Chapter Five
Chapter Five
Austin
I haven’t seen Casey since we went kayaking, and I miss her like hell. Right after we arrived at the end of the kayak trail, I helped Falcon load all the kayaks into his van. Then I headed to The Grizzly Grove with him and his brothers. What was I supposed to say? That I was canceling boy’s night because I’d rather be kissing his employee? I couldn’t do that to my best friend.
All I hope is that Casey’s absence isn’t caused by me. At the river, I had this stupid idea of getting naked in front of her. It wasn’t like I planned it or anything. I just… couldn’t control myself. I also don’t know what I thought would happen. I just ran with the moment. I honestly thought we were about to kiss, but she shut things down when we got interrupted by another group of kayakers.
“Do you need a refill?”
I look up at a brightly smiling Mrs. Jenkins, who’s holding a can of homemade lemonade. I wipe the sweat from my forehead with the palm of my hand and smile.
“That would be great.”
She refills my empty glass and hands it to me. “There you go. And thanks again for helping me out.”
“It’s my pleasure. I understand this part of yard work is getting too much for you,” I say, gesturing to the bushes I’m trimming for her.
“You’re such a dear. I don’t know what I’d do without your help.” She gives me a soft smile. “Do you want to stay for dinner? I’m making a casserole, and since I’m all alone, there will be plenty.”
I don’t know what to say. The last thing I want is to disappoint the old lady. She clearly feels lonely, but I was hoping I could catch Casey later and ask her out. According to Falcon, Hiker’s Haven has the best burgers in town. It also happens to be the diner where Casey showcases some of her artwork.
“I appreciate the offer, Mrs. Jenkins, but maybe another day? I already have plans for tonight,” I say, feeling a twinge of guilt for turning down her kind invitation.
She nods knowingly. “With Casey from across the street?”
I laugh. “What makes you think that?”
“Come on, I might be old, but I’m not blind.” She chuckles. “I’ve noticed how you keep looking over at her house with longing in your eyes.”
I sheepishly scratch the back of my head. “You saw that, huh? We’re just friends, though. I’ve been through so much… To be honest, I’ve struggled with committing to someone since I returned from the war. Once you realize how quickly people can be snatched away from you, you become afraid to open yourself up for that potential hurt.”
As the words spill out of me, I wonder why I’m confiding in Mrs. Jenkins, of all people, but there’s something so sweet and kind in her eyes that makes it feel safe to trust her with my fears and vulnerabilities.
She reaches out and places her hand on my arm. “Life’s too short to let love slip away because of fear, Austin. Sometimes, taking a chance on love is worth the risk. It was like that when I met my Henry. He’s gone now, but I savored every second I had with him. I suggest you do the same. After you finish trimming these bushes, of course,” she adds with a playful wink.
I let out a laugh and nod. “I will.”
By late afternoon, Mrs. Jenkins”s bushes are trimmed to perfection. After promising her I’ll continue helping her with yard work in the future, I cross the street and empty the mailbox. One of the letters is addressed to Casey. I smile. The mailman’s mistake gives me a perfect excuse to go over there.
After I take a shower, that is. My fingernails have soil under them, I’m sweaty, and there’s dirt in my hair. Once I’m clean, I put on a pair of jeans, a shirt, and my Army tags. Then I grab the letter and head next door.
“Hello, neighbor,” I say as soon as Casey opens the door.
“Hi, Austin.” Her cheeks are tinged with a faint blush. “What brings you here?”
“You’ve got mail.”
She frowns. “The movie?”
“No, real mail. Here.” I hand her the letter that was delivered to my house.
She laughs. “Well, thanks. Not that this was urgent. It’s clearly junk mail.”
I glance at the envelope. “Are you sure? I didn’t want you to miss out on a possible coupon for overpriced breakfast cereal.”
She laughs again, and my heart floods with a warm sensation. “Thanks. It’s nice to know that someone cares about my cereal budget.”
“I’m older and wiser than you, remember? Trust me when I say you should never let a good coupon go to waste.”
“I’ll remember that,” she says with a spark in her eye. “Thanks for the tidbit of wisdom.”
I fiddle with my Army tags and catch her gaze. “I’ll be honest with you. I needed an excuse to come over, and this letter was perfect for that.”
“I see. Do you want to come inside, neighbor?”
“Gladly.”
I follow her to the kitchen. Someone screaming in pleasure drifts through the screen door leading to the back porch.
“What’s that?” I ask.
She grins. “It’s the couple in the rental next door. But don’t worry, I know who they are. They’re harmless, although they should buy me some noise-canceling headphones like they said they would.”
“You know them? They come here often?”
“From time to time.” She looks at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “You probably know the guy as he’s a celebrity, but I promised him I would never tell anyone he’s here.”
“You’re keeping secrets from me? I thought I was your favorite neighbor?” I joke.
“Maybe if you get your hands dirty in my yard like you did for Mrs. Jenkins.”
“Oh, you saw that, did you?”
She averts her eyes and tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “You were hard to miss. I mean, look at you.”
“What do you mean?”
She motions to my body. “Strong and big. Your arms, I mean. I’m not referring to your, well, you know I saw you naked a couple of days ago, so… Anyway. You wanted to come over?”
Fuck, she’s adorable.
“I did. I felt like we left things unfinished the other day,” I say, closing the distance between us. “You’ve awakened something inside me, Casey.”
“I did?”
I put my hand on her arm. My fingers leave goosebumps in their wake as I trail them over her skin. “I thought my experience as a soldier made me incapable of ever loving someone. Of truly opening up to someone. But you made me realize I was wrong. Do you believe in forever, Casey?”
“Fo… Forever?”
“With me.”
Her eyes widen. “Did you come here to bring me my mail, or are you here to… to… propose?”
I shake my head. “Sorry, that came out wrong. I’m not proposing. I’m here for the coupons and nothing else.”
“Be serious,” she says with a laugh.
“Okay, here’s me being dead serious. I’m head over heels for you, neighbor.”
The confession sends a whirlwind of emotions through me. It’s like Casey healed me from wounds I carried for far too long.
“You are?”
“Don’t sound so surprised. I thought it was super obvious after what happened at the river. I’m hoping you feel the same way. You’re the only woman I’ve ever felt this sure about.”
The corners of her eyes lift into a smile. She takes my hand in hers and stands on her tiptoes. I brush her hair out of her face and kiss her on the lips. A small gasp escapes her mouth before I push my tongue inside. This kiss could last forever, and it would still be too short.
“I’m crazy about you too,” she says when we finally come up for air. “From the moment you fixed my gutter.”
“Trust me, this is not how I usually treat people whose gutters I fix,” I say with a grin.
“I hope not.”
“You have my word. My apologies to Mrs. Jenkins and all the others in Bearclaw Ridge who want to use my handyman services, but my awesome kissing skills are reserved solely for you.”
She laughs and kisses me again with those soft lips. I’m high on joy because she’s into me too. She’s my girl.
The One.