The older lady at the reception desk informed me that Shadywood Lodge was fully booked, having a few families in the tiny cabins and a writing retreat in the main lodge. She emphasized the latter by pointing to the lobby seating area where several women were lounging on plush leather seats by the fireplace, laptops open and headphones on. A few looked up at me and may have stared a bit longer than necessary, which gave me an idea. I put on my best smolder face and asked the receptionist my questions, but that didn’t work. I also tried the professional approach, offering my business card and a set of custom lobby chairs. No dice. Finally, after some small talk about the lodge and about Lucy’s pet cat named Ethel, who recently had a run-in with a horny skunk, I ended up paying the cost of a night stay, even though we wouldn’t technically be sleeping under any of their roofs. A little while later, I was out the door with two thin blankets, two pillows, and a thick comforter all bundled in my arms.
I didn’t run again. No way.
The parking area was mostly empty when I returned. Only two cars were parked at the back, the chilly air and setting sun scaring everyone away. Before I reached the truck, a blue car started and drove over to the main parking lot behind the lodge. That left a black coupe, which looked to be owned by a couple who were packing up their stuff on the strip of sand. Ah. Solitude was ours.
“You can’t be serious with that,” Celia said from somewhere around the stack of comfy fluff in my arms.
I twisted my body to the side, still taking care of where I stepped while I looked at her. “As serious as you tried to be when you gave me your eye mask.”
“Caleb, I have to be at work in the morning. I don’t think this is a good idea,” she said, covering her mouth with a hand.
I finally got to the truck and dumped the bundle of comfort into the bed. “I’ll set my phone alarm. I’ll drive you all the way to your place. You should have about an hour or so to shower and get to work.”
“I won’t have my car.”
“I’ll take you to your car first then, and if you want me to, I’ll follow you to your place to be sure you get there safe.”
She took an incredibly deep breath and let out a sigh behind her hand. Her eyes flitted around, considering my idea, the area. “All right.” The words were a tentative whisper.
“What? What was that?” I asked, grabbing her thighs and turning her toward me. Her legs dropped over the tailgate, and I stepped between them. “I didn’t hear you.”
She let her hand fall, revealing a shy and sexy smile stretching her lips. “I said all right. I’ll stay.”
18
______________
Celia
-then-
The lights at the fair had always been my favorite thing about it. Bright and twinkling. Magical and fantastical. The people came in at a close second. Wondrous eyes. Adventurous, thrill-seeking energy—or for kids, sugary, cotton candy energy. And of course there were all the amorous glances, words, and touches. Love, in so many variations, was everywhere at the fair. Even beside me at the ticket booth.
“Why the fair, though?” Jacob asked Mer after buying their tickets. “Hershey Park is always good. Stable. And the odds of the Ferris wheel falling apart while we’re on it and decapitating tons of people is far less than at a county pop-up fair.”
I cringed at his rather gruesome depiction while I strapped on my neon yellow, all-rides band. At least I wasn’t planning to ride the Ferris wheel like they were, so there was a chance my more pleasant views of the fair would remain intact. Along with my head, apparently.
“Because we’ve all been to Hershey a million times,” Mer said, tying up her golden hair and stepping aside for the next person in line at the booth. “I love it, don’t get me wrong, but a fair is different. And lots of fun for many other reasons. So we’re taking our chances with a guillotine wheel because our kiss at the top will be another check off the bucket list!”
Mer and Jacob hadn’t seemed exactly right together initially. He was more precise with life in general, especially his hair. And she … wasn’t. But they’d hooked up shortly after the quarry trip and had been on a few dates since.
Tonight, I was playing third wheel. I didn’t mind so much. We were supposed to meet up with some others. I’d also brought my camera and planned to take several shots to add to my portfolio for school and other submissions.
“Okay, ready?” Mer said, tugging on my arm.
I nodded, and she bolted forward into a jog. My camera bag flapped at my back as Jacob’s voice yelled from somewhere behind us, “Hey, wait up!”
It was a dash to the big wheel, dodging meandering bodies carrying massive bags of popcorn, and kids on the run to either the impossible games or the porta-potties. When we stopped in the line, I looked up in awe at the lights and the endless night beyond.
“You’re going on, right?” Mer asked, tipping her head back too.
“Nah.”
“Why not? You might get paired with someone, you know?” Her elbow knocked into my arm a couple of not-so-subtle times.
“Not taking that chance, thanks. I’d rather skip it for now. Maybe I’ll end up going to Hershey one day to mark this one off the list.”
“Or you could wait for the others to show. Jacob said a lot of the team would be here tonight.”
It was funny that the only football teammate I seemed to think of was Caleb even though I didn’t think of him as a footballer much. But he had been on my mind a lot more. After the trip to the quarry, he was always MIA whenever I was at their house. According to Mer, he’d taken on extra hours with his dad at work and was spending more time with friends. I couldn’t help but be a little sad every time I expected him to bust into Mer’s room or show up in random places. I hadn’t even seen him at school or for his birthday. I’d honestly missed him. His quippy humor. His incessant taunting. His soulful eyes. His big ears. His sexy smile.
Shit.
“You all right?” Mer said right before Jacob walked up behind us, his usual musky scented cologne hitting my nose before he even spoke. It wasn’t bad. Just not what I liked. I preferred woodsy. Like the freshly cut type. Go figure.
“Fine. I’m fine. It’s fine. You guys go. Knock out the next task.” I pointed up to the top bucket. “I’m gonna walk around and get some shots.”
Mer leaned into me with a hug and smashed a kiss to my cheek. “Thank you, babe. Love you.” When she pulled away, she flashed her playful smile then turned to Jacob and pushed him forward with her.
I waited there until they hopped into their orange bucket then backed up more and pulled out my camera. They worked, those two. One, a seemingly more straight-laced junior with his shit together. The other, as crazy and adventurous as she always was. They’d already made plans for prom the following weekend.
Mer waved her arms around as the wheel moved them up, stopping a few times to load more passengers.
“Hey,” a familiar voice said from behind me.
I turned around and came face-to-face with Murph. A few other football guys and cheerleaders Elise and Marie were laughing and joking close behind him.
“Hey,” I replied, looking into his easy eyes.
“So, I know we haven’t talked in a while, but I was wondering if—”
“Do it. Do it. Do it,” the guys had overheard his words and started to chant, drawing some attention.
Flustered by what I was almost positive was going to be a promposal, I averted my eyes, trying to think of what to say. I liked Murph. He was good-looking, with warm tawny skin, gentle eyes, and a brilliant smile. Kind. Nice. Smart. Check. Check. Check. Also, a decent kisser. He was fine. Fine, as in okay fine. And that was why I hadn’t gone on more dates with him. He might be perfect for someone else, but he was merely okay fine to me. And I realized that fine wasn’t good enough.
While they continued a chant and Murph turned to them, telling them all to fuck off in a calm mumble, I looked behind them and saw someone who was way more than fine for me.
“Celia?” Murph had turned back to me with an expectant stare.
I glanced over his shoulder to even more staring eyes that looked away when he shot them another glare.
“So you wanna go with me? I know it’s last minute but …”
I gave him a small smile and watched in horror as his smile faded. Saying no to him sucked.
“It’s cool,” he said with a nod, already knowing my answer.
But I still needed to explain. “I’m sorry, Murph. I’m not feeling us. I wish I were, I do. But I will be there, probably hanging with Mer and Jacob. I’d like to dance, as long as your much more deserving date is all right with that.”
He nodded again with pressed lips. “I get it. And I would like that too.” His eyes flitted around. “I should, uh …”
“Yeah. See ya,” I said, watching him walk off with the others before shooting my gaze back to Caleb. He was chatting with two girls who had wandered over to him and his friend.
“Celia!” Mer’s scream traveled down to me and everyone else within a mile radius.
Caleb’s face lifted toward the Ferris wheel then instantly dropped to the ground, searching. His eyes skipped past me then backtracked and locked on. The stare was intense, cutting through me with something like lightning, connecting us for so long. His eyebrows furrowed.
“Celia hurry!” Mer called down to me again. “Take this picture!”
Caleb broke contact first, glancing up at Mer then over at the girl talking beside him.
I finally spun around and looked up. Mer waved from their bucket, which had stopped at the top as others got on below. She and Jacob were standing upright and started to kiss. I fumbled my camera and took the shot as security guards brushed past me on their way to the wheel. Crap.
Mer screamed excitedly again, and the wheel started to move. I glanced back over at Caleb, feeling a pull to go to him. Only, knowing Mer could be in trouble, I went to her instead. They were also met by the two security guards, who cut their wristbands and booted them from the fair, but not before Mer ran, dancing and singing and tiring the guards out. Jacob and I had to corral her and convince her to leave before the cops were called.
“Aw, man. I don’t want to ruin your night. I’m sorry.” Mer hugged me close and shot a finger over her shoulder to the guards as we passed the main ticket booths.
“What about my night?” Jacob asked.
“Hey, you are an accomplice, buddy. I wasn’t the only one up there,” she joked. “Besides, my parents aren’t home right now, so …”
Jacob shut his mouth right up with a Cheshire cat worthy smile.
I laughed then pried Mer off me. “I’m staying.”
“Yeah?” she asked, the lights of the fair reflecting inside her excited light brown eyes. “Yay! Good. I can come back and pick you up—”
“I saw Caleb inside.” I hitched a thumb over my shoulder and tried my best to keep my expression neutral even though my body was trembling with anticipation. “I’m sure he’ll take me home.”
“I’m sure he will,” Jacob murmured.
Mer tilted her head at him and narrowed her eyes. When she looked back at me, she asked seriously, “Yeah? You sure?”
“Yeah. Or I’ll call my mom if not. No problem. Have a good rest of your night.”
“Text me.” She kissed her palm then blew that kiss to me before turning and running through the parking lot.
When I got back into the fairgrounds, Caleb was no longer in line at the haunted house. So I waited at the side by some smelly trash cans, hoping what I was about to do wouldn’t wreck our friendship. It had already suffered enough. I didn’t want to lose him completely. I’d known for a while how much he’d meant, though, how much I felt about him. I’d let so many things cloud my head, deter me from seeing what was so plain to see. He was completely right for me. Daring. Funny. Sexy. Frustrating. Pushy. Smug. Thoughtful.
Way more than fine.
Holding my breath—because of the trash smell, not nerves—I caught sight of him as he jumped out of a seat behind his friend. His eyes traveled around the crowd as if he were looking for someone. He moved forward, and I did the same, feeling like a creepy stalker. But I needed the right moment. I didn’t want to screw it up.
Payback was what I was after.
He got a soda from a concession booth then moved toward the darkened stage area set up for bands to perform. While his friend headed for a row of porta-potties, he leaned against a rail fence and kicked a foot onto the base to wait. Perfect.
I snuck around the backside of the concession booth and came up from behind him as he watched the crowd pass by.
“RAHH!” I lunged forward into sight.
“AHHH!” His soda launched into the air as his body scrambled backward.
I couldn’t stop the cackling laugh that escaped me. I’d done it. “Ha! Oh my God. I got you. I so got you.”
“Dammit,” Caleb replied, dropping his hand from the imaginary set of pearls he’d been clutching before standing up straighter and looking around to check if anyone had witnessed the epic scare.
People had seen, and they were amused. Especially his friend, who had returned from the bathroom and was now laughing at him with me.
“Nice one,” the friend said. I recognized his face from school but didn’t know him. “Hi.”
“Celia, Devon,” Caleb introduced us with a swipe of his hand through the air.
“Hi,” I replied with a smile then refocused on Caleb, my smile only growing more.
Devon cleared his throat. “Yo, man. I just remembered who that girl was at the funnel cake stand. Hit me up later.”
“Later.” Caleb tracked Devon’s movements until he disappeared into the crowd. His eyes shifted around some more. “Where’s Mer?”
“She got booted.”
“Oh. You didn’t bail with them?” His eyes dropped to the ground, looking at my feet as I kicked the railing’s post with the toe of my Chucks, my nerves finally taking over.
“No. I was kinda hoping you could give me a ride home when you leave. Or I can call my mom if you can’t. No big. I just wanted to get some more pics for my portfolio.” I held my camera out from around my neck as if that was going to help prove something.
“Yeah. Okay.” He nodded.
“I mean, if you’re busy or meeting someone else …”
“Nope. Lead the way,” he said, his eyes watching me carefully.
He wasn’t joking or playing around like normal, only acting reserved, which made me a bit uneasy. Maybe I’d made a mistake. Maybe I was asking too much. Maybe he’d changed his mind while mine finally stopped denying the truth.
I took a few uninspired shots, fully aware of where he was at all times—close to my side or watching from behind. My mind wouldn’t let me focus. He hadn’t said anything more to me, and it was driving me insane.
Standing, I turned away from the Ferris wheel to him. “Okay. That’s plenty. I’m sorry if I wasted your time.” His silence was crushing me. “I can wait by the front ticket booth. If you wanna stay, you can text me when you’re ready. Or maybe I should call my mom.”
“If that’s what you want,” he said simply, digging his hands into his jean pockets.
No, it wasn’t what I’d wanted. I wanted to feel him against me. I wanted to kiss those smart-ass lips.
I tucked my camera into my shoulder bag and took a few steps closer. His eyes closed with a long blink, and his chest expanded with a deep breath.
“I have to tell you something,” I admitted as his face tipped downward. “I wasn’t sure, and I was also afraid of things changing …”
“Yeah?”
“I …”
“Celia …”
“I … have an answer.” I bit my lip and stared up into his eyes as I recalled what he’d asked at the abando
ned house last fall. “You and me? It wouldn’t be so bad.”
He released a long breath, and I couldn’t tell exactly what it meant. His eyes closed again. His face remained stoic. He’d said I’d had to decide for myself. He wouldn’t push. I needed to.
With shaky hands, I pressed one against his chest and lifted the other to the side of his neck, drawing his attention and his face down as I stepped closer. “I can’t stop thinking about you. I miss you. I want more with you.”
He sighed then a smile appeared, little at first and then full-blown with teeth. “It’s about fucking time, Tarsier.”
I giggled at that and his arms were instantly around me, wrapping down at my waist, fingertips digging in.
“We won’t be so bad,” he whispered then brushed his lips to mine, softly, sweetly.
I lifted my other hand to his face, grabbing hold, pulling him in more. And then we were kissing, mouths opening, needing a deeper connection. His tongue licked inside, and I let him, tasting him with my own. He made a sound like a hum and his fingers dug deeper into my lower back, eliminating any remaining space between us, crushing me against his hard body. He felt divine. Strong yet soft. Every touch of his hands, every motion of his mouth, both firm and gentle.
My body weakened, overloaded with feeling as it released the tension I’d felt moments before. He hadn’t changed his mind. I couldn’t believe I’d been so blind because everything clicked in a single moment.
He broke contact, lifting his face to the night sky with a deep breath.
“Are you okay? Was that …?” The kiss felt perfect to me. More than. Maybe he didn’t feel the same.
His face tipped back down to me with another gorgeous smile on his lips. “I am well past okay. And that was so incredible. Better than I ever imagined. And damn, I have imagined it a lot.” Those lips pushed against mine again.
I giggled. “I, uh, I owe you a soda.”
“You owe me nothing. I’d sacrifice a thousand more sodas if this is the outcome.”
Senior Year Bucket List Page 13