7
Ashlynn
Pachuca Sunrise – Minus the Bear
S ince getting back from Denver, work has been nonstop. I have had two long freelance writings to complete: one suspense and one romance. I surprise my agent Heath when I finish both quicker than what the deadline was supposed to be. He is currently working on getting additional writing for me, but really, I am financially stable from the past jobs I have been doing to be able to take some time off for a bit. However, I don’t really know what I would do if I took time off. So, I request more freelance work. He has come back with a few new thrillers to write, which are right up my alley. I love the suspense of these stories. Not knowing what is happening and then having your mind blown when it ends up being something completely different from what you tried figuring out.
It has also been a few weeks since I texted Anthony on the number I have written down and never got a response. I concluded that it was, in fact, no longer his cell number. I hope I didn’t irritate whoever’s phone it is. I tell myself that this is all for the best that it went unanswered. At least I don’t have to feel humiliated by this, in case it was still his, and he just decided not to respond.
It is a warm September day in the mountains, and I have been slacking on my daily walks. Instead of being my introverted self, I decide to take a walk through the small city center and get a chai tea to drink while I look at the shops. As I make my way back home, I round the corner and I notice an unfamiliar car sitting in front of the house. It has Colorado plates on it, so I don’t think much of it. Walking up to my door, bringing my keys up to the lock, I see movement in my peripheral.
“Holy shit Anthony, you scared the crap out of me,” I say, jumping.
Pushing off the pillar he was leaning on, he says. “It’s good to see that you still scare so easily!”
Rolling my eyes at him, I ask, “What are you doing here? Isn’t the tour still going on?”
He just gives me a crooked smile, “I got your text message–thought I would drop-in on you.”
Eyes wide, I say, “You know you could have just responded back to me, if you wanted to.”
Coming closer, he says, “Yes I could have, but I thought coming here would be better and also I want to take you to lunch.”
All I can think is this is not happening. He is here, standing on my porch, and apparently responding to my message in person! Crazier things have happened, I guess. He quickly grabs my hips and pulls me into a big hug, and it feels good to be back in his arms, even if it is for a moment. I finally get the door unlocked to go inside.
I ask him again about the tour. “So, is the tour still going or are you done with it?”
Clearing his throat, he says, “The tour is still going, and the next three stops are through Texas and will be wrapped up after that.”
Thinking about this, I do remember seeing the tour wrapped up in Texas. I try to be casual, asking him more, “So, if the tour isn’t done, shouldn’t you be there?”
He tells me, “We are in between cities right now.”
Staring at him, I ask how he has been doing. He says he has been doing well. I also ask him if I have time to freshen up before we head out to lunch and he tells me to take all the time I need, like he is not on a schedule to perform or anything! After getting refreshed, I walk into my front room, where Anthony is sitting, looking at his phone.
Going up to him, I ask, “Where do you want to go to lunch? We don’t have much to choose from up here.”
Turning around, he smiles. “I was thinking about a certain Italian Deli for sandwiches.” I know exactly where he is talking about. It is a little place in Colorado Springs that we used to eat at in high school.
“So, we are driving down to the Springs! I haven’t eaten there in a while.” I tell him thank you and he gives me a strange look, so I clarify what I mean. “Thank you for coming all this way to drive and take me for lunch. It’s one of the best surprises I’ve ever received.” This makes him smile, a beautiful, crooked smile with dimples.
“I can’t think of anything I’d rather be doing right now,” he says, making me blush as we head out. We get into the car and the music starts up, playing Pachuca Sunrise by Minus the Bear.
Excited, I turn to look at him. “You listen to Minus the Bear? They are one of my favorite bands!” Heading toward the interstate, we are both quiet for a little while into the drive.
Then, he breaks the silence. “I want to apologize for how I left in Denver. I wasn’t expecting Mika to be there, let alone jump on me like that.”
Keeping my stare straight and shaking my head, I say, “You don’t need to apologize for that. If anything, I am sorry. I heard what she said about how every tour is the same. That really bothered me. Every tour and run you do is different–from the tricks to the flow.”
Looking over at me with an almost shocked expression, he says, “You heard her say that?”
Just nodding my head yes is all I do. As we continue driving, he asks if I have been watching the tour. I get shy with this but let him know that I have been keeping up with the tour. I try to always catch him and Nick. With the smile on his face, I can tell that makes him happy.
After a couple hours of driving, we make it into the Springs. It feels just as hot down here, as it does up in the mountains. Once we park and walk inside the deli, Anthony turns to me.
“Do you want to get us a table and I will place our orders?” he asks.
I look over at him and tell him OK, but then stop and ask, “You remember what I like to eat here?”
He tells me it is kind of hard to forget when I always ordered the same thing. I am a creature of habit, even though he remembers what I order, I still remind him to make sure there’s no cheese.
“Oh, I remember you don’t like cheese–so weird. More for me, though. I will have it added to my sub!”
Smiling, I walk off to find a more private table, so we can talk without anyone around.
Once at the table, I can’t help but notice that Anthony takes the chair closest to me, and we eat our subs. It’s just as delicious as I remember, and I think Anthony agrees with how big of a bite he takes.
After we finish, we sit for a bit and just talk. Nothing has really been off limits. I know Anthony wants to ask me something, but I think he is having trouble getting the words out.
“So, are you seeing anyone?” he finally asks.
I tell him, no, that I haven’t been with anyone since my last boyfriend and that it wasn’t the best of break ups. I get up the courage to ask, “How are you and Mika doing?”
He blows out a breath, “Ah, well, we broke up back in Denver after that day I saw you, and before you even think of it, you had nothing to do with it.”
I’m a bit relieved at this, though I don’t know why I would have had something to do with it. We were having a harmless conversation.
He continues, saying, “We just weren’t together anymore for the right reasons. I think we were just comfortable.” I get that; it is harder to leave something or someone behind when you are comfortable with it.
I have my hands resting under my jaw when he reaches over and holds one of them, and I can’t help but notice how much bigger his hands are than mine!
He starts telling me, “I thought seeing you again was going to be hard and that I would just be pissed off still, but when I did finally see you in the crowd, I was just happy. I felt you before I saw you. Then you turned and left.”
I tell him, “I left because I had a lot of different feelings going on.”
Still holding my hand, rubbing his thumb across the top, he asks, “I want to get to know you again and be in your life. Would you want to be back in mine?”
I am shocked, but I instantly smile, saying, “I would like that very much!”
He raises my hand and gives me a kiss on the inside of my wrist, and I’m dead. How is it even possible that I may get a second chance here? A part of me is scared to take the jump, but I want to! I tell Anthony that I want him to be a part of my life again more than anything, but we should take it slow, and he agrees!
After we finish up lunch, we get back into the car, not sure of what the plan is.
I turn and ask, “How about we get some dessert?”
Anthony says, “Yum, and what is your favorite dessert? If I remember correctly, it was cookie dough ice cream; is that still it?”
Smiling, I reply, “Yes, that is still my favorite ice cream flavor, but I also love cinnamon rolls. Ice cream sounds good, since it is hot out!”
“I have an idea,” Anthony says. “Let’s head back up to your house, grab some pints of ice cream, and then watch a movie. Any movie!” This guy just flew out here to answer my text, drove for two hours for lunch, and now wants to drive back two hours for dessert and a movie! I feel like this is just a dream and I am going to wake up at any minute, but it’s not. Anthony is really here with me.
Back on the interstate, it dawns on me that I never asked when he has to head out to Texas. “I didn’t ask you earlier because I was caught off guard by you showing up like you did. When do you have to leave?”
Clearing his voice, he says, “I have to leave first thing tomorrow morning.”
A little deflated by that, I say, “Are you driving back to stay near the airport tonight? That’s a lot of driving.”
Giving the smallest smirk, he says, “I was actually hoping you would let me stay on your couch, since it is just for tonight.”
All that comes out is “Oh.” Gaining my train of thought, I say, “Yes, of course you can stay at the house!”
Finally making it back into town, we stop for the pints of ice cream, get back to the house, and start the movie. After a few bites, I notice Anthony is giving me an odd look.
Stopping, I ask, “What are you looking at?”
He asks, “What are you doing?”
Laughing at my habit, I say, “I like to dig out the cookie dough pieces and eat them last!” He burst out laughing at me and tries to take a few of my cookie dough pieces. Holding my pint out of his reach, I say, “You can’t laugh at me and try to take my pieces!”
“You never did that in high school from what I remember!” he says.
“No, I sure didn’t. I like to save the best part for last!” After we finish the ice cream and movie, I let Anthony get comfy on the couch and get to sleep, since he has an early morning flight and I head to bed as well.
After tossing and turning for a couple hours, I get up to go get a glass of water. I try to be as quiet as I can. I stop right in the living room, where Anthony is on the couch, in nothing but white boxer briefs; I admire the way they mold to his thighs–years of riding has done him good! My eyes slowly make their way up to the large bulge! Staring at it, memories start to come to mind of our first night together and how it filled me up, hurt, but felt good all at the same time.
As I am staring at him, he suddenly says, “Do you like what you see, little one?”
Jumping again, I tell him, “I’m sorry, I thought you were asleep.”
“No, I can’t sleep.” I tell him I can’t either, that I am a restless sleeper almost every night.
He moves over on the couch, “Come here and lay with me.” Moving to the couch, I snuggle right up with him, and he instantly wraps me in his arms, smelling my hair, and giving me a kiss on my temple, “I’ve missed you so much, holding you and kissing you.”
Listening to his heartbeat, I tell him, “I’ve missed you, too.” Shortly after laying in his arms, I fall asleep for the entire night, and it is one of the best sleeps I have had in a very long time. Waking up, Anthony is already gone, and I am not sure how he managed to get off the couch with how he was holding onto me. I must have been dead asleep! Feeling sad that I didn't get to say goodbye, I get off the couch and head back to my bedroom to lie down again. As I grab my phone to check the time, I'm greeted by a text message.