“You do know that continuing to question what’s going on between you two is going to eventually come between you, right?” I looked down at my lap because I knew she was right, and I couldn’t look at her when she was telling me how stupid I was. “I’m not saying run off and sleep with him, but I am saying that you need to stop letting the ‘what if’s’ control the now. He’s with you. He doesn’t have to be. The guy didn’t commit to anyone after she left, not even once, and now he’s with you. There’s a reason for that, and no part of me thinks it’s to pass the time or fill some void he’s feeling.”
I finally looked up and met her stare.
“He cares about you, anyone that sees the two of you together could figure that out. Just stop questioning it and enjoy it.”
***
I slowed to a stop next to Rhett’s truck, and with a deep breath I climbed out of my car. Next to his big blue Chevy, my Cruz looked like a clown’s car. The comparison made me laugh remembering his comment a few days before about being able to fit my car into the bed of his truck. His truck truly was a monstrous thing that looked slightly intimidating.
As I walked around the front of his truck, I saw his mother walking down the stairs with his sister trailing close behind. They both smiled, and off in the distance I heard hammering and what sounded like a saw running.
“AJ,” Ms. Jackson hollered out, “you are just in time to help us.”
“Of course.” Though I wasn’t sure what I was so quick to volunteer for. The problem was the last time I saw her, I was dry humping her son in the barn just to my left. I was still humiliated by that fact, so at that point I would have done just about anything to make her forget that awkward moment.
“We’re taking lunch up to the guys.” In her hands she held two platters, one with sandwiches wrapped in Saran wrap and the other was a bowl of what looked like potato salad. Just behind her was Grace with a cooler in one hand and another dish in the other. “There’s more just inside the door if you wouldn’t mind grabbing a few things.”
“Sure, not a problem,” I said as I hurried off toward the house. Loading my arms up with more than I should have, I set off toward the barn.
I was amazed to see the progress that had taken place in just a couple weeks. The place that once had only big shutter-like doors now had floor-to-ceiling windows on the end where Rhett explained he’d be able to watch the sunset. The entire surrounding area was laced with wood and what looked like insulation between each board.
“Hey.” I glanced to my left to see Rhett approaching from my side, looking a little surprised to see me. He was shirtless, jeans hanging very low, almost too low, and a tool belt fastened around his waist holding various tools. There were work boots on his feet, a pencil tucked behind one ear, and his body glistened with sweat.
Before I had time to register, he leaned in and pressed a big ol’ kiss to my lips, in front of everyone. His uncles, cousins, mom, dad, and sister were all watching us with matching smiles. I felt the heat rise in my cheeks as he took some of the things I held in my arms and turned around as if nothing just happened. “Let’s eat,” he hollered out, and suddenly the trance was broken.
My cheeks felt heated as I looked at the ground, hoping that everyone would be too occupied with the food to notice my embarrassment.
When I finally looked up and searched him out, he offered me a wink. I knew he’d realized he’d embarrassed me, and this distraction was his way of giving me an out.
After he made the both of us a plate, he led me toward the windows, and we sat side by side on a stack of two-by-fours as I looked around once more.
“What do ya think?”
“It’s moving along so fast.” They did have seven guys working on it all at once, so I guessed that explained the progress.
“We wanna have all the walls up by the end of the weekend so they can start painting and we can work on the flooring after. Then down to just trim, doors, and all the final touches.”
“I couldn’t really see it before,” I confessed. “You explained it, yet all I could see was a barn. Now it’s all coming together. It’s gonna be great up here.” It was so cozy already, but once the furniture and everything was placed, I imagined it to be a place that he and I could relax while watching movies, or where he could have the guys over to watch sports.
Grace joined us along with Mikey, his cousin, and before long they all had me laughing at the stories they shared about Rhett growing up. Grace also gave me a rundown of all the times her brother decided he’d take on the role of her keeper and tell her what she could and couldn’t do.
I turned my head toward him and cocked my brow, causing him to laugh. “I already get that shit from my mother, don’t need it from you too, babe.”
It was crazy the rush I got from him simply calling me “babe” in front of his family. It felt good to be here and be a part of this family banter. By the look on his face, I think he understood it too. Maybe April was right; maybe it was time for me to stop focusing so much on the possible
