10. Red
10
RED
Early the next morning is when I finally get a call from Wyatt to let me know he’s all settled in and that he’d met up with his boat captain and crew.
Mags was right about the wait to hear from him being hard. Then again, she’s right about most things.
Although there has been some underlying tension between us since we left the hiking trail yesterday. I still don’t understand what happened, just that something changed. Now it feels like there’s a whirlwind of emotions swirling inside of me–confusion, surprise, and a little regret, which is probably the most confusing thing of all. Regret for what? Not kissing her? For almost kissing her? I don’t even know how it happened, let alone why .
And more importantly, why now ?
By way of a peace offering, I grabbed us both a takeout coffee and a breakfast burrito this morning before we left. Thankfully, she accepted it gracefully and things seem to be back to normal now.
When she offers to drive the first stint, I willingly hand over my keys, hoping it would mean I could catch up on the sleep I didn’t get last night. But as seems to be the way with me on this trip, I can’t rest. My mind won’t let me. I thought it would get better once I’d heard from Wyatt, but it seems the universe has different plans.
As we drive along the winding roads, I can’t help but steal glances her way, noticing things I’ve never paid attention to before. Like how there’s a thick line of barely-there freckles that trail across her cheeks and nose. Then there's the slight—yet cute—furrow in her brow as she concentrates on the road. It’s something she does when she's working at the diner too. It’s funny because people never know if it’s because she’s annoyed or not. I call it Mag’s focused face.
My eyes drift down to her shiny pink lips just as she digs into her pocket and runs her ever-trusty lip balm over them. I can’t help but smile because she’s been using the same brand since we were all younger and is hell-on-wheels if she doesn’t have a stick on her. It’s become a running joke every birthday and Christmas when I gift her a month’s supply.
Whereas the only thing I’m known for wearing is my cowboy hat, Anna never went anywhere without the leather-braided friendship bracelet I gave her on our first date and her heart necklace her and Mags each had. For mags, it has always been her strawberry lip balm.
There’s something about looking at her lips now that has my chest feeling tight in a strange way I’ve never felt before–a feeling that can’t be written off as anything other than ‘the thing that shall not be named’ that Lee put in my head.
Ever since our almost moment on the trail yesterday, I haven’t been able to shake the image of my best friend looking at me with those big green eyes of hers, warm and hooded orbs that I could easily have gotten lost in. That was before she realized what was happening.
I still can’t explain how it even happened–or almost did. All I know is that it felt like there was an unknown force pushing me toward her and I was powerless to stop it. My mind was blank, my conscience clear, and it felt right . Maybe it was just Lee’s hunch worming its way into my brain and my body was all onboard to make Mags and I become a reality.
Whatever it was, thankfully we both came to our senses before we did something crazy and made this whole road trip awkward…
Then again, is it that crazy? Damn Lee for putting ideas in my head that have no place being there…
“So, has Wy settled in alright?" Mags asks, breaking the silence. That tight feeling in my chest vanishes into thin air just at the sound of her voice.
“He sure has. There was a bounce in his voice I haven’t heard since he was a kid. Makes me feel better knowin’ he’s happy.”
Her smile widens. “He’s always been an energetic kid. Anna used to wonder if you were raisin’ him on sugar the way he used to run everywhere. Nothin’ can keep that kid down, I swear.
A snort escapes me. “True. I’m just glad I could hear it for myself. “I tap my chest. “Makes the heart beat easier knowin’’ he’s safe and settled now.”
“No regrets then?” she asks. For a moment I wonder if she’s asking about us and yesterday. But that’s stupid, of course she means Wyatt.
“Nope.” My voice is a little rough, so I clear my throat and decide that a topic change is best because until I get my head around these slowly changing feelings for Mags, I know I’m not ready to talk about it–with her or anyone else. Distraction may be the killer of success, but it’s also the savior of my sanity. For right now, at least. “I forgot to ask. Have you ever been to Ninilchik before?”
She shakes her head. “Nah. Been to Seward as a kid but not the other side of the peninsula. I guess you went there a lot when you were on the circuit?”
“Sure did. Enjoyed it every time too. It used to be one of our favorite stops on tour. The people, the beach there, the scenery, all of it is amazin’.”
“Can’t wait,” she says, cracking the window a little to let some air in.
“Do you mind if we stop somewhere on the way? There’s a place I think you’ll like. If you’re OK with it, I mean.”
“This is your trip, Red. I’m just taggin’ along, remember?” she replies, and suddenly the Call is the last thing on my mind.
I frown and shoot her a questioning look. “Mags, this is our trip. I may have things to do as we go, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do whatever you want too. It’s a vacation for the both of us. I want you to have a good time. In fact, I won’t have fun if you’re not.”
She waves her hand in the air. “It’s fine, Red. Honestly. I’m just happy to be here.”
“Maggie,” I say, using her name so she knows I’m being serious. “This is your first vacation in god -knows how long. I don’t want ‘go with the flow’ and ‘this is your trip, not mine’ Mags. I want the best friend I’ve known over half my life. I want to make memories with you, do things we haven’t done before, and see things we haven’t seen. That’s the road trip I signed up for.”
Mags's brows jump sky-high. "What's this about, Red?"
I huff out a sigh. “Nothin’.”
“Didn’t sound like nothin’,” she mutters.
“I just wish you’d start puttin’ yourself first sometimes instead of bein’ the one always helpin’ people,” I rush out.
She scoffs. “You’re just as bad as me at doin’ that, Red. You’re always doin’ somethin’ for someone and never anythin’ for yourself. So, the way I see it, if you want me to change, maybe it’s high time you started lookin’ in the mirror too.”
My head jerks back so hard I’m surprised I don’t give myself whiplash. I stare at her speechless, my mouth opening and closing like I'm a damn fish sucking in air.
“Cat got ‘ya tongue there, darlin ’,” she says, a smirk curling her lips. “Did you really think I wouldn’t dish it all back to you? People do tell us we’re like two peas in a pod.”
“That’s when they’re not gossipin’ behind our backs wonderin’ if we’re datin’ or not,” I muse.
"Yeah, that one I just ignore," she replies. "If people don’t think a man and a woman can be friends without it gettin' complicated, then they're stupid."
I shouldn’t go there, but after yesterday’s moment, one could say I’m a little curious. “I know Toby and Landry used to joke around about us, and the women at the ranch have hearts in their eyes about everyone. But who else has been runnin’ their mouth?”
She sighs. “Just the Sallies, and you know they’re harmless. They’re just convinced we’re made for each other.”
“Four old bats who make money as amateur PIs and would sooner create gossip than actually solve mysteries? Those Sallies?” I can’t help it, I snicker, then chuckle. By the time Mags joins in, we’re both straight out laughing.
“OK. So first, I think we need to make our first road trip rule,” she announces once we’ve recovered.
“What’s that?”
“No thinkin’ about home and what we’re on this road trip for when it’s early mornin’ and we’re both low on caffeine?”
My brows bunch. “That's a lot of qualifiers. Early mornin'? I agree. No decisions should ever be made without a few hours under your belt. We’ve both already had coffee today though…”
“ Yeah , but we’ve only had one. It’s almost ten. I’d be at least three deep by now if I was workin’.”
“OK. Fair point,” I say with a nod. “You’re hell on wheels without your caffeine fix, so the safe thing to do right now would be to smile and nod and agree with you.” My smirk earns a narrowed glare in response.
“Anyone would think you know me well, Ernest …”
“Call me that again and a lack of coffee will be the least of your problems, Margaret .”
After that, it feels like we’re back to normal, all the remaining tension and strange feelings fading away.
“You said there was somewhere you wanted to go?” she asks a few minutes later. “Is it on the way? Or do I need directions?”
"Mile marker 70 on this highway. Maybe about twenty minutes more. An old buddy of mine from the tour is workin' at a wildlife conservation center and I thought it would be good to catch up and see the work they’re doin’ there.”
Mags sends soft eyes my way. “Scopin’ out the competition?”
“Nah,” I say, jerking my chin. “Just seein’ what they do well and how we can do things better back home. We might be in the business of breedin’ future champions, but I also like the idea of bringin’ in other animals who need somewhere to live the rest of their lives in peace and comfort. You know?”
“Dammit, Red. Why you gotta be such a good man. Makes it hard to be mad at ‘ya for callin’ me out earlier.”
I quirk a brow. “You were mad at me?"
She glares at me and for a second I think I’ve put my foot in it again. Then she cracks a grin and starts giggling. “I had you goin’ there for a second.”
“I’m startin’ to rethink this whole taggin’ along idea of mine,” I mutter.
“Take that back, Redmond. I’m a delight. Just wait till I change the music and put my playlist on. It’ll become the best trip of your life.”
I can’t help it, I smile. An honest-to-goodness, feel-it-deep-inside grin, clearing my mind of anything but her. That is her superpower. She has always been able to do this to me.
“Hmm. OK. I might let you try to move me over to the musical dark side.”
"I have good taste in music, thank you very much. Great , even. And I won’t hear you or anyone else tell me otherwise,” she says, and I swear she’d be crossing her arms over her chest if she could.
Rubbing my chin, I turn in my seat so I can look at her. “You sure ‘bout that? You seem mighty defensive over there. It makes me think someone’s said they don’t like your music…”
“No… OK, well Char isn’t the biggest fan. Which probably means Austin isn’t either.”
"Pfft, what would those two know anyway," I muse, loving the way the corner of her mouth tugs up. She truly is a looker. I’ve always known she was beautiful, but away from the diner, out of town, and seeing her more relaxed than ever, she’s stunning. Which means I’ll have to beat the rodeo men off with a stick on this trip. Or I could just make her wear my hat, that would work too…
“So, where’s this music of yours? Might as well get the torture over and done with.”
She lets out a little growl before shaking her head and squaring her shoulders. “Just you wait, Redmond. Just you wait.”