Chapter 24
Colin
Ahhh… This morning has started perfectly.
I cast my line back out into the lake, taking my time reeling and teasing the lure in, aiming to attract a bass.
Well, it’s almost perfect. The only thing that could’ve made this day better would’ve been waking up next to Sydney.
Reaching up, I rub at the ache missing her has caused in my chest. And damn how I miss her.
We have zero cell service where we are fishing today, and it’ll be spotty at best when we get back to our site set up near the river.
I wish I could just hear her raspy morning voice and see that first smile.
Those little, quiet moments in the morning when I hand her her first cup of coffee for the day are some of my favorite.
Mark sets up his chair and an extra behind me.
I nod and mutter a thank you. I’ve already been out here for an hour, but they both decided to sleep in.
Waking up alone for the first time in months was pretty depressing.
Trystan is carrying his gear, a chair under his arm, and a cooler full of cold beer for later.
I’m thankful I brought my hoodie; this morning’s a bit nippy.
It should start to warm up pretty soon. I’m glad fall is finally settling in, and it’s not sweltering hot out here.
The forest surrounding us is gorgeous. Vibrant colors among the leaves are starting to really make a show.
It always amazes me how it’s all green one day, and I tell myself I won’t miss that Fall is here, that I won’t miss the change, but somehow, every dang year, I look up and see that I have indeed missed a bunch of the turning process.
I needed some nature time badly. Maybe Syd will want to go on hikes.
Man, I can’t wait to go on adventures with her.
“What time did you start out here? Any luck so far?” Trystan asks groggily as he starts fixing up his pole.
“I’ve only been fishing for about an hour. I couldn’t sleep anymore. It was weird without Syd. I’ve got a few in the basket.”
“You’ve gotten spoiled. I’ve forgotten the feeling,” he mumbles, casting out his line on my left. Mark grunts in agreement on my right.
“Any new developments or potentials in your guys’ love lives?
” I pose, suddenly feeling selfish that these guys have worried about me all these years, but I haven’t really asked much about what they’re looking for.
I guess we’ve all kind of steered clear of that department.
Since they casually dated, it never really occurred to me.
Crap. Have they been nervous to talk about things with me all this time because of Jenna? Sigh…
Mark laughs half-heartedly. He sounds a tad testy.
“Guys, I’m sorry that I haven’t asked more. I’ll be honest and admit, with you guys casually dating, it didn’t fully occur to me to ask. I feel like an ass-hat of a friend.”
“Oh, nah, man. That frustration wasn’t geared toward you.
That never bothered me. I know you’d be there for me if I needed to talk.
We both know that. I’m just unsettled with everything right now.
I can’t put my finger on when it started, but I’m just not happy where life’s landed me in that department lately.
” Mark looks over at me, and I can see he’s tired of the game.
Maybe he’s finally ready to start looking for something serious.
“Well, I’m still sorry just the same,” I apologize. I got a little too lost in my feels and shut out everything around me that even came close to touching that area in my life.
“So what are you going to do about it?” I ask.
“You could start by brushing up on how to act around other women,” Trystan chimes in with a bit of snarky advice.
He’s not wrong, but…ouch. I glance over at Mark out of the corner of my eye to see his reaction. He’s chewing on his bottom lip, mulling it all over. Damn… he really is unhappy. This isn’t just something that’ll blow over in a few days.
“We’re here for you, man. Is there someone you’re really interested in?” I truly can’t think of anyone he’s really been pumped about going out on a date with lately.
“Nah,” he trails off, “just a general discontent with life, love, and all the things. Seeing you settle down with Sydney’s really made me start thinking more, you know? I’m not getting any younger, and I’d like to share life with someone…”
“Yeah, I do get it.”
“Trystan, other than your advice, you’re awfully quiet,” Mark notes, turning the attention away from himself.
“Nothing new here. No prospects. Just living the life.” I call bullshit.
After what I saw the other night, he’s locking some shit down.
I huff lightly to myself, and Mark lets out a dangerous rumble from his throat that does little to conceal his jealousy.
He has nothing to be jealous of. If he’d pay just a little more attention, he’d see that there’s obviously something going on that neither of us is privy to.
I haven’t had a quiet moment to start that conversation with him though.
“Bout time!” Trystan whisper-shouts when he sets the hook on a catch. “I got dinner!” We both get a good chuckle out of the blurted remark.
He reels in a really nice bass. Damn, next year, we need to find a nearby cabin with electricity. I’d love to have my fryer. A campfire will do this time though. There’s something satisfying about eating something you’ve caught yourself.
A few hours later, we decide to take a break and clean the nice mess we’ve managed to bring in.
If we get back on the water, it’ll be catch and release for the most part.
While cleaning the fish, I take in the scenery around me again.
I notice clouds rolling in from the west. I didn’t think we were supposed to have any rain.
We planned this weekend around the fact that there was going to be great weather.
“Didn’t the forecast say perfect weather before we left yesterday?”
“Yeah, and I checked again before we set out on the trail,” Trystan notes, looking up at the sky and seeing what I see. “I bet it’ll dissipate before too long.” Thankfully, it does just that over the next hour. When Mark walks away to take a piss, I eye Trystan.
“So what was up with you the other night? You got weird when Mark was talking about Brynleigh.”
Trystan hesitates, but I notice the way his grip changes on the fillet knife, the way his movements slightly slow down.
“Don’t give me bullshit.”
Trystan sighs, setting down the knife.
“You know how I was into Brynleigh before I left for the Marines, way back in the day?”
“Yes, you guys had a few dates, but that was before what he was talking about.”
“She didn’t want to date a Marine. That’s why we didn’t go any further. Well, for the most part.”
“Spill.”
“When I’d come back on leave, occasionally we’d get drinks and hook up. When I got back from my last deployment, I went to her and said I wanted to try again, that I was out for good. She turned me down with no explanation. Things were just different. Done. Now I get it. I had no idea.”
“Do you think the baby was yours?”
He sighs, rubbing his face across the sleeve near his bicep.
“Going by the way she just cut me out of her life? I’m going to go out on a limb and say, ‘yes’.” Trystan mutters frustratedly, exhaling with a shaky breath.
“Are you going to talk to her?”
His eyes snap up to mine, and I can see the turmoil churning in them.
“I don’t know. We haven’t had a real conversation in years. I don’t know how to ask her if she was carrying my child.”
Fuck. That hurt me for him. I can’t even imagine the loss, nevermind the fact of not finding out until years later.
That this whole time it was kept hidden.
Our conversation is cut short when Mark emerges from the trees whistling, none the wiser that one of his best friends is the father of his sister’s miscarried baby.
“I’m gonna go start the fire so that we can get cooking,” Trystan states. I nod, knowing he needs a couple minutes to himself.
“Did I hear he’s starting up the fire?” Mark asks.
“Yup,” I quip while peeling back a layer of scales on a bass. How am I going to help these two?
???
Sydney
In the morning, Garrett has a buddy drive with him to go pick up my car. By the time they get back, Holly and I are itching to get to my place.
“Don’t be snoopy!” Jane hollers from the kitchen as we waltz out the front door. Ha! As if that didn’t make me want to run up my stairs even faster! I twist my key in the lock, and Holly immediately pushes the front door open wide.
“This place is cute! Now, where’s your bedroom?” She’s on a mission and will not be deterred. We drop our stuff in the entryway.
“Up the stairs to the left.”
“Race ya!” Holly blurts, frantically taking off for the steps with a wild grin on her face. We giggle as we make the mad dash up to my bedroom, Bitsy and Amy right at our heels. Upon crashing into the room, we freeze, staring at the tall dresser before us while catching our breaths.
“Shit, are we really doing this?” I whisper.
“Why are you whispering?” She turns her head quickly, flicking my face with her shoulder length hair while she whispers back to me.
“I don’t even know.” I snort a suppressed laugh back at her.
“I’m dying to know if it’s a ring,” Holly states, chewing on her bottom lip.
“Me too, but I don’t want to see it if it is.” I cover my face with both hands, nerves doing somersaults in my belly.
“Okay, where am I looking?” She rubs her hands together, determination setting in to solve the mystery.
“Top drawer, far right side, stuffed in the black boxer briefs.”
“You’d think he’d pick a better spot.”
“I would’ve never looked if Bitsy hadn’t tried to make a snuggle spot and messed it all up. He was already all packed up, so he wouldn’t have noticed anything out of place either.”
Holly walks up to the drawer cautiously, even though there’s nothing to be cautious about. She opens the drawer and feels around, coming across the shape quickly.
“It’s definitely the right size. It’s black and velvety…”
I hold my breath. Her breath catches as she opens it up. She says nothing as I burn holes into her back, imagining a handful of different things it could possibly be.
“Hollz, you’re killing me here. Is it earrings? Jenna’s wedding ring? What?”
“Holy shit, Sydney…” she whispers on a breathy exhale. I hear her snap the tiny box shut and watch as she stuffs it back neatly in the drawer. She takes the time to make the boxers just like all the others.
“Holy shit, what?! I need more words than that!”
“Umm…” She looks down at the dresser, then left toward where I’m sitting on the bed.
“That’s a fucking rock, Syd.” The grin splitting her face wide leaves me breathless and in shock as her words settle in.
I swallow, but there’s nothing there to go down.
My throat is as dry as the desert being beat by the mid-day sun.
“Like, like a…” I stammer, watching her nod exuberantly. I’m speechless. A ring. A diamond ring.
“It’s gorgeous,” she continues. I just nod my head back at her because there’s just… nothing. I have absolutely no words. A freaking engagement ring!
“Are you in shock? Just going to keep nodding?” Amusement laces her tone.
I’m sure my face is priceless. She walks over and plops herself down on the bed, laying back on my pillow.
I silently take my place on Colin’s pillow, staring up at the ceiling.
This is happening. I look sideways over at my happy friend and smile back at her.
“You’re obviously going to say yes, right?”
“How is that even a question? Yes, in a heartbeat. Taking his last name is everything I’ve ever dreamed of. He is everything I’ve ever dreamed of.”
“I’m so fricking happy for you!” We cheerfully bounce and kick our feet with excitement against the bed, but then I suddenly remember that my friend is hurting.
“Does it make you sad?” I ask her, thinking she might be fighting some feelings. I mean, considering, I probably would be.
“Why are you even wondering that? You deserve this so much! My whole situation doesn’t even matter in this moment.”
“Your situations always matter to me.”
“And I love you for that, but, girl…” Holly rolls her eyes in exasperation, turns toward me and clasps my hands in hers. “You’re getting engaged!”
“I’m getting engaged!”
We squeal with all the girliness we can muster, laughing hard when Bitsy poofs up and skitters off the bed in fright.