Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
At the stoplight, David tugged at his collar. Stealing a glance at Claire, he asked, “Is the temperature, okay? Or should I adjust it?”
Before she responded, David reached out and cranked up the air conditioning. Was it just him? Or was his truck suddenly a thousand degrees? His brow slick with sweat, he swiped it with the back of his hand. He turned his attention back to the stoplight.
“I’m fine.” Claire shifted in her seat, leaning closer to him. “But I don’t mind you blasting the AC.”
“Sorry, I tend to run a little warm.” David pushed up the sleeves of his shirt. “It’s one of my many glaringly obvious flaws.”
Claire laughed. “Flaws?” She squeezed his forearm. “You’re such a liar. I happen to think you’re terrific, nonexistent flaws and all.” She smiled warmly.
“I think my ex-wife would beg to differ,” replied David.
“Lauren’s an idiot,” Claire stated flatly.
David chuckled, easing the tension in his neck and shoulders. His nostrils flared from a whiff of her perfume. “Enough about Lauren. Did the drive go okay? Any traffic?”
Claire replied, “There was a little traffic getting out of the city, but overall, not too bad.” She gazed out the passenger side window, staring at the view of the ocean peeking out between the homes. “I don’t know when we’ll make the trip again. Once Alexis starts school, we won’t have the time or money to keep coming down here.”
His gut clenched tight. “I’d love to see you and Alexis whenever you manage to come up,” said David.
David wished he knew a better response. He wanted to scream Pick me! Pick Pismo! But how could he ask that of her? What did he have to offer her? You could marry her. He let the idea settle.
Shifting in her seat, Claire paused. She opened her mouth to speak, but then quickly shut it. Finally, after a long pause, she said, “I’m sure we would enjoy seeing you too.”
Grover Beach came into view. David pulled into the parking lot then followed behind the few other cars making their entrance onto the packed sand. He drove slowly, but the truck bounced up and down on the uneven sand.
Claire gripped onto his arm. Her fingernails nearly piercing his skin. “Are you sure this is safe?” She glanced at him. “Have you done this before? Or is your truck going to get stuck? I can’t dig us out. I don’t have the upper body strength.”
The sand smoothed out some, making the ride less bumpy. Claire released her hand.
“We’ll be fine.” He pointed at the long string of cars in front of him. “If I follow behind them, I promise, we won’t get stuck. We’re almost there.” He glanced to his right, taking in the spectacular view of the ocean. With a contented sigh, he continued, “Just in time for the sunset.”
Pushing some loose strands out of her eyes, Claire tucked them behind her ears. “My favorite part of the day.”
David smiled. “I’m glad to hear it.”
After finding a spot along the beach, secluded enough, David parked the truck. They both climbed out, wandering to the back of his truck. Together they unloaded the wood, food, chairs, and blankets.
After setting up the chairs, David said, “Do you want to sit for a while?” He rested his hands on the back of one of the camp chairs. “I can get the fire started while you relax.”
Holding up her hands, Claire replied, “You won’t hear me argue.” She plunked herself down in one of the chairs. “I know I would be zero help to you anyways.”
David gave her shoulder a squeeze, before walking back to the bed of the truck. After he grabbed his shovel, he started digging a pit deep enough in the sand to start a fire. In the midst of digging, David felt Claire’s gaze on him. When David couldn’t take it anymore, he glanced over at Claire, locking eyes with her. His heartbeat increased to a fast staccato beat. Fumbling around and nearly dropping his shovel, David wiped his hands on his pants and went back to digging. Once the pit was completed, he tossed in some firewood and managed to start the fire.
“I’m very impressed,” said Claire, interrupting the silence. “I had no idea how skilled you were in wilderness survival. Were you a boy scout?”
Laughing, David shook his head. “No, I was never a boy scout.” He strode over, sitting down in the chair next to her. Their arms brushed each other on the armrests. “I did do a backpacking trip with some buddies after college, through the Pacific Northwest. We stopped at a few national parks.”
“Amazing,” Claire pulled the blanket on her lap over her shoulders. “I’ve only walked the trails around here. Nothing that comes close to something that adventurous.”
Straightening his shoulders, David found his confidence. “I’d love to go hiking around here with you. I’d take a day hiking with you over a trip with a bunch of knuckle head guys, any day of the week.”
Her cheeks tinged pink. Claire’s gaze skidded from him to the ocean. “I’d love to go hiking with you sometime.”
David wrapped his arm around her shoulders, giving them a squeeze. “Let’s go tomorrow. I know the perfect place to take you.”
“Sure,” Claire snuggled closer to him, making her body heat seep into his skin. “No time like the present.”
The blanket fell from Claire’s shoulders, and David helped readjust it over her body again. Both stared out at the ocean and the sky, breathing in the bliss of the evening. Slowly, the last little bit of sunlight stretched across the water, rippling streaks of red and orange in the sky. David glanced from the ocean to Claire. She looked beautiful, more beautiful than he remembered.
Reaching out, David traced the outline of her jaw with a single finger. “I want to spend every spare moment with you. Even if we only have this weekend. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than with you.”
Claire sucked in the air, holding his gaze. Pausing, she swallowed and moistened her lips. “I’m glad we have today, and I’m here with you.”
David’s gaze flickered between her eyes and lips then back again. He remembered the feeling of holding her close, of kissing her, and David wondered how or why he had ever let her go. Why hadn’t he chased after her car when she drove away? How had he been so wrong about so many things? Like believing love wasn’t worth the risk a second time.
“Claire,” whispered David. He moved his hand to cup her neck. “I’ve…” He struggled to find the words to express the feelings trapped inside of him.
“Go on.” Her words tickled his neck, sending goosebumps down his back. “What is it?”
“I have been thinking all day, every day, about kissing you,” said David. The words came out far too shaky and less smooth than he anticipated. With a trembling hand, he ran his thumb across her temple. “You make me…”
Shifting closer, Claire placed a flat palm against his chest. “I make you what?”
Lungs compressing, David said, “You make me believe in forgiveness—in love.”
Claire gulped. Her voice came out almost as a whisper. “You make me believe in those things too.”
David edged his body toward hers, leaning as far as possible over his armrest, waiting for confirmation to continue. Slowly, Claire tilted her head to the side and lightly grazed his lips. Body ignited. His nostrils flared with the sweet tantalizing aroma radiating off her hair. He deepened their kiss, wanting to taste more of her. Her lips danced with his own. Twisting and twirling. His head spun and chest nearly exploded. David reveled in the tender feeling of being kissed by the one he wanted to be his.
For a moment, he slowed their kiss, taking the time to memorize the gentle glide of her jaw, the outline of her cheeks, and the warmth of her skin. David wanted Claire to be the only person he ever kissed again. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, David tugged her body as close as possible with the restriction of their chairs. Kissing her long enough, he lost track of time.
Finally, David forced his lips away from hers. Resting his forehead against her, he waited for his breathing to even out. Breath by breath, his heartrate returned to a normal pace. Once back in control, David kissed Claire on the temple, tugging her body to his side. His hands glided down the length of her long silky hair in hypnotic strokes. For a long time, without speaking, they held one another.
On the horizon, the setting sun dipped even lower, and they said goodbye to another spectacular day. Darkness enveloped them as a half-moon replaced the sun. They sat under a blanket of stars. A log in the sand pit crackled, spitting out a few sparks.
Claire jolted and her hand flew to her heart. “That scared me,” said Claire.
“You’re so cute.” David kissed her on the temple, unwrapping his arms from around her. “I hope you know that.” A blush splashed her cheeks, and she smiled.
Standing, David crouched next to the fire pit, grabbing another log from the pile. Poking the smoldering logs with the tip of the wood in his hand, he rearranged the logs to prevent them from burning out too quickly. Once satisfied with the position of the logs, he tossed a fresh piece of wood on top.
Pivoting back around, David peered over at Claire. “Are you hungry?”
Smoothing out the top of her head, Claire shifted in her seat and shrugged. “Sure, I could eat.”
David paused, wishing he could confess his true feelings for her. If was bold and more confident, he would’ve blurted out he loved her. Like really loved her. Part of him dreamed she would repeat the words back. He shook it off. What would a confession do if they continued to live in two different places? The thought depressed him as there appeared to be no path forward.
Gulping, David moved toward the cooler of food. “I’m hungry too,” he managed. Opening the cooler, he unpacked the food. “I have some sandwiches and pasta salad. We can eat the sandwiches first.”
“Sounds wonderful,” said Claire. She flashed a smile revealing her sparklingly white teeth. “I don’t care what we eat. I didn’t have to cook, so I’m happy.”
Her being glowed with the reflection of the bonfire. David was stilted by her beauty but reminded himself of what he was doing. Digging out the food, he carried the sandwiches along with two sodas over. Sitting back down, he held a sandwich and soda out for her. Claire took both.
Putting her drink in the cup holder of her chair, Claire peeled back the paper on the sandwich. Licking some avocado from the wrapper that smeared on her finger, Claire then took a bite. After chewing she said, “David.”
“Uh…” David shifted, looking for a place to set his soda. He spotted the cup holder in the armrest of his chair and placed it inside. He then found her gaze, waiting for her to continue.
“I—” Claire shook her head, “I— Never mind.” Taking another bite of her sandwich, Claire chewed and swallowed. Her eyes glazed over as she stared at the smoldering logs in the fire.
David nibbled on his own sandwich, though he didn’t taste anything. Their shared kiss ran rampant through his mind, replaced by the reality Claire was leaving again on Sunday. His heart sank. He already missed her, and she wasn’t even gone yet. He knew this time she’d be gone for good. David didn’t want to ruin the evening. Claire knew of their situation, and even with the cards stacked against them, Claire stayed.
Once they finished their food, David took Claire’s hand, interlocking their fingers. Soothing waves pushed back at the doubts whirling around in his head. On this blissful night, with twinkling stars up in the sky smattered against the dark night, David held everything that mattered. With the darkness, a chilly wind whipped between them, but with their bodies close to one another and crackling fire, they stayed warm.
Neither spoke about tomorrow or what the future held. Instead, they sat enjoying the quiet serenity of the beach, together, until the last log burned out.