I Picked You

by J C Hartung

  They were far enough from the house and barn that they were no longer in sight. The smell deep in the trees was different from the smell standing next to them; wet earth, hot summer air, aging tree bark and rotting leaves were prevalent. Though the air was still warm under the canopy of leaves, it was like a different world. The silence was its own presence, and it was a silence that had greater depths than the quiet around the house.

  At that moment, he craved noise, a crowded street, and a cool breeze because he felt churned up and nowhere near as settled or smooth as she seemed to think he was. She was a force, and somewhere during that kiss he had given her the power, and now as they walked in silence, he wasn’t even completely sure he wanted it back.

  He saw where she was leading them before she turned back to see him acknowledge it. It wasn’t much, but to a kid it would be a proud retreat, and judging by the expression on her face it had been that for her.

  She pushed aside a final swath of branches and pulled gently at the makeshift hatch that had once been the door to the small shelter. It clattered to the ground with a creak and a thud.

  “It’s funny how everything always seemed so much bigger and better when you were small,” she said thoughtfully.

  He was almost tall enough to see right over the wall and into the roof which had collapsed. He felt himself moving back into the safe zone when she spoke, and he could think about something other than her.

  “There’s not much left of it, and what is left has been thoroughly destroyed by whatever’s made its home in it.”

  She took one more look inside and turned away. “It’s pretty gross. Anyway, now you know it’s here. Or what’s left of it, I guess.”

  “I wouldn’t have found it until next summer. I haven’t scheduled time or allowed myself to think of the rest of the property until the house is done.”

  “I’d say that’s fair! Unless you want to make that your backup for winter living.”

  He glanced back over his shoulder as they wove their way back the way they’d come. They were quiet again until they reached the edge of the drive, and he slipped her hand back into his.

  “Thanks! It’s cool to know it’s there. Maybe I’ll make a project out of it someday.”

  She looked up at him and smiled. “Did you have a fort or a tree house when you were a kid?”

  “No, I grew up in the city.”

  “No secret hide outs?” She dug her elbow into his side playfully.

  He shook his head. “Not at home, but I could always find them on the job sites.”

  “On the job sites?” she asked.

  “I grew up on them.” He saw her scrunch her nose and he figured the questions would start soon.

  “I grew up in a building center, or what my Grandma calls, the lumber yard.” He grinned down at her and imagined a pretty good life surrounded by the things he loved.

  “Lumber yard. I like that!”

  “So what’s your story, Linc?”

  “My story can wait for later, we still haven’t done fun, or that drink.” They’d reached her car. She opened the door to allow the heat to escape while she leaned on the back door, crossing her arms and ankles.

  “Later,” she repeated, and paused to think about it. “Alright, but I don’t know when. I’ll try to make time.”

  “Time is all I’m asking!” He couldn’t hold back the chuckle when she pointed a finger at him and laughed.

  “Smooth. Look I’ll find some time, but until then maybe you could swing by The Bakery for another snack in the next few days. Just show up, I’ll be there, and I know you’ll be hungry!”

  He grabbed her hand where her finger pointed into his chest in mock accusation and pulled her close. He could risk being drawn under one more time, especially since she couldn’t nail down a date or a time for him to look forward to. When they parted she didn’t let go, but examined his face.

  “You could be a dangerous man, Lincoln,” she said quietly, and not quite steadily.

  “I was just thinking the same of you,” he echoed, and allowed his embrace to free her. She started up her car and the window slid down.

  “Thanks for the distraction. Sorry if I kept you from your work too long.” Her apology came on the heels of a dazzling smile that had him matching it and shoving his hands in his pockets.

  “Anytime!”

  He raised his hand to wave and slowly backed his way to the barn as he watched her tail lights disappear in the trees.

  It was just after one o’clock and feeling pretty good about herself; Raina didn’t want to head home, not just yet.

  She drove into town asking the same question she had earlier that morning. Just who was Lincoln? Not once did he look at his watch while she was with him. Not once did he appear to want to be anywhere but where he was. Always in control, she thought. But then she remembered how he’d kissed her, and what he’d said before he did. Maybe his control could be rattled. She sure hoped so, because he sure rattled her.

  Their first kiss had been her way of testing the waters and embracing the side of herself she’d denied for so long. The second had been fueled by a need for closeness, and riding high on emotional honesty. Thinking back she felt she’d practically begged him to do it. She had wanted him to so badly, especially after she thought he was going to kiss her and he shifted directions and just held her.

  Today there was nothing but the two of them, and no ghosts hanging over her head to observe. He had a way, and it suited him; his laidback, easy manner would likely surprise her again. It fit him so perfectly it made her question how it often slipped by unnoticed, and that was appealing. No, not appealing, it was outright sexy.

  He’d eased her into his arms and drew her into that sweet, slow and vibrating kiss so easily, yet for a brief moment before his lips met hers she felt on even ground, like all that smooth could be ruffled. When she thought about his mouth, her stomach curled and a gurgle of laughter crept through to her bones.

  She was still laughing when she found herself pulling up outside of Carrie’s shop.

  She walked in without questioning why. Carrie was at the desk chatting with a woman who looked perfectly coiffed. She winked at Carrie and distracted herself with a product display while she waited. When she was through, Carrie walked over to her.

  “Hey!” Carrie greeted with a slight hint of, what are you doing here?

  “Hi! Are you booked now?” she asked, looking around at the quiet salon. Carrie’s expression made Rae laugh.

  “I’m not, do you need something? Are you alright?” Carrie placed a hand on Raina’s arm and looked a bit concerned.

  She laughed again, and she began to understand what her family saw when they looked at her; an empty shell, with no light, and no spark; someone to be coddled and treated carefully. It was well past time to change that.

  Her excited buzz calmed slightly and she embraced her sister-in-law.

  “Actually, I’m here to make your day.” She reached back and with her arm gathered the long chords of hair together.

  Carrie’s eyes widened with excitement. “Are you serious?”

  Raina nodded, her grin holding fast.

  “Cut it, all of it! Do what you want, but it has to be long enough to tie back.”

  Carrie didn’t ask twice, she whisked Rae to her chair, pulled the pins that held the twists, and began to run her fingers through it. She’d been desperate to get her hands on that thick mane for years.

  Finally, she greedily laughed. She knew how she wanted Raina to look without having to go through the motions of seating her in the chair and examining her, she just wanted to be certain Raina was sure. She looked in the mirror and met Rae’s eyes.

  “Are you sure, sweetie?”

  Raina nodded. “Cut it.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  For a day she’d anticipated to be long and mercilessly lonely, it turned out to be exactly the opposite. She made one last swipe with a rag across the gleaming counter and called it a night. H
iking up the stairs she was exhausted, but she was happy, and tomorrow she would do it all again, well, the school and bus segment of the day.

  It helped immensely that Oliver loved school. He’d bounced off the bus and into her arms, his mouth unable to keep up with his memories of the day. After all was said, he couldn’t wait for the morning.

  She, Carrie and Abby had rescheduled their first Thursday of the month tradition, so instead of going out she put in a few hours of work, before she found herself collapsed across her bed. She’d felt surprisingly light all day, and now with inches lost from her hair she imagined it was just one more step in the right direction.

  A satisfied smile; no it was more than a smile. It was a grin, accompanied by a deep laugh that rippled through her whole body. She thought of Lincoln, and he seemed to bring it out of her. She thought about herself when she was with him. It was interesting to flirt. It was interesting to be flirted with, and it was interesting to discover along this new journey, that she liked being discovered as well.

  She liked how he looked at her; like he saw who she wanted to be and who she was, and could mix them together without one being bigger than the other. He made her pulse race, yet he didn’t demand anything of her apart from the present moment. She liked that he was easy to be with, and now that she thought about it, he’d given her a huge chunk of his day and not once did he rush her along or make her feel like he had better things to do.

  She traced her finger across her forehead, finding the jagged curve as she drifted to sleep seeing deep, clear, sparkling blue eyes, and remembering how his unshaved face brushed her own, and how the smell of sawdust had never been so appealing.

  The night was calm, cool and clear, and the poker game had been more educational than he ever would have expected. He’d learned Oliver’s first day of school had gone amazing, that Raina usually met her sisters the first Thursday of every month at the same time as the poker game, and that she had been slowly edging her way out of her cocoon recently; and that small piece of knowledge made him feel strings pull at both his heart and his belly.

  Earlier in the day he’d strongly debated skipping out and making up for the few hours he’d spent with Raina, but in the end he was in pretty good shape and thought getting out would benefit him more.

  Now as he drove Matthew home, he knew it was the right choice. It had been a good time; he’d made a few new contacts, found himself a plumber, overheard some interesting tidbits, and earned himself a monthly seat in the game.

  “Thanks again for the ride. Carrie usually picks me up after she’s gone out with the girls, but she’s been exhausted lately. I guess the baby is eating up all her excess energy,” Matthew stated proudly.

  Linc glanced over to a beaming Matthew next to him. “Hey, congratulations! Your first?”

  “Yeah, thanks, we’re pretty excited.”

  Linc stopped and pulled to the curb where Matthew guided. It was a typical three bedroom bungalow, but the landscaping bumped it to interesting and the exterior finishing offered definite curb appeal.

  “Nice place.”

  Matthew looked at the house affectionately. It was still early and considering that Carrie would be fast asleep, he invited Linc in.

  They didn’t actually go inside; Matthew took him around to the back yard, where a beautiful pergola invited them to pull up a chair next to a brick fireplace.

  “This is great!” Linc complimented.

  “We put it in a few years ago. It’s definitely been worth it, we sit out here a couple times a week for sure this time of year.”

  “I’ve got some great chairs that would look good with this wood. Next time you’re out by my place swing by and check them out, I’ll give you a good deal!” He heard Matthew laugh, but saw him scan quickly to the plastic chairs and Linc knew he’d stop by to have a look.

  Linc walked around and inspected the subtle lighting scheme, the beautiful posts that held up the cross beams, and finally the sunroom that added even more interest to the house.

  While Linc admired the house, Matthew threw some logs into the fireplace and had a fire burning in miniutes. He joined Linc by the large sliding doors.

  “Can I get you something to drink?” he asked.

  “Just some water would be great, thanks. Mind if I check out your sunroom?” Linc asked, and when Matthew motioned for him to do so, he followed him in.

  The house had been through extensive renovations, and as far as Linc could see, it was done well and wisely.

  They settled in, talked shop, and Linc left shortly after midnight with Matthew’s offer to help him hang the drywall over the weekend.

  He heard the rain start somewhere in the early hours of the morning. It woke him and since he was awake, he rose and dragged himself groggily to the coffee pot that sat next to his desk in the loft.

  He answered the emails he’d been avoiding for days and took care of his billing while he drew up a few samples for a client to look over. Satisfied, he looked at the clock and saw he’d snuck in a fair amount of work and all before 7:00. The coffee perked him up, as did the idea of spending a few hours in the shop before heading to town for a snack. He could probably afford a bit of time to swing through the grocery store to pick up some odds and ends to get him through the weekend.

  He took his second steaming cup of coffee down with him, drinking it slowly while he added the first swipe of deep rich walnut stain to a modern banquette. It brought out the grain in the wood immediately and as he wiped off the excess, he felt the familiar tingle of something beautiful taking shape beneath his hands.

  He finished that, washed up, and locked the shop doors before he directed his truck into town.

  The rain was always unpredictable. Would it drive the cottage crowd into town or keep them curled up on their sofas? Today it seemed those prepared to venture out in the downpour were few, which allowed Raina to lock herself upstairs in her office to catch up on paperwork and ordering.

  She heard the low thump on the stairs and wondered if it had picked up after all. She expected Sara to peek her head around the corner and instead found she was facing Linc.

  “Well, hello, isn’t this a surprise!” she smiled up at him, and leaned back in her chair.

  “Is it? You told me to stop by,” he said, leaning on the door frame with a soup and sandwich combo on his plate.

  “I did, but I didn’t expect you so soon,” she teased, and let out a short laugh. “Come in.”

  “Well, it turns out I’m addicted.”

  His intense eyes fell on hers and she felt that stumble in her chest, and just when she thought the silence between them had gone too long, a disarming smile animated his face. His startlingly blue eyes danced, and he looked down at his plate to imply it was the food he came for. She exhaled and laughed lightly along with him, but the damage to her system had been done.

  So her office seemed to be the location of revelations. The first one had been acknowledging she was attracted to this tall, sexy-smooth, blond man. Today it was that she was in danger of giving him a piece of her heart. It was, after all this time, startling to realize that she still stumbled into infatuation easily. So easily it was not altogether settling.

  “So your stomach lured you in!”

  “That was one thing, but I have a list.” He sat next to her, placed his plate on her desk and gave her knee a quick squeeze before he allowed his hand to wander up to touch the ends of her hair.

  “Look at you!” he grinned. “That’s quite the change! It suits you. You’re all light and airy, breezy-sexy, defying the expected!”

  She was staring at him now, unable to move as she felt him examine every inch of her. The way he saw her was so entirely unexpected, neither her ears nor her heart were accustomed to such flattering words.

  Long ago words had won her over, but these words were different, in a different time. This man was different, much different. But the flashes of memory left her temporarily unbalanced.

  His fingers moved
from the hair that danced around her shoulders, up to sweep her bangs across her brow and trail down her cheek.

  Her heart was pounding so hard, she could do nothing but feel the lump in her throat, as the heat in her chest spread to her cheeks.

  He saw the color creep up her neck and into her cheeks as he moved the thick sweep of her hair across her forehead. He felt her brace, and he moved the back of his fingers to skim a trail down her cheek. He thought it wise of him to change the subject.

  “So, how was school? You look like you survived another morning!”

  He busied himself with his food and gave her something else to think about.

  “It was better than good! It was all completely irrational fear on my part.”

  “I think you’re entitled,” he offered, then spooned up a mouthful of soup.

  “So what else is on this list?” she asked, with a slight shake of her head.

  “I need some food; lunch and groceries. I’ve got to restock my fridge and pick up some burgers for the weekend. Matthew is coming down to lend a hand, and I need food to make it through a few days.”

  Interesting, he thought, as he watched her watch him. The news of Matthew lending a hand over the weekend wasn’t news to her at all. He wondered what else she knew. He could see her color returning to normal, and he figured whatever had spooked her was fading, or she was just exceptionally talented at holding herself together. Since she was already on guard, maybe he could afford to push a little further.

  “Maybe you and Oliver could swing by sometime on Sunday and check out the progress. It’s supposed to be miserable all weekend; you might like a reason to get out.” He watched the question in her eyes shift to uncertainty and finally to the inscrutable.

  “You want me to come by with Oliver, to check out the progress?”