the time. I’d ask, or he’d ask,want to go on a drive;and we would answer,always.
The headlights cut across the darkening road, illuminating the green, red, yellow, and oranges of the autumn trees and the road ahead, but otherwise we’re in a dark tunnel—like we’re the only ones alive in this place. Carter squeezes my leg twice before removing his hand to change gears, slowing the truck and pulling onto a rough looking gravel road. The truck bumps and rocks along the new road, taking us further away from the main route.
“You’re not about to murder me, right?” Carter leans over and kisses the side of my head, and keeps driving without answering. “I’ll take that as a no…or at least a not yet.” His deep chuckle fills the cab, and he places his hand a little closer to the crease of my thighs. I squirm in my seat. “Tease.”
His eyes dance when he looks down at me. “We’ll be there in no time, and everything will become more clear. Promise.”
