carry for life. But you,” he trails a fingertip down my cheek, “are spectacular, and ready to live again. Ignore me when I try to stand in the way of that. This could be it for you—he likes you too.” He laughs and kisses me softly, the lips of a beautiful friend, then pulls back. “How could he not?”
“We’ll see, or not. I’ve only known him a couple days. I wouldn’t plan a wedding just yet.” I pop my shoulders casually, despite the anything-but-casual curiosity his speech has evoked within me. “But I’m glad we had this chat. I’m still not sure I understand it all, but I love you and I never want to hurt you, or lose you. Ever.”
“You won’t. And don’t totally dismiss instant connections. We had one, and look how great that turned out? A spark ignites like bam !”
“Whatever,” I brush it off.
“Love you, Liz, always.”
“Of course you do! Now gimme a ride back and step on it!” I yell happily, jumping on his back and spurring him in the sides with my heels. I lean my head down to place a soft kiss on his cheek and whisper in his ear, “A therapist would have no idea what to charge you by the hour, my precious, crazy Rhett.”
***
When we make it back to the bus, Jarrett has too, and is pacing, tugging at his hair in panic mode. His head jerks in our direction as we tentatively climb the steps, a look of relief flashing briefly across his face before a scowl sets back in. I don’t know about Rhett, but I’ve had all the outbursts and drama I can handle today, so Jarrett better cool those jets of his real quick.
“Where the hell have you two been? And where’s everybody else?” His arms wave frantically, voice three octaves higher than normal.
Wait, come again?
“Who’s not here?” I ask, already en route to Conner’s room, finding it empty. Panic creeping up, I fling open the bathroom door then the shades on every bunk—empty, all empty! “Where are they? Where the hell’s my brother?” I scream, ripping my phone from my pocket. Dead.
“Both of you, check your phones. Mine’s dead.” My hand shakes so much that it takes two tries attaching it to the charger. “Well, anything?” I spit through a quickly narrowing throat.
Jarrett holds up a finger, phone to his ear. “Hey, Bruce, you with Conner?” He’s nodding his head now, giving me a smiley thumbs up. “Huh, okay then. Yep, that’ll work. See you then.”
“What?”
“They went to eat. He and Conner will meet us at Fletcher’s for the show. House Drums.” He looks at Rhett. “Rest is fine, it’s not far.”
“And Cannon?” I ask.
“Don’t know, he’s not with them. What’d I miss?” He glances from Rhett to me, worry and suspicion a mixed cloud on his face.
“I’m getting ready,” I muster, not up for a recap, grabbing my stuff hastily and slamming the bathroom door behind me.
Fucking Rhett . I adore him and have already forgiven him, but one person’s volatile, sporadic, swiftly fleeting moods should not dictate the lives of everyone else around him. He runs off Cannon for no reason, taking it all back at his convenience, one walk too late later, and everything’s supposed to just switch back to good. For some people, especially those who don’t know him well, it’s not that easy to forgive his crazy outbursts in a snap.
Now we’re right back to square one—a player short.
But that’s not all that’s bothering me. One of us, the girl currently immersed in way too hot of water, scrubbing her scalp furiously, is far from back where she started.
Cannon has no phone to call and beg him back, which I’m not even sure I would do. I don’t strike myself as a beggar, but then again, I didn’t know I was a blusher before either. All I know for sure is I can’t unhear the words Rhett said or unfeel the things awoken in me the last few days any more than I can unremember how much I enjoyed Cannon’s company.
And Bubs? Yet again, my sweet, innocent, always kind and accepting
“We’ll see, or not. I’ve only known him a couple days. I wouldn’t plan a wedding just yet.” I pop my shoulders casually, despite the anything-but-casual curiosity his speech has evoked within me. “But I’m glad we had this chat. I’m still not sure I understand it all, but I love you and I never want to hurt you, or lose you. Ever.”
“You won’t. And don’t totally dismiss instant connections. We had one, and look how great that turned out? A spark ignites like bam !”
“Whatever,” I brush it off.
“Love you, Liz, always.”
“Of course you do! Now gimme a ride back and step on it!” I yell happily, jumping on his back and spurring him in the sides with my heels. I lean my head down to place a soft kiss on his cheek and whisper in his ear, “A therapist would have no idea what to charge you by the hour, my precious, crazy Rhett.”
***
When we make it back to the bus, Jarrett has too, and is pacing, tugging at his hair in panic mode. His head jerks in our direction as we tentatively climb the steps, a look of relief flashing briefly across his face before a scowl sets back in. I don’t know about Rhett, but I’ve had all the outbursts and drama I can handle today, so Jarrett better cool those jets of his real quick.
“Where the hell have you two been? And where’s everybody else?” His arms wave frantically, voice three octaves higher than normal.
Wait, come again?
“Who’s not here?” I ask, already en route to Conner’s room, finding it empty. Panic creeping up, I fling open the bathroom door then the shades on every bunk—empty, all empty! “Where are they? Where the hell’s my brother?” I scream, ripping my phone from my pocket. Dead.
“Both of you, check your phones. Mine’s dead.” My hand shakes so much that it takes two tries attaching it to the charger. “Well, anything?” I spit through a quickly narrowing throat.
Jarrett holds up a finger, phone to his ear. “Hey, Bruce, you with Conner?” He’s nodding his head now, giving me a smiley thumbs up. “Huh, okay then. Yep, that’ll work. See you then.”
“What?”
“They went to eat. He and Conner will meet us at Fletcher’s for the show. House Drums.” He looks at Rhett. “Rest is fine, it’s not far.”
“And Cannon?” I ask.
“Don’t know, he’s not with them. What’d I miss?” He glances from Rhett to me, worry and suspicion a mixed cloud on his face.
“I’m getting ready,” I muster, not up for a recap, grabbing my stuff hastily and slamming the bathroom door behind me.
Fucking Rhett . I adore him and have already forgiven him, but one person’s volatile, sporadic, swiftly fleeting moods should not dictate the lives of everyone else around him. He runs off Cannon for no reason, taking it all back at his convenience, one walk too late later, and everything’s supposed to just switch back to good. For some people, especially those who don’t know him well, it’s not that easy to forgive his crazy outbursts in a snap.
Now we’re right back to square one—a player short.
But that’s not all that’s bothering me. One of us, the girl currently immersed in way too hot of water, scrubbing her scalp furiously, is far from back where she started.
Cannon has no phone to call and beg him back, which I’m not even sure I would do. I don’t strike myself as a beggar, but then again, I didn’t know I was a blusher before either. All I know for sure is I can’t unhear the words Rhett said or unfeel the things awoken in me the last few days any more than I can unremember how much I enjoyed Cannon’s company.
And Bubs? Yet again, my sweet, innocent, always kind and accepting
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