Who does this? Who goes away for ten days and plants seeds, as if there’s a way to make them grow into roots even though I live hours upon hours away? This is a vacation. I’m not building a new life.
What am I thinking?
I have to admit, though, Pop was right. Getting away was exactly what I needed. Something about the peace of the lake, the quiet of the breeze, and the sounds of nature has kept me anchored in the present, not stressed about the future or the decisions of the past. It’s refreshing.
I guess I can only hope that when I get home, I’m able to hold on to some of the peace I’ve found here.
I suck in a breath through my nose, my chest expanding and shoulders rising, then release it in a long slow exhale. I need to finish this book before Fran has a heart attack at how slowly I’m reading.
Forty-Three
ARE YOU UNSURE OF HOW IT WORKS?
Luke
I’ve been itching to see Liv all day. Josh spoke with Viv, no doubt conspiring about what they think happened last night because I wouldn’t give him many details, but through him I found out the girls should be back in their rooms for a little while.
The path that winds around our cove of the lake branches off toward the side of the house and leads to the parking lot in front. I deviate from the path in favor of walking along the massive rosebushes to the back patios of each room. It’s safer to tap on her patio door under the cover of the rosebushes, rather than march up to her bedroom door from the hallway where anyone in the house can see me. Coming up to Liv’s patio, I round the bush and spot her rocking in a chair, nose deep in a book.
Her hair is down, cascading around her shoulders in golden waves, glasses on, deep pink painted toes pushing her chair back and forth.
She’s breathtaking.
I snap a giant, full-bloom pink rose from the bush and hold it with my other hand behind my back.
Who says chivalry is dead?
I clear my throat as I approach in an effort not to startle her, but it doesn’t work. She sighs, looking up from her book, and it would seem she didn’t expect to see me standing there because she jumps in her seat, dropping the book into her lap.
“This is getting out of hand.” She lays her head back against the rocking chair, hand over her heart.
“I cleared my throat,” I say, slipping between the bushes and making my way onto the patio.
“Not good enough! Do better,” she says, jabbing a finger in my direction. Chuckling, I pull the rose from behind my back and hold it out to her.
She eyes it skeptically, a small smile creeping across her face. “Is this rose for me? I don’t have a coffee mug out here today.”
“Not only is this rose foryou, but I brought it for you on purpose this time.” The flower’s sweet scent drifts through the air as I hold my hand out for her to take it. She does, lifting it to her nose and looking up at me.
“Well, that’s very sweet of you. Thank you.” She closes her eyes and inhales deeply. A soft, moaning sigh rumbles through her throat. I could hear her make that sound all day.
“I have your bag. Want me to just put it inside?” She opens her eyes, and I lift the bag in confirmation.
“Sure. You can throw it on the chair there.” She gestures toward the room as I slide the door open. “Ow! Shit.”
I drop her bag on the floor and dart back outside to see Liv sucking on her finger. The rose discarded in her lap.
“What happened?” I grab the book and the rose and set them on the table, crouching down in front of her.
“This demon flower pricked me!” She holds her finger out for me to see, and already a new little bead of blood is forming where the thorn stabbed her. “I’ve never been pricked by a thorn. That shit hurts!”
I chuckle. “I try to do something nice and see what happens? Come on, let’s go find you a Band-Aid.” I grab her hand gently,guiding her into her room. “Do you keep any kind of first-aid kit or Band-Aids anywhere?”
“In my toiletries bag there should be Band-Aids and Neosporin.” Liv sits down on the edge of the bed, finger back in her mouth. I head into the bathroom and unzip the toiletries bag, shifting the contents inside.
I freeze.
Is that…
