Page 47 of Burn Point

I patted his back then moved to find a piece of paper to scribble my email for them.

We finished at the dump station and said our goodbyes.

I’d only just met them, but they’d been so sweet and made such an impact on me. I watched them drive away, feeling a little morose.

I left the campground and gassed up, then found a coffee shop. I found a table while I waited for my chai latte. It still felt awkward to eat alone sometimes, but thankfully my phone pinged with a message.

Leah: Hey girl, just checking in on you. Hope you are having fun.

Me: Hi! Just waiting on chai and then headed out to the next spot.

Leah: Where’s that?

Me: I’m not sure. I know that sounds crazy.

Leah: Having a plan would be a good thing.

Me: I know. It’s not like me at all. But I’m going with it. How are things there? Everyone doing okay? I feel like I’m missing so much.

An image from the cookout, all my new friends laughing and having a good time, flashed in my memory. Even though I hadn’t known them very long, I was missing them. A pang of loneliness pierced my heart. This friend group thing was new and foreign to me. Moving around, never settling in a space long enough to form real attachments, had never bothered me until now.

Leah: Things are good. Recovery is still ongoing. Mike has threatened getting me a dog. Kylie and I added another class. Nate’s been keeping to himself some since you left.

The server called my name. I grabbed my coffee and Danish and went back to my table to wrap up my chat with Leah.

Me: I’m glad things are going well. Tell everyone I said hello. I miss you guys.

Leah: Have fun adventuring and let me know where you end up, please. I’ll keep a candle burning for you.

I enjoyed my Danish and pondered texting Nate. He had wanted me to stay in touch. And friends kept in touch, right? It shouldn’t be an issue, but then again. I’d started feeling more-than-friends feelings for him before I left. I didn’t necessarily want to feel those feelings, but I was missing him. As I sipped my coffee, debating if I should reach out to him, my phone pinged with another text. Probably Leah again, wishing me love and light.

I flipped my phone over to see Nate’s name.

Nate: Why are you stopped at a parts store? Is everything okay?

What? I looked out the window toward Pearl to see that I’d parked her at the far corner of the lot. The lot shared by an auto shop. So, he’d been stalking me after all. A thrill ran through me.

Me: Stalking much?

Nate: Yes. What’s going on? Do you need help?

Me: Actually, stalker, I’m enjoying coffee and a Danish in the coffee shop next to the auto shop.

Nate: Thank God. I was worried for a moment that I’d have to take valuable vacation time and come rescue you.

Me: Aww, you’d use a vacation day for me?

Nate: Maybe, but it would cost you.

An inappropriate image of how I could repay him flashed in my mind. Me with my hands bound in his, pressed up against a wall. I couldn’t stop the shudder that passed through me at the image.

Me: I don’t need anything that bad.

Nate: You aren’t even going to ask what it would cost?

Me: No, I’m sure it would be something ridiculous.

Nate: Fair enough.

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