Page 19 of Courageous Yearnings

I like that – a lot. You are surprising me more than you know, and I am really liking the new you, even if it’s a little weird.

“I’m glad,” he whispered, touching her cheek. “Get some rest, okay.”

Nodding, she bit her lip and held up her finger, quickly wrote something down again and showed it to him shyly. He looked up from the paper, his expression visibly melting at the simple request.

Could I have a hug?

Silly, I know, but I need one. Maybe I’m in the Twilight Zone?

“Are you sure? I probably smell pretty rank…” he began, hesitating – and she smiled at him, waving him close. Not a moment later, he was hugging her, just like she’d asked him to.

She was so grateful for everything, happy to be alive and healing. She just felt overwhelmed and emotional in that moment. He held her close, standing there, her head tucked under his chin where he was leaning toward her. His hand was gently rubbing her upper arm tenderly, and she felt him kiss her hair.

“I’ve got to go,” he began, his voice full of regret. “I’m sorry, but if the truck gets a call, they’ll leave me, and I’ll get in trouble.”

She nodded silently, withdrawing and meeting his eyes as he touched her cheek again.

“How about we do that again on Friday when I’m not quite so grimy?”

Blythe gave him another thumbs-up and a bright smile, making him laugh.

“Get some sleep,” he ordered – and she moved to hold up the other thumb, hearing him laugh again as he shook his head. “I like this side of you. Text me when you get to the apartment so I don’t worry and don’t judge me too much.”

Grinning, she shook her thumbs at him and waved ‘bye’ silently. Lance began backing away toward the door, and turned to leave before looking over his shoulder.

“Sweet dreams, Boop.”

Watching him leave, Blythe lay back down again, curling slightly on her side, and closed her eyes. She gave into the fantasy, allowing herself to replay those moments in her mind and sincerely hoping that things were actually changing between them.

Since that photo shoot, it had been a long time spent thinking of that day. Blythe knew it was weird, shallow, and vain to be so completely infatuated with someone’s looks because everyone knew that appearances changed, looks faded, and people were more than the sum of their parts, but my goodness, having Lance walk into her office that day, had changed it all. He had been distracted, talking to her boss and one other salesman, and just looking at him had completely bowled her over.

Lance just had this inner light to him, this startling appearance that checked off every box in her heart and soul for no particular reason. He was just beautiful in a very plain yet absurdly normal way. It was like he thrived in just being himself, made no apologies, and welcomed everything life had to offer and while that was a beautiful outlook to have, the differences were glaringly obvious.

He was ‘big picture’ motivated, skipping the consequences.

She was detail-oriented, had plans that had plans, and was always thinking about every next step to come down the road of life. She wanted a relationship, a home, a marriage, and a family and well, he simply didn’t want to get past the whole ‘let’s have sex’ thing.

It was both extremely flattering and soul-crushing at the same time because she had never once pictured him like that in all her daydreams and thoughts about him.

And that is what happens when you fall for a stranger, someone you don’t know and have no business fantasizing about, she thought silently. I paid for that calendar shoot – and got shot down. My heart took a bruising, but I think I needed that reality check, too. I just hope that this isn’t the beginning to a series of reality checks once again.

Late the next afternoon and finally discharged, Blythe was sitting in the emergency room waiting on her ride. Mrs. Justin, whose name was Faith, was currently at the pediatrician’s office with her son for his checkup, and Maya pulled up and blinked. There was no mistaking the woman’s car – and she chuckled hoarsely.

Maya Bennett’s vehicle had bumper stickers everywhere in various places. One said, ‘ARMY STRONG,’ another touted. ‘Foster a child today!’. There were Maltese crosses adhered on all four windows, along with another bumper sticker that blatantly said, ‘Hot Firefighters play with big hoses.’

“Oh my word,” Blythe croaked, sounding raw like a frog. The doctor said to limit her voice for a few more days and to follow up with him in a week. He expected her to make a full recovery, and she was really relieved. Getting up to head out to the car, she saw the pregnant woman walking into the emergency room doors.

“Hi there – I’m looking for a very nearly fricasseed little chickadee?” she began, smiling easily and moving to hug her like they had known each other for ages. “I’m Maya, Chad’s wife… and you must be Blythe. Nod once for ‘yes’; gimme the finger for ‘no.’ Big hints help me get the picture.”

It was so unexpected, so much like some of the mechanics at work would say or even Lance would utter, that Blythe cracked a smile and chuckled.

“Cigarette?” Maya grinned, looping her arm with hers. “I’m kidding, and it was in poor taste. You poor thing. You sound like you’ve eaten a bullfrog. Do you want a Coke… or a Blizzard from Dairy Queen? I vote for the Blizzard because Baby Bennett definitely is partial to anything with brownie chunks.”

It was just so unexpected, so sweet, and so warm yet open that she hesitated and looked at the woman, expecting this to be a joke only to see her smile just before she rolled her eyes playfully, rubbing her pregnant stomach.

“Finnnne,” she drawled, pretending to sound annoyed but grinning happily. “You talked me into it. Brownie Batter Blizzard, it is – and yes, we’ll take Blizzards to the station. You don’t have to twist my arm,” Maya chuckled and winked at her. “If they aren’t there, then the Blizzards are going in my freezer at the house.”

As they got into the car, Maya was just chatting along happily and starting the vehicle, before pulling onto the road without a moment’s notice. Blythe was just sitting there, taking in everything and thinking about how weird her life had turned upside down in the last few days. Heck, she didn’t even know how long she’d been there.

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