13. Chapter Thirteen
Ican think of a lot of embarrassing moments in my life, but running into Henry Carter bare-chested in a bath towel takes the cake. And I think it’s essential to add that it should be illegal for any man pushing fifty years old to be walking around with that many abs.
“Rose!” Henry’s voice jumps two full octaves. It’s not quite the rancher’s timbre he’s usually known for. Then again, I am in my bathrobe. “I didn’t know you were—I mean, I wasn’t expecting—“
“Sorry!” I stammer, realizing my hands are still glued to his perfectly tanned and toned chest. I snatch them away and tighten the sash around my waist. “I just thought, since you were out, maybe I could sneak in a quick shower since my a/c is still out, but I didn’t realize you were—“
“Nope. All good,” he says quickly, but not before I notice the subtle flush in his cheeks. “Go right on ahead.” He motions to the bathroom, where the fog on the mirror is still fresh with steam.
“Thanks,” I say softly, flickering my eyes to meet his.
“Right.” He nods and clears his throat before backing away. “Well, I’ll just... get dressed.”
“Okay.” I bite my lip, wondering if I should say any more, but retreat into the bathroom instead and become lost in the scent of Henry’s bodywash—an intoxicating blend of leather and sandalwood.
After the best shower of my life, I finally feel like a human again... never mind the poster of half-naked Henry still plastered on the wall inside my brain or the much too short hotel bathrobe I had to cover myself with as I scurried back to my room like a petrified mouse in a snake cage. I glance at my open suitcase on the bed, half-packed with the chaos of the weekend, and there’s a soft knock on the adjoining door as I start gathering the rest of my clothes.
“It’s open!”
“Hey, Rose.” Henry pokes his head through the door and leans against its frame with a smile. “I was thinking, and I’ve got a proposition for you.”
“Should I be worried?” I ask, stuffing a dirty pair of socks in the side pocket with my back turned so he doesn’t see.
“Nah, but since neither of us had any breakfast, I thought you might want to stop for an early lunch on the way out of town.”
Just the mention of food sends my stomach into a rumble. Who knew a girl could work up such an appetite just from seeing her childhood crush fresh out of the shower? “What did you have in mind?”
“I was kind of hoping it could be a surprise.” He smiles and runs a hand through his damp hair, and a bulge of muscles on the back of his arm pushes through the fabric of his t-shirt.
A shiver runs down my spine as I zip up my suitcase. “As long as it’s not a rattlesnake farm or the Roadkill Café, I’m game.”
“Great. Meet me downstairs in ten, and I’ll give you directions.”
When I slide behind the wheel, my car seat is already hot from the sun, and I debate driving with the top down. It’s already August, but things won’t start cooling down until at least October. I might as well enjoy it while it lasts. I start my car and reach for the center console, holding the button that folds and retracts the hard top just as Henry’s face pops up in the rearview mirror.
“Take 114 west, and when you hit 168, head north. You’ll see a big parking lot about a mile up the road on the right. Pull in, and I’ll meet you there. There’s a spot I think you’ll love out that way.”
“Aren’t you going to tell me where I’m going?” I ask, unable to hide the smile forming on my lips.
Henry turns back to his truck and playfully taps on my trunk as he passes. “It’s a surprise, remember? Guess you’ll have to trust me.”
“Trust and a surprise? You’re asking for a lot, Carter.“ He gives a sly smile and waves as he watches me pull out of the hotel parking lot, and already, I feel the excitement beginning to bubble up inside me.
I follow Henry’s directions until it leads me to the parking lot of a small but beautiful vineyard. A picture-perfect canvas of greens and browns stretching under an endless blue sky. There’s a painted sign hanging from a large barn that reads, “Waylon Vineyards. Est. 1978.“ I lived in Lubbock all four years during college, but I guess I never made it out to these old farm roads. I didn’t even know this place existed.
I wait a few minutes before texting Henry.
I’m here. Are you close?
Hang tight. Stopping for supplies. Be there soon.
I fish a bottle of water from my purse that I bought from a vending machine before checking out and take a long swig before stretching back in my seat to bask in the sun. I can’t help but feel a sense of peace wash over me as I close my eyes and surrender.
I stir at the sound of gravel crunching as Henry pulls up beside me in his old red Chevy. I glance down at my phone and see forty minutes have passed since I got here. In a panic, I pull down the visor, lift my sunglasses, and… yep. My face feels as hot as it looks in the reflection staring back at me.
“Sorry for the wait. Looks like you got a little sun.” A part of me wants to chew him out for not warning me how long I’d be stuck sitting out here alone, but my annoyance evaporates when I see the small bouquet of freshly picked wildflowers in his hand.
“Are… those for me?” I feel a flutter in my chest. Jace never brought me flowers unless he thought I was mad at him. Though, I should be angry at Henry. I’m going to look like a panda tomorrow when this sunburn kicks in.
“Who else would they be for?” he chuckles and passes them to me before reaching into the cab and pulling out a bag that smells like heaven—if heaven serves breakfast tacos—and two giant Route 44 Sonic cups. “I’ve got an extra hat you can borrow, too. Looks like you might need it.”
He places the bag of tacos and one of the drinks on his toolbox, then reaches back in the cab, pulling out a lightly worn, straw cowboy hat. He walks around to my driver’s side and hands me the cup, then carefully slides the hat down over my head.
“There you go. Cute as a button.” A sparkle in Henry’s eyes threatens to melt me into my seat if the sun doesn’t finish the job first. “How’s the fit.”
“It’s… surprisingly good,” I choke out, taking a sip to clear the frog in my throat. The drink is ice cold and bubbly, with just enough tart to balance its sweetness. It’s a drink only Henry would know to pick for me. “Cherry Limeades. Aren’t we fancy?”
“I’ve got a thermos with some fresh coffee and a bag of creamers if you want something stronger. I just thought these would keep us cool.” His eyes crinkle at the corners when he smiles, and yep. I’ll definitely be melting in my seat before the day’s over.
“No, this is great. Thank you. But… what is all of this? Why are you trying to butter me up? You’re not trying to get me to co-sign on a new truck for you, are you?” I motion to Henry’s pick-up, which had to have been built in the eighties, and wonder how it still runs. Then again, Henry always loved working on cars in high school. He was the kind of guy who would take apart entire engines and put them back together just for fun. It’s a stark contrast to Jace, who can’t even change his own oil.
Henry returns to his truck for his drink and the bag of tacos, then fishes a blanket out of the toolbox while I put my top up and roll up the windows. “Well, you did win a date with me, fair and square. And I figure since you’re always telling me to take the lead with planning, I’d try for something that was more my style.”
Henry Carter, the romantic. Once upon a time, I would dream of him taking me out on one of his famous romantic picnic dates, like the ones Camille used to always gush about back in high school. But once again, something about our time together feels forced, and I try to shake the feeling of this being another kind gesture from one friend to another.
It’s not that I should want it to mean something more, given my current situation. Under normal circumstances, I’d have to be a mad woman to go down such a slippery slope. But this is Henry we’re talking about. And I can’t think of a safer place to be than in his friend zone.
We find a spot under the shade of an oak tree where the grass is green and soft, and Henry spreads out the old blanket with practiced ease.
“Are we even allowed out here?” I kneel on the blanket, and Henry hands me a tortilla stuffed with eggs, cheese, spicy chorizo, and an aroma that makes my mouth water.
“Old family friends own the place,” he says, taking a bite of his taco. “They won’t mind. Besides, I already called ahead and got permission.”
“Always the gentleman.” I smile around a mouthful of taco, watching as he stretches out on the blanket, entirely at ease. It’s this—his casual confidence, the way he can make anywhere feel like home—that has always drawn me to him.
“Always.” He reaches and tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I look away when his fingers brush against my temple. “You know me, Rose. Just a simple man with simple tastes.”
“Simple, huh?” I let my eyes survey the land around us and take another sip of my cherry limeade. “Is that why you planned this whole elaborate surprise?”
“Maybe. I guess you’ll have to wait and see.”