“We are?” she said, surprised. After the last few days of doingnothing but rolling around in bed together, it was almost weird tothink about going out into the real world. “Where?”
“Never mind, just meet me back downstairs in half an hour,” hesaid, giving her a lusty squeeze around her middle.
Suddenlyexcited at the idea of spending the day out with Kelley, Becky didas she was told. She went straight to her room and picked out apair of blue jeans and a long-sleeved blue henley. Overtop she worea cream coloured cardigan. It had turned awfully cold these lastfew days and layers were essential. Fluffing her hair and dustingon a little make-up, she was ready within twenty minutes.
On her waytowards the stairs, she passed Crispin’s room and paused when shespotted him standing by his window. He appeared lost in thought,staring off into the treetops.
“You all right, Crispin?” Becky asked, stirring him from hismusings.
“Just fine…” he said with an audible sigh.
He wasobviously still pining after Gracie, silly girl that she was.Unable to walk away, Becky entered his room and came to stand athis side. “Poor prickly Goth,” she whispered softly.
“Aw… Becky, leave me be,” he said with a frown. “I don’t needyour pity. I don’t have the patience or the tolerance for yousilliness right now.” He waved her off with a dismissive flick ofhis wrist. “Don’t you have somewhere to go, something to do otherthan bother me?”
Hurt and takenaback, Becky left him without another word. He hadn’t meant any ofthat, she was sure. Still, she’d be lying if she said that hisdismissal of her hadn’t stung.
Moments later,all thoughts of Crispin vanished at the mere sight of Kelleyleaning by the front door with a killer smile on his handsomeface.
“Go on, get your coat on,” he encouraged, smiling as shescrambled for her things.
“Do I need a hat?” she asked when she returned to his side,looking past him at the front yard, covered in freshly fallensnow.
Kell couldn’thelp but chuckle at the sight of her all wrapped up in her navyblue peacoat, scarf, and mittens. Taking the hat from her, he putit in his coat pocket and took her by the hand.
“Not just yet,” he said, leading her towards his car. “Youmight want to take the mitts and scarf off too. You’ll be awfullywarm in the car. I thought we’d take a drive in the countrytoday.”
“Where to?” Becky said, getting into the passenger seat andbuckling in.
“Well, how do you feel about checking out the local wineries inPrince Edward County?” he asked with and expectant smile, thatamplified impossibly brighter when she clapped and gave a littlesqueal. “Perhaps we might even pick up a few bottles for Christmasand New Year’s Eve.”
“Kelley, that’s an amazing idea!” she said excitedly. Wow, whatan unexpected but most pleasant turn of events.
Kell could onlysmile at her enthusiasm. To say he was positively smitten with thisgirl would be a huge understatement. In fact, Kelley had never feltmore in love with anyone in his entire life.
Becky had comeinto his life at the right time. That’s what he now realized. Shefilled that gaping big hole in his heart so completely that it wasimpossible to imagine a world without her in it.
The realizationboth thrilled and scared him to death. The power that this wisp ofa woman had over him was immeasurable, so much so that he wasalmost afraid to tell her. She could crush him, and he could neversurvive it.
At the sametime, he realized that he was still quite confused as to how thiswould all work out. What would happen at the end of the schoolyear? Would she stay? Would she go? Dare he assume that they were…exclusive?
She was stillso young. Granted he was only three years older, but at this stagein their lives, three years made a whole lot of difference. Shemight want to explore other possibilities. God forbid otherrelationships. As much as that thought killed him, he also knewthat it was well within her right to do so.
Oh, so manyquestions. For that matter, what would become of the House ofGoths? Would they all separate after graduation? Go their own ways?Much like himself, Crispin, Keegan, and Dorian would graduate inless than two years, yet she was only just starting out. Funny howno one ever brought it up.
Then there wasthe band. Would they even continue to be a band beyond graduationor will the eventually give it all up?
And what ofBecky? Would she stick around until she graduated or would sheeventually get tired of living at the House of Goths and search outother lodgings?
These questionsand thoughts had taken over his mind ever since the start of theChristmas holidays. Granted, there was still plenty of time tofigure things out, but dwelling on the unknown was slowly killinghim.
Becky was inheaven. What more could a girl want than to spend the day with herhandsome boyfriend whilst on an adventurous drive through thecountryside?
Kell truly wasan enigma to her. He could be quite moody, and for the most part,she had gotten used to this trait. It should bother her more, and,yes, it did still hurt when he would take off by himself, but inthe end, he was always there for her when she needed him, and thatis what mattered most.
He wasn’t theclingy type, but at times like these, Becky sensed his need forreassurance. He was a romantic, yet he didn’t smother her. He couldeven be a tad cool and detached at times, wanting, needing to bealone a lot. That bothered her a little because all she wanted wasto be with him 24/7.
For the mostpart, it was okay because during his moments of wanting to be onhis own, Becky could usually find one of the other guys to hangwith.
As Beckywatched the rolling snow-covered hills of the Prince Edward Countyfrom the passenger seat of Kell’s Charger, she sighed wistfully. Itwas a lovely, sunny winter’s day. Christmas Eve was tomorrow. Shesuddenly felt quite blessed to be where she was, to have met Kelleywhen she did. Glancing sideways at him as he drove, she felt herheart skip a beat.
