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Wyatt.
It clicks quickly, I've only ever known one person named Wyatt. He was a kid I went to high school with, really nice guy. Not popular, didn't have the easiest time, but I helped when I could.
I shake my head in disbelief. “What the fuck?”
He roars a laugh, and suddenly I’m being bear hugged. He pats my back a couple of times, harder than necessary, before pulling away.
It's not just the hair that's changed, it's about everything about him.
“It’s been a decade!”
“I thought you were in—” I forget exactly where, it having been so long ago— “another country?”
He nods eagerly. “Yeah, man. I was all over the place, mostly in Australia. It was a hell of a time, but I missed my folks. My girlfriend was sick of flying out. It was time.”
“Disappointed yet?” I ask jokingly. I don’t hate my hometown by any means, but I do think about what it’d be like to leave. If I'd want to come back after seeing what more the world has to offer.
“Not the least bit. There are some pretty places in the world, but they’re not home.”
I glance down at Autumn. She’s what comes to mind with the loving way he said that word.Home.
Fuck, we have so much to figure out.
“Wyatt and I went to school together.” I look back at him. “This is Autumn.”
“Great to meet you,” he says and shakes her hand. “You two make a good looking couple.”
I think her friends would like this guy.
She smiles instead of correcting him, and I like that way too much.
“Nice to meet you, Wyatt.”
“You two will have to come over for dinner once we’re settled in! Lacey’s such a chef.”
“Wow, you and Lacey are still going strong?”
They started dating when we were freshman, and broke up a million times before graduation. It was never safe to assume where they were at.
“Strongest yet. She would fly out and see me every couple months, whenever she could get a break from work. It was good, I think, the time away from each other made us appreciate the time we got together.”
He waves over at the house behind him, a beautiful place. Very classic, freshly painted, white picket fence.
“I got here a day early to get some things done and surprise her. Can’t wait to see the look on her face when she realizes she doesn’t have to help me lift any furniture.”
“Do you want some help?” Autumn offers beside me, echoing the same thought in my own head.
"We have to get this guy around the block and home, then we can come back?” I say.
Wyatt shakes his head like he can’t believe what he’s hearing. “You’d want to do that? I don’t know man, there’s a lot of crap in there.”
“All the more reason you could use some help, right?” Autumn smiles wide.
Wyatt returns it. “You’re good people. Where’s your place?”
I point two houses down to the only house that actually looks like it belongs on the edge of the woods.
He whistles in appreciation. “What a beauty. Makes me want to run to a cabin in the mountains.”
