Page 15 of Waiting For Fate

“Don’t wanna jinx it.” I click my tongue before finishing my beer.

“Alright, I gotta go.” Tank eyes the clock before taking a sip of the water he hasn’t touched until now.

“Already? Dude you just got here.” Tucker holds his hands up in confusion but Tank shrugs it off.

“Ruby and the Hen want to get there early to do things like bobbing for apples and shit. I don’t know, but I’ll catch up with you guys there.” Tank slaps Tucker on the back and waves bye to Max and I before rushing out.

“Big family guy?” I nod my head to where Tank is already walking out the door.

“You have no idea.” Max raises his brows and knocks on the counter before walking to the other end of the bar to wait on someone that just sat down.

“You’ll learn soon enough how tight knit of a group you’re running with. We might not all be blood, but we’re a family, nevertheless. And we put family first. Always.”

“I can get on board with that.”

The crisp fall air and the smell of bonfires burning around us is nostalgic in all the best ways. I can already hear the screams coming from the haunted trail as soon as I step out of my truck and with that sound come memories from my childhood that I’ve done my best to hold onto—not wanting to forget a single detail.

I check my watch and look around in an effort to find a familiar face, and that's when I spot Tank and Ruby with Hendrix and Poe by the pumpkin patch. I walk over and say hi, earning a high five from Hendrix as well as a very detailed story about how he’s the best apple bobber probably in the universe. Ruby’s phone goes off as soon as he finishes his story.

“Everyone is down at the trail waiting for us,” she announces.

Why the hell is my heart racing all of a sudden?

I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves about seeing Leah again. After the way she acted at Taylor’s house I wouldn’t be surprised if she didn’t even come simply because I’m here—but she can’t avoid me forever.

I’m back for good now and it looks like we’ll be running into each other more often than not since I’ve been adopted into the guy portion of this found family. Before we can start down the hill Max comes around the corner with a bundled-up Cece in his arms.

“Hey pretty girl! You look so cozy.” Ruby is absolutely gushing over her, pinching her cheeks and tickling her through her fuzzy jacket. By the way Tank is looking at Ruby while she talks to Cece I have a feeling Poe won’t be their last baby.

“Say hi Aunt Rubes.” Max talks in a high-pitched voice that I would never expect to hear from him as he waves Cece’s hand for her. Then Hendrix starts in on the baby talk. If there’s one kid on this planet that was born to be a big brother, it’s Hendrix. When Cece tries saying Hendrix’s name with a big grin on her face, I can’t help the smile that comes across mine.

“Okay, little people with me. Grown people, go try not to punch a clown in the face.” Max grabs Poe’s stroller and Hendrix runs over to stand beside him as Ruby crosses her arms over her chest and levels Max with a glare.

“I feel like there’s a story we’re missing about you and a clown?” I’m pretty sure Max audibly growls before walking in the opposite direction and Ruby’s hands fly up in mock defense.

Tank, Ruby, and I start walking down the hill again and he drapes his arm around her, kissing her temple.

“So, you’ve been to a lot of these? Taylor mentioned you guys used to come here a lot when you were younger,” Ruby asks.

“Yeah, every year since the girls were in eighth grade up until they graduated.” I remember those days so vividly it hurts sometimes.

“Bummer you guys stopped; it seems like such a fun tradition.” Ruby keeps talking about how it makes sense that we wouldn’t though since everyone went away to college, but when we round the corner and my eyes land on Leah, I tune everything else out.

I find her almost immediately and, as always, she looks perfect. She’s wearing a tan knit sweater, dark blue jeans, and brown riding boots. Her long brown hair is straight down her back tonight and there’s an absolutely infectious smile spread across her lips.

I can never help but smile when I see her.

She’s so beautiful that I physically ache just to be near her.

Then Tucker moves one step to the left and I notice it isn’t one of the girls she’s talking to and smiling at. Her fingers are intertwined with the guy who has somehow put himself in a position to earn her smile, her laughter, her touch. Upon closer examination I realize it’s the same guy she was with at Taylor’s birthday party.

This motherfucker, again?

“Oh, Jackson made it too!” My head snaps in Ruby’s direction.

“Jackson?” I try not to let my tone reflect the way I want to toss him so far into the corn maze he never finds his way out.

“Yeah, they work together but they’ve been out a few times so maybe they’ll be more than coworkers soon.” Ruby shoots a hopeful look over her shoulder before making her way down the hill to join the rest of the group.

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