AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You’re just trying to make me feel better.”
“Guilty.” He shoots me a bashful grin. I bump into him with my shoulder, relishing the heat that naturally radiates off of him. I pull my arms tighter around me. Even with the fire, I still feel chilled. The sea air has a way of making everything feel damp. In one connected move, Rhett pulls his jacket from his shoulders and drapes it over mine. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he shifts away like he’s not sure he should have done it.
“Thank you. You’re always taking care me, aren’t you?”
He doesn’t bother to look up. “Someone needs to.”
Slipping my arms through the sleeves, I breathe in the smells that I’ve come to relate to Rhett. Horses, hay, and woodsy sweetness from his recent shower. The warmth that spreads through my core has just as much to do with him as it does his jacket. The stars twinkle above me, stealing my attention for a minute. Next to me, I sense Rhett following my gaze.
“You like the stars?”
“Very much.” I squint to try to make more out, but the firelight obscures them. “I wish I could see them better.”
“Come on.” Rhett nudges me with his elbow and tips his head to the side. “I think I saw a log over here.”
I seesaw my lips against each other, considering whether to follow, but it’s not like Rhett ever gives me a reason to worry. I’m always safe with him. Trailing behind him, I follow him into the darkness away from the fire and the rest of the party. Their laughter and talking fades with every step. A flutter in my heart quickens my steps to stay at his side. The quarter moon offers a little light, enough to make out the log where Rhett takes a seat, leaving plenty of space for me. Happily, I join him, quickly turning my face to the sky. As promised, without the fire, the stars shine bright and clear.
“They’re beautiful.” I don’t mean to sound breathless, but few things in this world make me feel a small as a pebble. With the sea in front of me and a thousand stars above me, it’s hard to believe my problems have ever mattered much in the grand scheme of things. It’s a reassuring feeling for some reason, and I cling to that.
“See those three together?” Rhett points at the sky, twisting a bit so I’ll follow where he’s pointing.
I note the three stars sitting in a perfect row. “Yes, I’ve seen them before. I don’t know what they’re called though.”
“That’s Orion’s belt. If you follow it up,” he raises his arm a bit, “you’ll see his arm there and then follow it down and there’s the rest.”
“You know all this stuff? I know the big dipper but that’s where it ends for me.” I can’t see what he’s seeing, but I love hearing him talk about it. I’ve always wanted to understand astronomy and constellations, but never had the patience.
“Dad showed me. Enough nights under the stars on bedrolls and he’ll talk your ear off about the stars.” I feel his shrug without looking. “It was the first thing we bonded over. He used to tell me how sailors and then cowboys used to use the stars to find their way. People for ages have looked to the stars to know who they are. I guess since I don’t know much about where I came from, I’ve always looked up thinking they might know.”
He takes me by surprise with his deep thoughts on a regular basis. To the casual observer, he’s a quiet cowboy, but under that façade, he’s more. A philosopher, a dreamer, and a deep thinker. I turn to look at the other half of the sky and catch him looking at me. It doesn’t take much to know he’s blushing. I amend my list. He’s a bit of a romantic as well.
“You’ve stopped asking me questions, you know that?” I bump his boots with mine. “For a while, I thought you really might guess my identity.”
“I guess,” he nudges my boots back, “I figured I know who you are. You’ve been here long enough.”
“Oh really?” I cross my arms and turn to look at him. “Who am I then, hot shot?”
With all the arrogance of a poker player holding a royal flush, Rhett says, “You’re a spy. I knew it the first day you landed on the beach with that SubBug.”
I can’t help my laughter. “Wow, I guess I’m made.”
“You gonna have to kill me now?” Rhett leans forward, arms resting on his knees. “That’s how it goes right?”
“No, just if you know my mission. If I told you that, then I’d have to kill you.”
He raises his hands in defense. “I’m not asking, so that means you get to stick around, right?”
I look back to the stars, not loving the way my heart twists at the thought of the reality I left behind me. “I sure hope so.”
As silence winds between us, the sounds of the party seem to grow louder. Nick’s shadow pulls away from the fire hopping around like he’s got a live jelly fish in his pants. Knowing him, he might.
“You’re gentle. And you’re great with the horses. We all pretend not to notice the way you work on them, but we’re all grateful. I don’t think Chief has moved this well in a decade. Even Dad mentioned it.” Rhett pauses like he might stop, or maybe he’s waiting to see if I’ll object. But instead, I turn to face him, resting my head against my arm.
“You’re funny, but not in a typical way. The things you say, you catch me off guard and steal my laughter. I never know when I’m gonna get that side of you.” He shifts on the log, rocking my balance a bit, not enough to knock me off. “You’re one of the guys, and then the next second, you’re as girlie as they come. You’re driven and ambitious, determined and stubborn, not afraid to venture out and try something even if you might fail. I’ve started to convince myself there’s nothing you can’t do.”
He waits as if he’s daring me to prove him wrong. For once, I’m happy to oblige. “I can’t sing. You’ll never see me up there for karaoke.”
Rhett grins and turns his focus to his boots. “Glad to know you’re human after all.” Words hang in the air between us, almost waiting for him to find the courage to speak them out loud. “When it comes down to it, I don’t need to know your real name or where you came from. I know you, Sunny. I know you’re loyal and strong, and I know you’ve become one of my closest friends.”
