Page 16 of Knocked Up By The Mountain Man

Adams eyes widen in bewilderment at her sudden appearance.

"Sorry," she says, darting between us to get to the coat rack, where her black wool coat is still hanging, probably still warm with the heat of her body.

She pulls it on, wrapping it tightly around her once more. She won't meet my eyes as she speaks to me.

"I'm gonna go downtown and try to meet with my dad," she says. "Don't wait up."

"Are you going to be back for dinner?" I ask, concerned.

"No," she says quickly. "Um, I don't know. I just…um…”

She doesn't finish the sentence, though. It's like she doesn't quite know what to say as she goes for the front door, exiting into the cold evening air.

The sun is rapidly setting, and I follow her out. Adam trails behind me, seeming more confused than ever.

"Is that her?" Adam asks from behind me. “The one you wouldn’t shut up about?”

"That's the one,” I growl over my shoulder. “Now, get lost.”

"It all makes sense now," he contunues. "That's why you didn't want to meet up with any of the women we were setting you up with. Because you were hoping she would come back, weren't you?"

I ignore my friend, catching up to Alyssa.

"Where are you going?" I ask her. "You can't walk in this weather.”

"I know," she says. "I just need some space, I think. I need to go downtown.”

“Then I'll give you a ride," I say. "Wherever you need to go. Don't walk, though. It's not a good idea."

It's true. It's not a good idea. Even I wouldn't attempt to walk in these woods alone at night, and I’m twice her size and familiar with these woods.

I don't know where she's going, but there's not an establishment, no other houses or businesses or anything for miles.

"That's okay," she says. "I don't need a ride. You've done enough for me."

“That’s insane, Alyssa. You aren’t walking in this!”

“I am,” she replies. Firmly.

“If you don't let me give you a ride, I'm just going to follow you in my truck the whole way down to make sure that you're okay,” I warn her.

"Don’t!” she says, and I’m hurt by how strongly she says the word, like the idea of me being near her for another second is so disgusting, so awful, that she can’t tolerate the suggestion.

"Where are you headed?" Adam calls after her. "I can give you a ride into town if you want. That's where I'm headed, anyways."

I turn and glare at Adam, but Alyssa stops and assesses my friend.

"Okay," she says. "Sure."

What the fuck? She'll take a ride from my friend, some guy she doesn't even know, but not me?

All of a sudden, it seems like the space that she was periodically putting between us is a giant gulf, a valley, something that I can't cross with a few words.

I don't even know what I did wrong. Was it something she heard between me and Adam?

I try to think back about the conversation I just had with Adam, to whatever I could have said to upset her. But it's all a blur to me. I probably said something stupid. I'm always doing that, saying stupid shit.

Alyssa accused me of being sensitive and emotionally intelligent earlier, but she was wrong about me.