Walking into our room, I flip on the lights, and kick off my shoes. When I plop down on the bed and charge my phone, I notice it’s 10:15. Changing clothes and brushing my teeth kills some time. I don’t want to call Lane too early. Flinging the curtains back, I peer out the window to see if I can see Lauren and Brian sitting by the fire. I barely see them, but I can tell they’re out there.
I quickly text Lauren. Stay out as long as u want, I’m about to call Lane. A few minutes later she texts back. It’s all good. I’m enjoying the fire and talking w/ Brian. I’ll text u b4 I come up.
Snuggling down, I pull the covers up and lean against the headboard. I click Lane’s number.
He answers with, “Hey babe.”
“I’m so glad to hear your voice.”
“Tell me about the island.”
“It’s breathtaking. There are wild horses, and deer everywhere you look. Lauren and I are having a blast. We watched a beautiful sunset on a deserted beach. We ended today with s’mores around a fire pit. My parents went to bed almost an hour ago, but Lauren’s still out by the fire talking with a guy we met earlier today. So, I get to be totally alone with you while we talk.”
“That’s good. I’m glad you’re having so much fun.”
“Tell me about your day.”
“It was filled with lots of extended family, lots of food, lots of small talk. It was a little boring. Now is the highlight. I’ve been thinking about you all day long.”
“I miss you, too.”
“What do you have planned for the next few days?”
“Lauren and I have plans to ride bikes to the opposite end of the island tomorrow with a picnic lunch.”
“That sounds like another adventure.”
“Yeah, I think it will be. Hey, I want to tell you about something I heard on Monday.”
“Alright, I’m all yours.”
“While working on my article, I went into the break room to fix myself some tea, and two editors for the Crimson White newspaper were in there talking. I overheard their conversation about the machine controlling the SGA elections, and how they want them exposed and kept from allowing the Greeks to control campus politics.” I hear Lane take a deep breath.
“One of them recognized me from Professor Brigg’s class and asked what I was working on. I told her I was finishing an article for Alice and had just come in to find something to drink. When she found out about the article I was working on, she introduced herself and her friend to me. She said she remembered my name from what I’d written on Homecoming. There on the spot she came up with the idea for me to write an article about the need for fair SGA elections by calling out the machine for its unfair practices.”
Lane jumps in with, “What did you say?” I sense concern in his voice.
“I told her I was just a sophomore, and a serious article like that is better coming from a junior or senior editor.”
“What happened next?”
“I told her I left all my stuff lying out with my computer on the table and needed to get back to it. I wished her luck with the article. She said she agrees it should be written by an older more experienced writer. She also thinks it should come from someone who’s a Greek.”
“Mmmmmmm, that’s interesting. You were in the right place at the right time.”
“Yeah, you could definitely say that.”
“Do you remember their names?”
“Olivia and Beth. Olivia is the one in our creative writing class.”
“Do you have your computer?”
“Yes, I have it in case the article I submitted to the editor of Alice needs something corrected or changed.”
“Okay, tweet something positive about the election and our candidate from the secret Twitter account. I’ll work on having something printed in the Crimson White that would radiate so positively about our candidate that everyone will want to vote for him regardless of being Independent or Greek. But enough of that boring stuff. I want to talk about you. We should FaceTime each other tomorrow.”
“Or I can call you back on FaceTime now?”
“That’s okay. I don’t want to hang up. Let’s just plan on that for tomorrow night.”
“So, what fun stuff do you have planned tomorrow?” I ask cheerfully.
“I have a lunch meeting with my father and my uncle in the city. Afterward I’m planning to do a little shopping with my sister.”
“I’ve often wondered if your family owns a clothing store in New York, because I’m so impressed with the way you dress.” That makes Lane laugh.
“No, my mother was elected Lieutenant Governor while we were living in Washington DC, and after she left office we moved to Manhattan. My dad is now a professor at Columbia. My mother finished writing her book a few years ago. The book is political, so I’d rather talk about how much I’m missing you. We’ve had too much talk about politics already tonight.”
“Well, I think it’s totally cool that your mom wrote a book. Speaking of changing the subject, I’ve been wearing and sleeping with your scarf every day. I wish I had thought about giving you something of mine.”
“How about texting me a few pictures? I love the one you posted on Instagram, but it’s you and your whole family.”
“I have a bunch that Lauren and I took today. I’ll text you the best ones later.”
We talk for a few more minutes until I get a text from Lauren asking if I’m off the phone.
“Lane, I think my sister is ready to come in. She just sent me a text asking if I’m off the phone.”
“Until next time gorgeous, girl.”
“I’ll send you some pictures in a few minutes. Goodnight.”
I quickly text Lauren to come up. She marches in saying she smells like a campfire and heads to the shower. I continue scrolling through the photos we took today, do some quick edits, and text them to Lane. I’m definitely going to vlog during our adventures, tomorrow. I post the one of Lauren and me at the Dungeness ruins on my Instagram and caption it “Seaside Sisters” and hashtag it #cumberlandisland. I notice as soon as I post it, Lane’s my first like. I look through his Instagram and do a little snooping, since I haven’t taken the time to do that yet.
I see a picture from today of him with a couple of guys around his age. It is a great picture of Lane, and I double tap it. I continue to scroll down and see pictures of him and other DKE’s at their house parties, and more pictures of him and some fraternity brothers in New Orleans. There’s one of him and some guys smoking cigars, and one of him on a sailboat without a shirt on. I double tap that one, even though it’s from several months ago. Continuing, I find one from the fourth of July where he’s in a swimsuit and has the American Flag wrapped around his shoulders. It’s an amazing picture. I screen shot it, and also double tap it, then I see a picture of Amanda, Lane and Ashley. It looks like they’re at a party. I try not to think about him and Ashley together. I keep scrolling and see a photo of him with his parents, his sisters and with, of all people, President Barack Obama!
I gasp aloud. “Oh My God!”
Lauren walks out of the bathroom and asks what’s wrong.
“Come look at this.” I hold out my phone and show her the photo.
“Oh, wow, Bex, that’s amazing. Lane must be really something special.”
I get a text from Lane that says, Hey, cutie, r u stalking my Instagram?
“Yes.” I send him the screen shot I took of him wearing a swimsuit with the American flag around his shoulders. I add, This… is so hot!
He texts back, You’re hot!
But u met President Obama!
Yes, and he’s not hot like u.
I burst out laughing. He’s apparently been scrolling through my Instagram looking at all my old posts from a few years ago, because he texts a photo of me when I was a senior in high school at the lake, wearing a bikini on a boat.
He texts, This… is HOT
That’s from a few years ago.
Send me a recent bikini pic.
>
I look through the photos on my phone and go back a few months. I find one of me on the beach in Gulf Shores from last spring break and send it to Lane.
He responds with, U r perfect, I’ll be dreaming of u all night.
I reach for his scarf lying next to me and wrap my face in it and inhale. Lauren looks perplexed. “Bex, what are you doing? I noticed you had that scarf on your pillow last night, and you’ve also been wearing it a lot. What’s the deal?”
“Lane took it off on Monday and gave it to me to keep for him until I see him again. I’ve been sleeping with it and wearing it. It has his cologne on it.”
Lauren rolls her eyes. “Wow, I’ve never seen you this crazy for a guy before. I must admit, if you’re going to be over the moon about someone, Lane Townsend is a choice pick.”
“Yes, indeed!” I say with fervor. “Your turn. Tell me all about Brian. How was talking with him at the fire pit?”
“He’s really nice and fun, easy to talk to. He goes to a private school, but we know some of the same friends. He knows my friend Aspyn who started going to Greater Atlanta Christian School a few years ago.”
“That’s cool. Small world.”
“It is. We exchanged numbers, Snap Chats, and Instagram. He told me if you and I get back from riding bikes early enough he wants to walk with me on the beach tomorrow night.”
“Oooooo, fun,” I say cheerfully.
“We’ll see how that goes. But yeah, it should be fun. I think he’s pretty cute,” Lauren says with a shy smile, almost blushing.
“Can I set the alarm for 9:20? That’s not too late, is it?”
“No. I just got out of the shower, so I’m just going to put on a hat, a sweatshirt, and leggings, and I’ll be ready.”
“Great, I’ll take a shower in the morning. I promise to be quick. I’m looking forward to exploring the other side of the island tomorrow, especially that old church. And we need to make sure to time everything right so you’re back in time for your beach date with Brian tomorrow night,” I add with a twist of sass in my voice.
“Goodnight, Bex,” Lauren says, rolling her eyes at me.
24
#Bea
I walk into the foyer and find the house alive with my sisters back from Thanksgiving. Our trip to Cumberland Island was magical, and Mom had a special birthday. Things are changing, so I’m going to cherish our family moments and vacation time. I wave to everyone and make my way up to my room. Opening the door, I see Bella sitting in bed, still in her pajamas.
She jumps up and hugs me. “I want to hear all about your trip. You posted some cool pictures.”
“I want to hear all about your trip, too.” I sit next to her.
“It was mostly just the ordinary family stuff. I saw my cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. The highlight was playing card games with everyone and just visiting.”
I tell her about the beauty of the island, the Dungeness ruins, the wild horses and the long bike rides.
“The island is so beautiful. It’s peaceful and calm and has hundreds of wild horses and wild animals living freely. One of the oldest churches in the country is located there. It felt like pure peace walking into the historic sanctuary. Lauren met a guy the first day we were there. He goes to a private school and lives in Atlanta. They hung out a few times on the island and plan to continue seeing each other. Lane and I talked on the phone, texted and Snap Chatted each other the whole time I was gone. We even Face-Timed each other one night.”
Since it’s only noon, I ask Bella if she wants to go to the kitchen to get something to eat. We see Lexi walk in and squeal as if it’s the first of the semester again. While we share our Thanksgiving stories, Lexi and Bella are hanging on my every word about the rich history of Cumberland Island and our bicycle adventures.
After a leisurely lunch, we wander back to our rooms and chill for the rest of the afternoon.
“Amanda and I are leaving around 6:00. The game starts at 7:30.” I say as I unpack my bags.
“I’m going to text Cat and Reese to see if they want to go,” Bella comments.
“I have a date with Lane after the game. I’m excited about getting to see him after being apart for a week. He’s taking me out to dinner.”
“That sounds nice and romantic,” she says, batting her eyelashes.
After getting into my uniform, I choose a dress and heels for my date after the game and throw those into my duffle. Amanda and I meet downstairs and ride to Coleman Coliseum together. Along the way, I ask her about her Thanksgiving and ask if she and Ashley are from the same hometown.
“We’re both from Dallas but went to different high schools. I didn’t meet her until we were roommates freshman year.”
“I was wondering about that since I saw you guys at the airport together and saw your Instagram post at a restaurant somewhere in Dallas.”
“We travel together during holidays. We were roommates for two years before we decided to move into our sorority houses for our junior and senior years and we’re still good friends.”
During our meet-and-greet, Lane and some guys walk in, with Ashley in their crowd. There are a few other girls with them, so I tell myself it’s probably nothing. Lane waves to me as they walk past.
Our sequence is short tonight so the cheerleaders can do a full routine during halftime. I’m glad we don’t do two full dances just coming back from the break. Looking into the crowd as I’m coming off the court, I wave to Bella and Lexi and Cat. Lane smiles at me from the stands. I run into the locker room and quickly text Lane. I’ll meet u at the front entrance as soon as I change.
“Wow, you must have a hot date tonight,” Amanda says, with an enthusiastic smile. She sees me changing into a dress and heels.
“My date is very hot. And yes, Lane is taking me to dinner somewhere. We haven’t seen each other in a week, so I can’t wait.”
“Have fun. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She waves as she walks out of the locker room.
Lane is waiting near the entrance. He’s alone and wearing a navy blazer, a button-down shirt, Khaki jeans, and really nice leather loafers. When he sees me, a huge smile comes across his face as he walks up to me and puts his hands on my arms and pulls me in for a kiss. As we continue to kiss, I realize we’re still standing inside Coleman and people are walking around us. He takes my hand and my bag from me and leads me to his car. He smells amazing. I’m giddy, nervous, and happy, all at the same time.
Lane opens the door and tosses my bag into the backseat. He turns toward me. Pulling my face toward his, he kisses me again. I pull him closer and continue kissing him. Instantly, I lose track of anything like the day or time. Kissing me slowly, he traces his tongue across my bottom lip and looks into my eyes.
“I’m so glad to see you.”
“Me, too. I missed you a lot,” I say, catching my breath from his sexy kiss.
The drive to Evangeline’s is quick. I mention to Lane how excited I am to finally get to eat here since I’ve heard a lot of my sorority sisters talk about how awesome and fancy it is. The hostess seats us at a private table featuring candles and a beautiful bouquet of red roses as the centerpiece. The restaurant is elegant, dimly lit, and romantic. Lane takes my hand and caresses it while we’re talking.
“Is your family going to travel again over Christmas break?” he asks, looking at me with smiling eyes.
“No, I shake my head. We’ll be home in Atlanta the entire three weeks, just having family time. What about your family? Any special plans for Christmas?”
“We’ll be in Aspen, Colorado for two weeks, but I plan to leave before New Year’s Eve.” He grins, especially if Alabama makes it into the National Championship game and the team plays in the Super Dome on New Year’s Day.”
“My roommate Bella is from New Orleans. Her family said we could stay with them if Alabama ends up in the championship game.”
“What could be better than watching Alabama win a National Championship and having you by my side on New Y
ear’s Eve at midnight?”
“Sounds priceless, let’s toast to that.”
“Cheers!” Lane says, winking at me.
We’re just drinking water, but we laugh and clank our glasses together.
“I love this restaurant. It’s beautiful.” I say, glancing at the decor.
“This restaurant can’t hold a candle to your beauty. No pun intended.”
Blushing, I snicker and quickly change the subject. “Tell me about going to Aspen over Christmas. Will it be just your family?”
“It’ll be some of my uncles, cousins, aunts, my three sisters, and my parents. They have a big house they rent every year around Christmas. It’s a family tradition. We get together for skiing and snowboarding. Sometimes I wish I could do my own thing at Christmas since my birthday is right after.”
“When’s your birthday?”
“December 29th.”
“So, you’ll turn twenty-two?”
“Yes, I turn twenty-two right before the end of the year. When do you turn twenty-one?”
“I turned nineteen the first week of August. I won’t turn twenty-one until right before I start my senior year.”
“I need to find a way to stick around and not graduate in May. I’ve thought about getting a minor in journalism. I’ve also thought about law school here, too. Now I’m going to consider those two options a lot more seriously,” he says with a smile that makes my heart melt. Is his decision to stick around really based on his feelings for me?
After dinner Lane and I walk hand-in-hand back to the car. He parks in front of the Phi Mu house, gets out, opens my door and gets my bag from the backseat. At the door, I ask him to step inside. It’s really late on Sunday night, so I know no one will be up. Inside the foyer he drops my bag and grabs me by the waist, pulls me to him, and kisses me. Lost in the passion, he picks me up in his arms and carries me over to the sofa. He sets me down and takes off his jacket. He kisses me gently. Then he looks into my eyes as he caresses my face.
I whisper, “I think I’m falling in love with you.”
He whispers my name, tilts my head back and kisses me with an intensity that makes me woozie. When I notice my phone buzzing, I sit up, take it out, Bella has texted me. R u back?
Walking the Crimson Road Page 14