“Go.” She waves me off.
I grab my purse from the floor and head to my room.
Me: Hey, I’m home. Olivia said you were worried. I’m sorry.
Aaron: Good. Are you okay?
Me: I am.
Aaron: I’ll see you soon?
Me: Definitely.
Aaron: Good.
I set my phone on my nightstand, right beside a picture of Mom and me. It was taken about two years ago, right before we found out that the cancer had spread to her lungs. She looks healthy and happy. We both do. I miss her every damn day, but I know Olivia is right. She’s always with me.
“I’m trying, Mom. For you, I’m trying.” Flipping off my shoes, I climb into bed and settle in for a nap.
When I wake a couple of hours later, the house is quiet and my stomach is growling. I make my way to the kitchen to find a note from Liv telling me that she’s left for work. Looking at the clock, I see that it’s three in the afternoon and that a package came for me.
Holy shit! I slept the day away.
I spot the package on the kitchen table and excitement overtakes me. After going through the edits from the horse show a couple of weeks ago, I had an amazing shot of Midnight Rain. I sent it off to be printed on a canvas to surprise Aaron. Carefully opening the package, I pull out the canvas and study it. It turned out perfect. Midnight is standing stock-still, head turned to the side, looking right at the camera. Just so happens that the Mills Farms sponsor banner is in the background, proudly on display. I’m thrilled with how it turned out. I can’t wait to show Aaron. It will be a great way to break the ice after how I left things this morning. Decision made, I rush off to take a shower.
I’m restless. Mom and Dad are still gone. My best friend is living in a state of bliss with my little sister. The animals are fed and taken care of, and I’m here sitting on the front porch holding down this rocking chair. There is stuff I can do in the office, but really, I can’t focus. All I keep thinking about is waking up with Whitney. This morning she seemed distant. I’ve replayed last night in my mind a thousand times, trying to pinpoint when things went wrong. It’s driving me out of my fucking mind. This isn’t me, but when it comes to her, that doesn’t seem to matter.
When she texted me earlier, I just about asked her if we could do something tonight. Anything: dinner, movie, drive around, camp under the stars on the dock again.
Last night was most definitely a night to remember. I’ve never wanted to spend all my time with a girl. There has never been anyone to hold my interest long enough. My sister’s voice runs through my mind. “You never spend enough time with someone to get to know them, Aaron.”
Fuck me.
Not that I would admit this to her, but she’s been right all along. No, that’s not it. It’s Whitney; she’s the difference. From the first night, I enjoyed spending time with her. That’s never happened. Usually I’m regretting the night out with whatever chick I’m with an hour into it. That never happens with Whitney. Instead, I’m willing time to slow down. I always want more.
The sound of tires on gravel tells me I have company. As if thinking about her makes her appear, Whitney parks and offers me a shy wave as she climbs out of the car. I don’t take my eyes off her as she opens the back door and pulls out a package wrapped in brown paper and grabs another small bag. I’m on my feet and rushing to meet her. I reach her in a few longs strides, taking the brown paper-wrapped package from her hands. Leaning down, I kiss her on the forehead.
I missed her.
Holy shit! I missed her. I pause, letting that sink in.
“Aaron,” she says. “You okay?”
I take her in. Her hair is braided, lying over her shoulder. She’s wearing cutoff blue jean shorts, a blue tank top, and her motherfucking cowboy boots. Desire rips through me.
“You’re looking rather southern today, Whit.” Southern desire is more like it. She blushes and I can’t stop myself when I lean down and place a tender kiss to her lips. “I’m glad you’re here.” I am. I missed her, and in a matter of minutes, she’s turned my day around just by stepping out of the damn car.
Red-tinted cheeks in full bloom, she looks up at me. “I brought you something.” She points to the package that I’m holding.
“You brought me two somethings,” I say with a wink.
She looks confused until she remembers the bag in her hand and smiles. “I guess I did.” She hands it to me.
“Three somethings,” I correct her. She now looks completely perplexed. I place my lips next to her ear. “You, Whit.” I nip at her lobe before quickly pulling away. Shifting the bag and the package into one hand, I use the other to lace my fingers through hers and lead her to the front porch. “Not that I’m not thrilled to see you, but whatever this is, it wasn’t necessary. You could have just brought you.”
Again, the blush. “This is a surprise I’ve been planning. Although, for the sake of being honest, I did use it as an excuse to come back today. It was delivered yesterday, but I never made it home.”
No, she didn’t. Instead, she spent the night in my arms.
“Open it.” She gestures to the package.
Setting the bag on the porch, I carefully peel back the brown paper. “Wow! Whitney, this is incredible.” Inside is a canvas print of Midnight Rain from the show a few weeks ago, our farm banner hanging proudly in the background.
“It’s like she was looking right at me. I loved this one.”
“It’s perfect, thank you.” Leaning over, I kiss her, because I can and, even more, because I want to.
“The rest of them are in the bag. I got prints of everything. If you want them to be blown up or anything, just let me know.”
I set the print down, leaning it up against the railing, before picking up the bag and pulling out a huge stack of pictures. I’ve only flipped through a few and I can tell that she’s crazy talented. I’m just about to tell her so when my phone rings.
“Sorry, it’s Evan.” I show her the phone before answering. “Hey, man.” I listen to him tell me that he wants to get McKinley out of the house. They need a few things and were wondering if I can watch the kids. “Hold on a second,” I tell him before placing the phone against my chest.