“How was your New Year?” I asked.
“Full of work,” he said.
“Now, why is that not shocking to me at all?”
“Because I had a very successful meeting I missed that catapulted us into a very busy next year,” he said.
“Us?” I asked.
“You know, the company we both work for?”
He looked over at me briefly and I snickered when I saw him wink.
“Did you just wink at me?” I asked.
“Depends. Did you like it?”
“What in the world has gotten into you? You are definitely not the Colin I remember.”
“Well, you look a bit different yourself. I’m still trying to figure it out,” he said.
“I know. Having a job and being single look good on me.”
The conversation on his end fell away and we rode for a little while longer before he broke the silence.
“How are your parents?” he asked.
“They’re good. They ask about you from time to time. They don’t understand how I can work at your company and never see you.”
“Did you tell them we work in different states?”
“Yep. They still don’t get it,” I said, giggling. “I’m not sure what’s not connecting, but I just let it be. I tell them you’re good, and by the looks of it I haven’t been lying to them for the past two months.”
“Not at all. Things have been good. Busy, but good. Is everyone treating you okay?”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“At the branch in Minnesota. You’re not having any difficulties?”
“If I was, you are definitely not who I would report them to,” I said.
“Don’t wanna get anyone in trouble with the boss?” he asked.
“Don’t want to get anyone in trouble with the founder,” I said. “How are things going with your fun little media competitor? Nothing’s crossed Hadley’s desk lately.”
“It seems to have toned down for now. Hopefully it’ll stay that way.”
“How’s your mother doing?” I asked.
“She’s good. She went to Hawaii for Christmas.”
“I take it you had something to do with that?”
“My mother’s terrible at doing anything for herself. At the beginning of last year, I told her if she didn’t take a vacation of some sort that I would send her on one myself. She didn’t take one, so I sent her to Hawaii.”
“Did she even want to go?” I asked.
“Not until I told her I’d booked her two weeks at an all-inclusive spa resort,” he said.
“Yep. That would’ve done me in, too.”
Colin was very different. He was less grumpy and more easy-going. Talking with him this time around wasn’t like pulling teeth. I didn’t feel the need to tiptoe around him, nor did I feel like he was holding any secrets back from me. It didn’t feel like I was riding with a stranger, but instead, an old friend I’d come to know along the way. His hands weren’t white-knuckling the steering wheel and he was a little more relaxed in the car. It was refreshing to see him this way.
It was refreshing to know he’d taken my advice.
“Looks like you do listen,” I said, murmuring.
“What was that?” he asked.
“Nothing. Are you getting hungry or thirsty at all? We’re about to hit a stretch of highway leaving Minnesota that doesn’t have anything for a while.”
“Sure. Anything in particular?” he asked.
“Whatever you want. I can eat anywhere.”
“Why does that not surprise me?”
“Because I’m not a snob,” I said, grinning.
“Hey, neither am I.”
“I never said you were. But now that you’ve brought it up, it seems like it’s something you’re probably self-conscious about.”
“How can I be self-conscious about something I just told you I was not?” he asked.
“Okay, okay. Take a deep breath. I was just playing with you.”
So, maybe he wasn’t completely changed, but he had made significant steps in the right direction. He was easier to be around and I didn’t feel like I was about to piss him off with my voice or anything. But there was one thing that hadn’t changed. One thing that was still hard for me to do.
It was hard for me to get a read on him.
Even though his eyes seemed less guarded and there seemed to be the slightest smirk on his lips, I still couldn’t easily read him. I had to make him reactive in order to figure out things about him. Like the comment about my not being a snob. He had to react to that statement in order for me to assume something about him. It was easy to talk, but the topics were still very superficial.
An improvement from last time, but not enough of an improvement for me to understand him any better.
Nonetheless, I was very excited to be on a road trip with Colin again. Even in my dreams, he was nowhere near as handsome as he was in person. His body heat radiated towards me, clawing at my skin and trying to pull me closer. I had to slide my hands in between my crossed thighs just to keep myself from reaching out to him. My fingertips hummed for his touch and my lips were being pulled towards his neck.
I’d missed his presence and his voice. But more than that, I had just missed him over these past two months.
“How do you feel about wraps?” Colin asked.
“What?”
“There’s something called ‘The Wrap Joint’ off the next exit. Know anything about it?”
“It’s actually pretty good. You can
