803 Wishing Lane by Shaw Hart

Six

Heath

I barely slept last night.Not with Caroline sleeping just a few inches away from me, her sweet clementine scent wrapped around me like a blanket. A few times she rolled over, her sleeping bag inching closer to mine. When her breath fanned over my face, I was rock hard. When the back of her hand brushed against mine, I swear I almost came just from that one innocent touch.

I eventually passed out, only to wake up with her wrapped up tight in my arms, her head resting on my chest, my arms like a vise around her, banding her tight against me.

She had looked up at me, blinking the sleep from her eyes and my heart had started to race so hard that it would be a miracle if she could hear anything else, especially with her ear still pressed against my chest.

I had almost blurted out that I loved her right then and there but had chickened out at the last second. I’ve barely been able to get her to talk to me. Blurting out that I would do anything to make her mine will probably only scare her away even more.

Caroline hadn’t said anything when our eyes met. She seemed more startled than I was that we had apparently cuddled for at least part of last night.

She just rolled over, facing away from me, and I stared up at the ceiling of the tent, wondering what the hell I should do now.

Charlotte had woken up a few minutes after that and since the rain had stopped, they were getting ready to head home. I had insisted on making them breakfast and helping them load up their car again.

Now I’m just standing here, awkwardly staring at Caroline as she shifts in front of me. Charlotte is already buckled into her car seat, busy playing with her stuffed rabbit and happily munching on some graham crackers that I gave her for the car ride.

“Thanks for everything. We both had a lot of fun and I can’t thank you enough for letting us stay here with you.”

“Anytime,” I tell her honestly and then before I can chicken out, I blurt out, “Would you like to go to dinner with me sometime?”

She blinks up at me, obviously caught off guard and I wince internally.

God, I’m so freaking bad at this.

“I kind of have a lot going on with the diner and Charlotte,” she starts and I nod.

“I know, but maybe it’s about time that you did something for yourself,” I say, hoping that I’m not overstepping any boundaries here.

I can see how much of herself she gives to everything and everyone else. She’s always so busy with the diner or with helping out someone from town that she never really gives herself a break. I just want to help her relax and hopefully have a little fun in the process.

“Okay,” Caroline says after a minute, a shy smile curving her lips.

“Seriously?” I blurt out and she giggles at that.

“Yeah, you’re probably right. I should try to work on taking some time for myself.”

I can feel the smile threatening to break my face and I will myself to tone it down a bit.

“Good. Does tomorrow night work?”

“Yeah, I should be free. Can we go earlier in the day? Maybe around four pm?”

I would literally move heaven and earth to be with this girl. Cutting out of work a few hours early isn’t going to be an issue.

“Yeah, that’s fine. I’ll pick you up then.”

“Okay, I’ll see you at four pm then.”

I nod as I help get her car door and she slides behind the wheel.

“See you tomorrow,” I tell Charlotte and Caroline, waving as she starts the car and starts to back out of the drive.

Charlotte grins, waving back at me as they drive off and I grin, waving back until the car disappears from view.

I head back inside, cleaning up the cabin and locking it down before I head back into town myself. I pass by the Virgin Street Diner, smiling to myself as I think about how different everything feels now that I’m back in town.

I think things are finally starting to go my way.