there for my shift.” She motions with her thumb at the restaurant, and I notice she’s clutching an apron in her hand. “But it was nice seeing you again.”
We say goodbye and part ways. I find Wes out front, standing beside the trunk of a mature cottonwood tree. He wears jeans, a ball cap, and the softest looking gray T-shirt I’ve ever seen.
“Hi.” My eyes lock with his and my stomach muscles coil.
“Hey.” His gaze is deep and dark, and his deep voice drifts across the twelve inches that separate us, curling into my airway like smoke.
People walk by, and cars pass.
Every second I spend with Wes makes me feel like we’re balanced on a tightrope, and we’ve yet to determine our rhythm. We need to get our routine figured out, before someone falls.
“This way,” I tell him, tugging lightly on his hand. He walks beside me and doesn’t let go of my hand. He’s quiet.
“You’re good at this, you know?” I squeeze his hand to let him know what I’m talking about.
He looks at me with amusement. “Holding hands? It’s not very advanced as romantic gestures go.”
My head shakes. “That’s where you’re wrong. It could be a lazy hold.” My hand goes limp to show him what I mean. “Or it could be a death grip.” I tighten my hold. “You see? Wide margin for error. You have to get it just right.”
“And I got it just right?”
I nod. “You sure did.”
A smile lifts one corner of his mouth. It’s a little aw shucks mixed with thank you kindly, ma’am.
“So, where are we headed?”
I hold up two fingers on my free hand. “Two places. And the first one is right there.” We walk two more stores up and duck into an Italian restaurant.
Wes looks a bit bewildered as I give the hostess my name and tell her I’m here for the to-go order I placed. She hands it over and I march out of the place.
Looking back at Wes, I say, “The second place we’re going is a little different, but I think it will be good. I went for a walk last week after work and stumbled upon it.”
We walk another block, then make a right into a residential neighborhood. I pointedly ignore Wes’s quizzical look and keep going. Up ahead, a handful of people gather in a front yard.
“Is that where we’re going?” he asks.
“This is a couple who host a happy hour in their front yard every Friday night. They saw me walking last week and invited me over. Apparently the invite is open to everyone in town. What a cool way to foster community, right?”
Wes nods slowly. He looks wary but not upset. We get closer, and the couple who live here spot us right away. But instead of saying hi to me, they are open-mouth staring at Wes, and then they’re hustling over.
“Wes Hayden, you have got to be goddamn kidding me.” The husband, Derrick, nearly falls over himself in his astonishment.
“Oh my gosh, Wes.” The wife, Andrea, throws her arms around him. She lets him go and stands back, shaking her head like she’s trying to get ahold of her thoughts. She looks at me, pointing from me to Wes. “Wait, are you two together?” She doesn’t wait for a response before she says, “This is the best thing ever. Wes, you’re here. You’re actually here!” She hugs Wes again, and Derrick peels her off him.
“Andrea always did have a soft spot for you, Hayden.” Derrick claps Wes on the shoulder.
Wes looks dazed, like he’s been staring at the sun, but he’s coming to. His head bobs and he laughs. “It’s been a long time, guys.”
“Uh, yeah.” Andrea’s fisted hands go to her hips. “Seven years, Wes. You were here on R&R, then you went back to finish up. We were so happy when we heard you were home, but…” She trails off, shrugging.
Instinctively I reach over, placing my hand on Wes’s forearm. He looks at me and smiles.
Andrea claps her hands together. “Please, please, please tell me how you met. And let’s get a drink.” Her hands wave around excitedly.
I hand over the antipasto platter and reach into my big purse, pulling out a bottle of wine.
Andrea cackles. “Wine in a purse? You’re my kind of gal. Come on.” She pulls me and I go along after her, glancing back at Wes. He winks at me before turning his attention to Derrick.
“So,” Andrea says, grabbing two pint-sized glass mason jars. She takes