Chapter Nineteen
Jade
After giving me a brief list of what he wanted to bring, I headed upstairs to his bedroom. The dark wood, along with the blue décor, matched the rest of his house—masculine but warm.
Growing up, I’d always loved the houses on his street, but this house had always been my favorite. Even before he’d bought it.
I don’t know why I was surprised to find his bed made. The downstairs was immaculate, so I thought maybe his bedroom would have more of a “lived in” vibe. But it was just as tidy as the rest of the house.
I wonder if he has a housekeeper?
Brian’s voice echoed up the stairwell. “What’s taking so long? Are you going through my underwear drawer?”
“Yes!” I yelled back as I opened the top drawer of his dresser. “I’m fondling the crotch on all of your black Calvin Kleins as we speak!”
“Okay, well, make sure to grab some other colors, too!”
That made me laugh out loud while I counted out ten pairs of boxer-briefs, in various colors, before opening the second drawer.
“How many pairs of socks did you want?”
“None! We’re going to the beach!”
I put two pairs in the duffle bag, just in case. I subscribed to the “it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it” school of packing.
After reviewing the list to make sure I’d gotten everything, I shut the light off and headed down the hall.
As I descended the stairs, I noticed him sitting on the bench by the door. My heart stuttered when he looked up at me with a smile, and not for the first time since agreeing to go on this impromptu vacation, I wondered what the hell I was getting myself into.
****
Brian
As I watched Jade come down the stairs, I knew asking her to go to the Cape with me was either the best idea I’d ever had, or the craziest.
Maybe it was both.
I guess we were about to find out.
She must have been thinking the same thing because when she handed me my duffle bag, she took a shaky breath, cocked her head, and asked, “You sure you want to do this?”
With the bag in one hand, I reached for her hand with the other and tried to flash my most charming smile.
“Come on, it’ll be an adventure.”
I had no idea how right I was.
Starting with her getting behind the wheel of my truck. Since the day I drove my Northsky Blue Metallic Chevy Silverado brand new off the lot two years ago, I’d never—not once—let anyone drive it.
“You don’t have to mash the gas,” I told her with my hand gripping the dash as she backed out of the drive. “The pedal is very sensitive.”
Instead of starting down the street, she pulled back into my driveway, threw the truck in park, and turned in her seat to face me.
“Why don’t we take my car. That way Lainey and Adam won’t have to drop it off at my house later. Besides, it’ll get better gas mileage, I’ll be more comfortable driving it, and you won’t be twitching in the passenger seat worrying I’m going to grind the gears.”
I sheepishly touched her arm. “I’m sorry. I’ll behave. I promise.”
Besides, I was hoping I’d be able to drive back, and I didn’t want to drive her Prius.
I could tell by her narrow eyes and pursed lips that she was skeptical, so with my right hand, I held up three fingers and said, “Scout’s honor.”
She still didn’t look convinced, but she put the truck in reverse.
“Do I need to call your mother to verify you really were a Boy Scout?”
“Don’t you remember when our troops did a campout at Peyton Springs together?”
“Oh God, you were on that trip?”
“Yeah! It was a blast! Some of my best memories of Scouts were from that outing.”
She offered me a weak smile as we started down the street. “Your middle and high school experiences were vastly different from mine. You were the popular jock, and I was the nerdy wallflower.”
I searched my memory, trying to think of anything bad that had happened on that excursion, but came up blank.
We both waved at Ella and Brad Vega in their patrol cars still blocking the street with their lights on.
“What was so bad about the campout?”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Come on, Sunshine, tell me. This whole trip to the Cape will be a circle of trust.”
Her eyes darted from the road to me.
“You really don’t know?” Then she muttered, “Of course you don’t. No one did.”
“No, I don’t know. Tell me!”
I was starting to worry that someone had hurt her.
“You remember when we took canoes to the island for lunch?”
“Yeah…”
“Well after we ate, I went to find a place to pee, and when I came back, everyone was gone. The troop leaders didn’t even realize I was missing until my mom approached them at pickup, wondering where I was. No one even noticed I wasn’t there.”
“But we didn’t get picked up until the next day!”
“I know.” She attempted a smile when she glanced my way. “Obviously that was the end of my Scouting days.”
I suddenly wished I were driving, so I could pull over and hug her.