Thirty-Eight
Levi
Five o’clock comes far too quickly the following morning. Between the long day on the job once we arrived, the after-work drinks at the local watering hole with the guys, and the lumpy motel mattress, my body feels like it’s been put through the wringer.
I found myself tossing and turning all night, stuck in that half-awake, half-asleep place, haunted by blue-gray eyes and the echoes of her moans.
Those two things alone would have been enough to lull me to sleep, but the stray spring that kept stabbing me in the lower back every time I rolled over kept me up for longer than I actually slept.
I drag myself out of the truck and make my way over to where the rest of the guys stand to the side of the construction site. They look like a group of old gossiping church ladies, standing in a circle and muttering over their steaming cups of coffee.
We’re all up earlier than normal, but with only a limited amount of time on this job, Isaac wanted us available to lend a hand as much as possible. I suppose we’re all somewhat spoiled back in North Creek. What other construction crews do you know who start their day at eight?
When I reach the group, the guys greet me with their own individual grumbles, all of them nursing extra-large coffees from Stewart’s.
How is it that I got here right on time, yet I’m the last on the site?
I’m used to being one of the first ones at work in the morning, so I guess that little bout of phone sex with Oakley took it out of me.
I’m staring longingly at Brandon’s coffee, wishing I had thought to stop and grab myself a cup, when Justin nudges me with his elbow. Still in a daze from lack of sleep and caffeine, I drag my eyes over to him and nearly cry in relief when he hands me a cup.
“You’re a lifesaver,” I say as I gratefully take the cup from him and take a sip. The hot liquid slinks down my throat in the most delicious way, warming me from the inside out.
“No worries. I figured you’d oversleep today,” Justin replies, a hint of mischief shining in his eyes.
“What makes you say that?” I ask, not actually caring to hear the answer as I take another gulp of the coffee.
“My room shares a wall with yours. Sounds like Oakley wore you out.”
I choke on a mouthful of coffee, the drink burning my throat as it gets stuck and threatens to reappear through my nose. I cough, pounding a hand on my chest.
I should be embarrassed, but when you go through most of your life with the same friend by your side, there’s little room for shame.
I am, however, not thrilled at the thought of Justin laying witness to the sounds Oakley makes when she comes.
Justin must see on my face the second that thought crosses my mind, because his eyes go wide in momentary panic, and he throws his hands up in front of him in surrender.
“I swear to God, I didn’t hear anything but the beginning!
I’ve never thrown earbuds in so fast. I think my ears are still ringing from the death metal I played to drown it out. ”
“Good,” I say, relief flooding through me at knowing he didn’t hear anything too crazy. Oakley’s breathy little moans and gasps are all mine.
“Though, I think there’s something wrong with my one earbud. I might need you to talk me through how to fix it.” There’s no hiding the self-satisfied smile that splits Justin’s face.
“You motherfucker.”
He backs away, hands up, and I take a step towards him. He backs away again, a nervous laugh bubbling up. Our antics have caught the attention of the rest of the guys, and they watch on in quiet amusement.
“I promise I’ll be a good boy and listen to your instructions.” He says it loud enough that every single member of the crew hears it, and all of them, Justin included, break out in a fit of laughter.
Alright, even I can admit that was pretty funny. Besides, he’s not laughing at Oakley; he’s laughing at me. A smirk tugs at my mouth.
“Alright, dumbasses,” Isaac calls, raising his voice louder than normal to be heard over the laughter.
I take a surly sip of my coffee, and Justin gives me a lighthearted punch on the shoulder before settling down and facing Isaac, everyone else quickly following suit.
“We’re going to be finishing up the paving on the road today.
The guys brought in a night crew last night to keep the work flow moving, so we’re ahead of schedule.
Something about the mayor wanting the project expedited.
I know we’re all eager to get home, so let’s finish out strong today, and we’ll have you all back on the road by tonight. Sound good?”
We all voice our assent, and my stomach leaps at the prospect of having Oakley back in my arms. Isaac dismisses us, and we all head over to our respective jobs. Justin walks beside me, and I tuck my hard hat under one arm, holding my coffee with the other.
“Guess you’re gonna get to see your girl sooner than you thought.”
I nod. I should be bummed about the lost wages from losing the extra day, but Isaac always makes sure we’re taken care of. Even if we weren’t, though, it wouldn’t matter.
The only thing that matters is getting my hands back on Oakley as soon as possible.
Since the other night, and now last night too, it’s been even more impossible to get her out of my mind than it was before. I’d been drooling over her since she first stepped foot in town, but now that I know what it feels like to have her in my arms?
Yeah, there is no way she isn’t sitting pretty front and center in my mind every single second of the day now.
“I’m happy for you, man. You deserve this.”
Justin’s words catch me by surprise. Not because I don’t believe them, but because I do.
I’ve paid my penance for what I did to my father, and I hold no regrets in my heart for my actions. Oakley is like sunshine, and there’s not a corner of my heart that isn’t bathed in the blinding light of her smile.
Still, a small part of me wonders if what I did didn’t permanently blacken a piece of my soul.
“It sounds like Jessie’s rubbing off on you,” I observe, flipping the conversation back on him as we start our day.
We quickly fall into a familiar rhythm, one I’ve come to expect, and even enjoy, after working for years alongside my best friend.
“What makes you say that?”
Underneath the layer of confusion, there’s a hint of something else. Something raw and maybe even a little scared. I file that observation away for later, knowing that trying to push Justin to talk about something he doesn’t want to is like trying to bathe a cat—pointless and borderline suicidal.
I shrug nonchalantly as we begin to spread the blacktop out in even layers. “Nothing. Just sounds like something she would say.”
“Yeah.”
We fall silent, working quickly and methodically throughout the rest of the morning.
We pause midday for lunch, all piling into Brandon’s truck and heading down the winding backroad to the only deli in town.
We laugh and joke as we eat, busting each other’s chops like only a group of guys who’ve known each other for years can.
Before I know it, we’re back on the job.
With each minute that passes, my nervous excitement to see my girl again bubbles closer and closer to the surface and threatens to spill over.
My hands shake with the anticipation of touching her again, of skimming my calloused fingers across the creamy smooth skin of her back, leaving nothing but a blazing path of desire and goosebumps in their wake.
I’ve become addicted, haunted by eyes that look blue in the sunlight and gray in the evening, but constantly dance in my mind either way. I’m itching to hold her again, wrap her in my arms, and watch her body come alive as I stroke her delicate skin with my fingertips.
There’s so much I still want to do with her. To her. The sounds she makes are like my own personally crafted ambrosia, an overwhelming aphrodisiac that was made specifically for me and me alone.
The rest of the afternoon passes slowly, as if time is holding itself back now that I actually have a reason to want it to go by faster.
I wipe the sweat off my brow with the bottom of my shirt before pulling out my cell.
I look around quickly, knowing that Isaac will chew my ass out if he catches me, but the coast is clear.
I bring up the message thread with Oakley and type out a text.
How’s your day going?
Three little bubbles pop up immediately, and I grin down at my phone while I wait for her response, which comes not a moment later.
Oakley
Be better if you were here. But it’s good. The bar called and said they double-scheduled me and Layla tonight and asked if I wanted the night off, so I took it.
That’s good. You deserve to relax. You work too hard.
Oakley
Says the man who works dawn to dusk every day doing… whatever road construction workers do. Build bridges? Pave roads? Unclear.
Pretty much. But still, I’m glad you’ll get to relax.
Oakley
Me too. Jessie’s still here too. We might have had a little too much wine last night, so we’re both nursing some pretty nasty hangovers
How much is too much wine?
Oakley
Would you judge us if I said two and a half bottles?
Sheesh, it’s a miracle you’re both still alive, let alone conscious. I’m glad you had fun.
Oakley
Me too. Feels good to have a girlfriend like her, even if I was hesitant at first.
“Levi, I can see your stupid lovestruck smile from here! Put the phone away so we can finish up and get the hell out of here!”
I jump a little at the sound of Isaac’s voice, but manage to type out one more quick text before pocketing my cell.
Gotta go. Isaac’s gonna have a coronary if he catches me with my phone out again. Talk to you soon, darlin’.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her that I’ll be coming home tonight instead of tomorrow, but something holds me back, loving the idea of surprising her by just showing up. Hopefully, I don’t scare the shit out of her by walking in later.