Craving Country

by Gorman, A.

  “The driver’s name is Ariel Petty.”

  “Who?” Eddie blinked and moved the phone from his right ear to his left, trying to hear through the blood roaring in his veins. She couldn’t have said—

  “Ariel Petty. I’ll give you her cell phone number so you can let her know you’re on your way.”

  He grabbed a pen and scrawled the number on the nearest scrap of paper, but he wouldn’t call her. “Thanks. I’ll go get her.” He dropped the receiver in the cradle and picked up his cell phone, sending a quick, impersonal text to the number the insurance company gave him. He patted his pockets, searching for the keys to the tow truck, then remembered he’d left them in the ignition. Everyone in Bitterweed left their keys in their cars and front doors unlocked. Ten miles east, in Woodland where the high school was located, people locked up every night. But here, looking out for each other was a way of life.

  Eddie jumped in the truck and headed west on forty-five, his palms sweating on the steering wheel. Ariel. After all this time, he’d finally get to see her, just the two of them, stranded on the desolate highway in the middle of the woods. What would he do with her? Hold her? Kiss her? Slip his hand under her shirt and unhook—

  Snap out of it, man! This is a tow job, not a booty call. He mashed his lips together in a useless attempt to smother a smile. Back in high school, he’d gotten pretty good at unhooking her bra with one hand. They used to park his truck down by the river and make out for hours in the dark. His cock stiffened as the memories teased him.

  A silver sedan appeared at the bottom of the hill, and Eddie caught his breath when he spotted the woman he’d loved so long ago. The rising sun gleamed off her strawberry blonde hair, and her eyes sparkled as she peered toward him. Her figure had rounded out a bit more since high school, making her breasts full and lush. His erection pressed painfully against his zipper as he pulled to a stop. Damn it, I can’t let her see this!

  Eddie tugged his t-shirt loose and let it drop over his crotch, hoping it would hide his excitement. Then he stepped out of the truck and flashed a smile. “Hello, Ariel.”

  Ariel gasped at the vision before her. Eddie Grayhawk had been a hottie in high school, but damn, he’d turned into a drop dead gorgeous man. His straight black hair hung to his shoulders, dancing around his chocolate brown eyes as a cool breeze tossed strands in his face. His wicked grin curled her toes, and the snug, oil-smudged t-shirt did nothing to hide the obvious hard-on in his fitted jeans. “Eddie.” Her voice cracked, and she swallowed, licking her lips. “Hi.”

  He shifted, as if trying to adjust his pants without touching himself. “Need help?” He grunted the words.

  Help getting my bra off? He’d been really good at that. But his gaze slid from her lips to the propped-up hood of her car, and Ariel’s face heated. “Oh, right.”

  Denim stretched over his finely toned ass as he bent over to study the engine. “What happened?”

  Her brain sputtered as it shifted from ogling his backside to recalling exactly how she’d ended up in this position. “It just died at the bottom of the hill.”

  He tinkered with a couple of parts then frowned and fixed a glare at her. “Got any gas in the tank?”

  Ariel huffed. “Yes, I’m not an idiot.”

  Eddie grinned and stood up. “Sorry, a lot of out of towners don’t realize how far apart gas stations are out here.” He moved closer to her, staring into her eyes with an unspoken message much more important than vehicle maintenance.

  “Out of…?” Oh, right. She hadn’t called Bitterweed her home since high school. Had she ever really belonged here? “Is that what I am to you?”

  “You left.” His lips flattened as he spat the words at her.

  As if getting out of this dead-end town as soon as she could was a crime? At least she’d done something with her life. “You’re still here.”

  He reached out and swept a windblown strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m always here.”

  His touch triggered a landslide of memories. Their first kiss while hiding under the bridge during a thunderstorm. Slow dancing at prom. Their last kiss in his truck at the barn. Dreaming about him just last week. Yes, she’d left town, but she’d never gotten away from him. “Why? You were as much of an outsider as I was.”

  He stepped back. “I made my place. I’m happy with my life. Are you?”

  Ariel’s cheeks turned red, and she hesitated, her lips parting as if to answer him, but then she bit her lip. Eddie knew that look. She wouldn’t lie to him, but she wouldn’t tell him the truth either.

  “Talk to me.” They’d been able to talk about everything once.

  She shook her head. “Do you care?”

  “How could I not? It’s you, Ariel. I want to know if…” You’re happy without me? No, he didn’t want to hear her say that. “If you’re all right.”

  “Can you fix my car?”

  A flash of indignation heated his face. He’d fix the damn thing if it killed him. No one else in the county could. She didn’t know that, but she would if she’d stuck around. “You’re damn right I can.”

  A little smile fluttered on her lips. “Good.”

  He hadn’t been able to see the problem, so he’d have to run some diagnostics. “I’ll tow you to my garage.” He held his hand out to her. “Where are you staying?”

  “At Mom’s.”

  Her soft, warm palm melted into his, nearly bringing him to his knees. Eddie resisted the urge to pull her up against him and kiss her senseless. Instead, he helped her climb into the passenger seat then hooked her car to his truck.

  Ariel was finger-combing her hair in the rearview mirror when he climbed in the driver’s seat. Memories of her doing the exact same thing flashed into his head. Prom, baseball games, or just a Saturday night parked down by the river. Her hair had always been perfect, but she was never satisfied with it. The woman didn’t know when she had something good. He suppressed a sigh as she turned the mirror toward him and scooted over.

  “Thanks for the ride.” She buckled her seat belt.

  He nodded, started the engine, and pulled out onto the highway. “I never expected to see you again after your mother’s funeral. What brought you back home?”

  She flinched at that word. “I found out about the reunion and decided to go on a whim. Are you going?” Her voice held a casual tone, but he caught a flicker of hope in her eyes.

  He hadn’t given one damn fuck about the event. “I am now.”

  “Good. It’ll be nice to see a friendly face.” She seemed to tense up as he slowed the truck for the stop sign at the intersection of Highways 45 and 86. His gas station/repair shop/towing service sat on the southwest corner. Every building in town lay in walking distance of each other, including her family’s home up a slight hill and down a dirt road just off the highway. And yet Eddie could avoid seeing it and often did.

  “This place hasn’t changed a bit.” Ariel scoffed out the window, fixing her gaze toward the sunrise revealing their surroundings.

  “Actually, a lot has changed. Patti owns the restaurant now. The post office closed last month, and Tyler Jenkins runs a bait shop out of it. I took over the service station after Dad died.” He paused to recall what else had happened since she left. “Your mom’s house is still on the market though.”

  “I know.”

  He wanted to ask about the love of her life—her restaurant. An odd twinge of jealousy stabbed at him, and he let the subject go. He couldn’t force her to tell him what happened. She’d do that on her own terms, if at all.

  They pulled up to the garage, and she opened the passenger door before the truck completely stopped. Eddie parked and scrambled to help her out, catching her as she slid to the ground. “Trying to get away from me?”

  “No.” She blushed. “I forgot how high this thing is.” Ariel stepped away from his hold and glanced around at the work-in-progress garage and the house he grew up in. “All this is yours now?”

  “Yep.” He ambled t
oward her car and released it from the towing hookup. “Dad tried to sell it, but no one was interested. So I bought it from him.”

  She spun, and her blue eyes bore straight through him. “What would you have done if he had sold it?”

  He knew she wanted him to say he would’ve left this place and gone after her. And while he’d resisted the urge to chase her down, he would’ve dragged her back here, kicking and screaming most likely. So no matter if the garage had sold or not, he’d still be in Bitterweed. She definitely didn’t want to hear that. “I don’t know. Probably work for whoever bought it.”

  She shook her head as if she’d expected as much. “Well, I should go. I’ll see you tomorrow night?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Um…” Ariel glanced toward her motionless car. “I could walk home from here, but…”

  Eddie suddenly remembered how she’d come to be in his garage. “You need a car.” He hurried to his office and grabbed a set of keys from the rack on the wall, clutching them to his pounding heart. She wouldn’t run away in his car, would she?

  She walked into the office. “You don’t have to do this.”

  “Where else are you going to get a vehicle?” He nodded toward the door. “It’s parked next to the house.”

  She followed him and then gasped as he opened the driver’s door on a classic Mustang. “Is this the same piece of crap you drove in high school?”

  “Yep.”

  “It’s beautiful.” She ran her hand along the gleaming red finish. “I can’t believe this gorgeous machine is the same rust pile you drove back then.”

  “I put a lot of work and love into it.” He slid into the driver’s seat and jammed the key into the ignition. The car started like it had just rolled off the assembly line. He ran his hand over the polished black steering wheel. “Be good to her.”

  “You’re trusting me with your precious Mustang?”

  “I wouldn’t say that.” He stood and smiled. “I don’t trust the truck not to leave you stranded, and Jack has the loaner car.”

  She glanced toward the old Chevy parked beside the car and shuddered. “You’d have to come rescue me again.”

  “I would. Whenever you needed me.” He would’ve gone after her the first time she left, but she hadn’t needed rescuing then.

  “Thanks for everything.” She curled her arms in his direction and moved toward him. At the same time, he stepped close and bumped into her.

  “Oh, sorry.” He stepped back and wrapped his arms around her shoulders while she curled against him. They didn’t quite fit, but he maintained his hold.

  Ariel pressed her hands on his chest and leaned back. “Hi.” Her soft pink lips made the simple word sound like an invitation.

  “Hey.” Eddie closed his eyes and moved in, surprised when his kiss landed on her cheek instead of her mouth.

  “Oh. Sorry. I thought…since it’s been so long.” She rose up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. He’d kissed other women since Ariel had left him, but damn, no one could kiss like her. Even a short, soft sweep like this left him wanting more. He’d never had much more than some secretive groping with her, so his cock rose to the occasion.

  “Good night. Er, good morning. Shit. I gotta go.” She slipped from his grasp and dropped into the driver’s seat, gunning the engine and spraying gravel as the car tore out the driveway.

  “Always running away from me.” Eddie grumbled and adjusted the bulge in his pants. He steeled himself, knowing she’d most likely go back to Minneapolis after the reunion. Did she have anything to go back to? Would he survive if she left him again?

  Ariel looked fabulous. And she could say that about herself because she was dressed far better than anyone else in the room. Fire engine red cocktail dress, patent platform heels, sparkling jewels, hair half up, half down. Fab. U. Lous.

  “Well, if it isn’t Chef Petty,” Patti snarled and slapped a name tag on Ariel’s chest. “I’m surprised you managed to drag yourself away from the big city to come to our little backwoods party.”

  “Thank you for inviting me,” Ariel ground through her teeth. Did Patti have an agenda? The two had never gotten along. Ariel had tried to encourage her in culinary arts class, but Patti never took it well.

  “Wasn’t my idea.” Patti brushed her off and moved to hug another long-lost classmate.

  No one else seemed to notice Ariel’s entrance. She wandered past the pool table dominating the room and stood beside the juke box. Someone had selected an odd assortment of songs, both country and rock. She glanced into the dining room where a waitress filled glasses of ice water and set them on round tables draped with plastic tablecloths, paper napkins, and the same plastic flowers she’d seen in high school. Elegant enough for this town, she supposed, but no one had decorated for the reunion. No balloons or streamers, no class colors, no cake. The place looked exactly the same as the last time she’d seen it—prom night with Eddie.

  A tingle ran down her spine when she spotted Eddie leaning against the far side of the horseshoe-shaped bar, talking and laughing with Jenna. The man looked hotter than ever in clean dark jeans, a crisp buttoned shirt, and just as she suspected, well-worn cowboy boots, the men’s dress shoes of the Midwest. Damn it, I’m overdressed. She’d wanted to stand out, not like the outsider she’d always been, but like the rockstar she wanted to be. But maybe in this disguise no one would notice her failure.

  Eddie noticed her. He stood upright and whistled through his teeth. She couldn’t hear the sound, but she recognized the shape of his mouth and the unmistakable outline of an erection behind his zipper. The man always seemed to be hard in her presence. Why hadn’t she ever taken advantage of that?

  Before she could pursue that thought, her name on a high-pitched squeal sent a shudder down her spine. Mrs. Wooten, the Culinary Arts teacher, wrapped her in a crushing hug. “Ariel! I’m so glad you came.”

  Ariel had thought she didn’t care to see anyone, but hugging the woman who’d nurtured her love of cooking brought tears to her eyes. “It’s so good to see you.”

  “My star student. I’ve seen you on Food Network. You’re famous now!” Mrs. Wooten clapped her hands together and beamed at her favorite former student.

  “Yes.” Ariel decided not to offer any evidence to the contrary.

  Patti snorted. “Infamous is more like it.” Somehow, she’d snaked into the conversation.

  Ariel’s mouth went dry, and she croaked, “What?”

  Eddie stepped between them, cradling Ariel’s elbow and pulling her close. “Come with me.”

  He placed her trembling hand on his shoulder and slid his arm around her waist, swirling her into the dining room. Now their classmates noticed her, gawking as they stumbled around the tables and tripped over scattered chairs. This was not how her triumphant return fantasy was supposed to play out.

  “What’s she talking about?” Ariel rose up on her toes to peek at Patti while Eddie swept her out to the deck overlooking the riverbank.

  “Patti? Juicy gossip, no doubt. Forget about her.” He shoved the sliding glass door closed, leaving their audience unable to hear, then planted his feet and crossed his arms over his chest. “Why did you come here?”

  Her gaze snapped to him, drawn by his intense brown eyes. God, she’d missed him. He’d been on her mind when she’d gotten out of bed at two a.m. More than that. The thought of seeing him had propelled her to her feet, packed her bag, and driven her car. “I—” she faltered, attempting to resurrect the victorious fantasy she’d wanted to live. “I wanted to come back to this blasted place and flaunt my success in the faces of everyone who made fun of me.”

  Eddie snorted. “I figured as much.”

  She snarled at him. “You don’t know me. You don’t know what I’ve been through in the last fifteen years.”

  “Then talk to me, woman! Tell me who you are.”

  “I’m—!” A failure. She couldn’t tell him that. Oh, she’d run off to the big city and built her fancy r
estaurant, become the most acclaimed chef in Minneapolis, and had gotten an offer for her own show on Food Network. But it had all crashed and burned. And then she’d had nothing. No one to turn to for comfort. While she was building her success, she’d failed to build relationships, so when it all came crumbling down, she’d suffered alone. “I missed you. I’m nothing without you.” Sweet Jesus, it’s true!

  “That’s bullshit.” He slipped his fingers under her chin and tilted her face to look up at him. “Do you know what you are?”

  She shook her head.

  “You are the reason I wake up every morning.” Eddie pulled her close, clamping his hands above the swell of her hips. “I fell in love with you because…”

  Her heart pounded as the warmth of his body seeped through her limbs. “Because I’m a magician in the kitchen?” She could work magic in the bedroom too, but he’d never gotten a chance to experience it.

  Sparks flared over her skin as he drew his fingertip down her cheek. “I love you because you were never afraid to be yourself.”

  Present tense? “I’m always afraid.” A sudden breeze rushed across the river, cooling the muggy air and sending a chill down the back of her neck.

  “I didn’t see it. You and I were both outsiders, but that didn’t stop you from doing what you loved. You gave me the courage to make my place here, to become the man I am today.”

  But he’d done it without her. “Why did you let me go?”

  “You didn’t want to stay. That was never a secret. If I’d made you stay with me…” A short laugh escaped him. “You wouldn’t have.”

  “I wanted to leave this place. I didn’t want to leave you.”

  His eyes narrowed. “I didn’t know that.”

  She glared back at him. “You would’ve if you’d come to the barn.”

  He clamped his hands on her hips and pulled her close, resting his forehead against hers as a sigh escaped him. “I’ve been kicking myself for that for the last fifteen years.”