“I want to take you somewhere,” Beau says once we pull apart.
I run my fingers through his beard. “You’ve got work tomorrow. We can just stay here.”
“No. This is important. Come on.”
He gently manhandles me into the bathroom. I’ve never taken a quicker shower. Beau dresses in light clothing, long cargo pants, a long-sleeve shirt, and a ball cap. Curious. I lift an eyebrow in question, but he just hands a similar outfit to me.
“Don’t want to get bitten too much,” Beau explains.
Mosquitos. So, we’re going somewhere outside. I hurriedly dress in the clothes he gives me, then eagerly follow him out to the old truck. Angling my head awkwardly, I notice a bag in the bed, along with a few other supplies that I can’t make out in the dark. The door slams behind Beau as he climbs into the truck. His hand settles on my thigh as we reach the main road, heading who knows where.
Stars blink above us due to the absence of clouds in the night sky. The air is still warm, despite it almost being October, because Florida summer lasts until November. Gravel turns todirt as Beau turns us onto a new road. His hand squeezes my thigh to reassure me that he’s got me, that I’m safe with him, but he doesn’t need to do that. Because I know. I’ve always known.
The truck rumbles to a stop by a river, but even from this distance I can tell it’s clear. Probably spring fed. Maybe we’re close to our spring. The trees are sparse where the truck is parked, so there’s a direct line to the gorgeous night sky.
Beau hops out of the truck, then comes around to open the door on my side. He stares at me for a few moments before tilting his head.
“Take your hair down for me?”
A warm flush spreads over me at his request. But I do as he asks. I take the tie out of my hair, letting it fall loose around my shoulders. Beau aims a pleased grin my way, before tugging me out of the car, towards the back of the truck.
Fondness swells inside me as I watch as Beau lays a pile of blankets out on the bed of the truck, then tosses a few pillows around for comfort. He aims a shy look at me over his shoulder. My sweet Beau. I hope he never makes my heart feel like it’s about to take flight. I can’t imagine that day. Hope I never live to see it if it ever comes.
“I thought we could stargaze for a bit, just hold one another. I want to slow dance with you first though. How’s that sound?”
He somehow always knows exactly what I need, what my soul needs.
I swallow around the lump of emotion in my throat. “That sounds perfect, Beau.”
He smiles awkwardly and tugs me into the safe cage of his arms. The air is humid, almost damp, but I don’t care. Because being in Beau’s arms makes everything else melt away. Until it’s just me and him under a cloudless sky. The whole world is just us. No matter where we are, the world can be narrowed down to just Beau and me. Such a wonderful thing.
“You’re so good to me,” I tell him as he sways me to only the sound of the water, cicadas, and wind rustling through the trees.
“Someone has to be. Figure it ought to be me.”
“Am I good to you too? I make you happy?”
Beau’s eyes practically sparkle. “Sweetheart, just knowin’ you chose me makes me the happiest man in the world. Love you more than anything else in this world.”
“More than the springs? More than the farm?”
It’s a stupid game to play, but I just feel like teasing him. But when he aims a perfect, warm smile at me, I melt even further into his strong arms. Being weak with Beau will always be perfectly safe.
“I’d give all that up for you in a heartbeat.”
I lay my head against his chest while we sway to a tuneless song. “I’d never ask you to though.”
“And that’s why you mean the world to me.”
We dance a little longer before climbing into the bed of the truck. Beau tugs me to lie against his chest as we stare up at the sky. The stars blink down at us, as our future unfolds, big and beautiful. My future is here in Clay Springs, with Beau, with a family I’ll build for myself.
September rollsby with nights spent by our river, events at the farm, and hangouts with Colby and Eli. Hard to believe I’ve only been in Clay Springs for a couple of weeks. Time moves so slowly here that sometimes I wonder if I really ever did have a life before. Like this is the place maybe I’ve always belonged. Childhood in New York City seems so distant now, almost as if it never really happened at all. In some odd way, my life began when I found Clay Springs, when I found Beau.
It took me a few days to work up the nerve to mail the letter, but I did, with Beau standing beside me at the post office as I dropped the letter into the receptacle. Such a huge step, but one that I’ll always be proud of myself for taking. Pride in myself is new, but I think it’s an emotion I could get used to over time.
At the end of September Beau comes home from a Saturday at the farm surprisingly upbeat. Dropping a distracted kiss on my head, he grabs a beer from the fridge, then tosses a brand-new smartphone on the table.
“Uh.”
