Mom smiles. "Well, not yet, but I'll tell you what, Annie is itching for all her kids to get married."
"Well, it would take some strong women to handle the Rough boys," I chuckle, remembering all the trouble those guys would get themselves in growing up. "And I'm glad your friend has you to help her plan the flowers. I'll be sure to let you know when I'm getting hitched."
Mom laughs. "Oh yeah?" she smirks. "I'll believe that when I see it." A few minutes later she excuses herself to get ready to go to her friend's house.
Alone with the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, I ask Faith what she's up for today. "I could give you a tour of town or we could go on a hike in the woods? You choose."
"I'd go around town but… and maybe this sounds bad, but I'm a little embarrassed of the fact I have this bandage around my head. I don't know. I guess I could wear a ball cap or something. I'd just be a little self-conscious."
"Don't apologize," I say. "Why don't we go out to the mountains? We could stop at my cabin."
"You'd show me your place?" Faith asks.
"Sure. I'd love to, actually."
“I'd like that also," Faith says. "And I'll go on a hike, but I promise you I'm not much of an outdoors person. I know from the pictures in your mom's hallway that you've been living in the great outdoors since you were able to walk, but not me. So no judging!”
“No judging. But we don't even have to go on a hike. Why don't we just go out to my place? You can see my property and we can hang out."
"Maybe we could shop at the grocery store before and get some food?" Faith suggests.
"That sounds great," I say. I swallow, "But really, if you'd rather stay here and rest today, no pressure."
She shakes her head, reaching for my hand. "No, Jake, I want to go to your place. That's all I want, actually."
10
FAITH
We take Jake's mom's car up to his cabin. The drive is pretty short. Fifteen minutes later, we pull up to his place and I smile as I take it in.
"This place is really nice," I say. "It's so isolated."
There are big cedar trees surrounding the cabin that's nestled into the woods. Wildflowers growing around his front porch, which has two Adirondack chairs sitting on it. His front door is painted light blue, and I smile taking it all in.
He walks around the car and opens the door for me, helping me out.
"I’m okay,” I say, self-conscious of how kind he is being to me. “I just got a bump on my head. You're the one who just got back from battle."
He swallows. "Yeah, but my scars aren't visible. They're all deep inside."
I reach for his hand, appreciating his vulnerability.
"You know, if you want to talk, I'm here."
"Thanks," he says, squeezing my hand back. "For some reason, I feel like I could tell you anything and you'd listen without judgment."
I smile at him. "I'm glad you feel that way because I feel it too." I swallow as he walks me towards his house.
"Oh crap," he says, "I forgot the groceries." He jogs back to the car and opens the trunk, grabbing the bag of food.
We decided to skip the grocery store and instead he raided his mom's cupboards. We made a packed lunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, some chips and carrots, and he told me he had some drinks already stocked in his refrigerator. Once we climb the few steps to his front door, I stand there, suddenly nervous.
"What?" he asks, as if reading my mind.
"I don't know. It feels like a big deal coming to your place. I don't know why, like when I step through that door I might see you in a different way, or like the spell’s going to break."
"So you're telling me there's a spell cast over us?"
"It feels like it, doesn't it?" I ask him. "Like since the moment we met, there was a magnetic charge between us?" I close my eyes, shaking my head. "Sorry. Maybe I'm reading into things that aren't there but..." I bite my bottom lip, opening my eyes and looking at him. Jake isn't looking off in the distance. He's staring straight at me.
"Fuck, I'm glad you said that because that's how I feel too. Like there was a pull to bring us together and I'm not saying the circumstances that led us here to this moment are ones I'm thankful for. Hell, I would turn back time in a heartbeat if it meant taking away the pain you've had to endure. But, Faith, right now this is the only place I want to be."
"So I don't feel like a stranger to you?" I ask him.