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I shrug. “Okay, maybe notall, but it’s definitely come in clutch. Just ask Bishop about the time he ran out of toilet paper.”
Reid laughs. “I think I’ll pass on that story, but thanks.”
I get Junie set up in her car seat as Reid opens the door on the other side, allowing Sydney to hop up into the cab next to her. Then we’re climbing in as well and pulling down the gravel path out to the highway.
It’s only been a few days since our conversation about what’s going on with Reid, and things have been in this kind of limbospace. We both know we still have things to talk about, know our conversation from Tuesday night was too important not to revisit. But we are also both strangely okay with letting it breathe for a minute, like we both know we don’t need to rush it. There’s a certainty I have that we’ll come back to it once we’ve both had time to sit with…well, with everything.
And there is alotto sit with.
Even though nothing between us is clearly defined, something has changed. I can feel it in the way he looks at me, the way he touches me. Like now, as we drive up the highway, heading out of town, his arm stretches along the back of the seat. His hand rests on the back of my neck, stroking my skin gently. It feels far less cautious and much more intimate, as if he has given himself permission.
I like it.
It takes about 30 minutes to drive to the outskirts of Belleview, which is where the midway point of the trail begins. Once we’ve parked, we tug Syd and Junie out of the car and unload all of our gear. My family left at six this morning from the base of the trail, and if we’ve timed everything correctly, they should be stopping here soon to use the bathrooms and refill their water bottles before we all continue up together.
“What did your family say when you told them I was coming?” Reid asks as he fills up his own water.
When I don’t answer, he looks at me then frowns.
“You did tell them I was coming, right?”
“There hasn’t really been time.”
His eyes narrow. “Busy. Are you serious?”
“It won’t be a big deal at all.”
“Then it shouldn’t have been a big deal to tell them.”
“Except they’d have a bunch of questions I don’t have the answers to.” I cross my arms and narrow my own eyes. “Because we haven’t finished our conversation from the other night.”
Reid tips up his chin, still giving me the stink eye. “Okay fine, that’s fair. But next time, warn me, alright? I don’t like to be unprepared.”
I gently kick his foot with mine. “Sorry.”
He wraps his arm around my shoulders and tugs me into his chest then presses a kiss to the crown of my head.
“I’n a hug!” Junie shouts, jogging over from where she was plucking leaves off a nearby bush.
Reid bends down and picks Junie up. “Oh, do you?” he asks, hugging her tight then twirling her around, making her shriek with laughter. Sydney barks a few times and prances around them, clearly wanting in on the action, too.
“Reid?”
I turn at the sound of his name, my entire body growing tense when I see who it is.
Sarah.
She stands completely still, her eyes evaluating Reid where he stands, holding Junie. It’s hard to miss the very visible shock painted all over her face.
“Hey, Sarah,” Reid says, his voice easy—far easier than I feel, that’s for sure. “How are you?”
“Good.” She pauses, her eyes dropping to mine for a beat before returning to his. “What are you up to? I thought you were working this weekend.”
I swallow thickly, not liking the way she says it. Or maybe not liking the fact that she thinks she knows what she’s talking about.
“We’re doing the back half of Kilroy,” he replies, lifting Junie so she’s sitting on his shoulders. “Hiking and camping overnight.”
He doesn’t address the work comment, though my mind still flitters over her words, trying to dissect them.
