Page 18 of Knocked Up

She replies with a ramble about coming back tomorrow morning for breakfast, but I keep walking. The breakfast invitation has become an everyday thing lately. I can’t deal with it this morning. Outside, I meet my friend Nora, who’s waiting in her dad’s old truck. He hates when she takes it off the farm. I know because we got in trouble for it one too many times as teenagers. Heck, we were driving that truck to the Springs far before we had licenses to drive. We were a couple of rebels.Where did those girls go?

I’m pretty sure at twenty-three we’re still supposed to be rebelling. Instead, she’s broke and working on her dad’s farm and I’m home every night talking to strange men on the internet.

Not strange.I didn’t say they’re strange.

“Hurry up!” She slaps the rusty truck door with a grin. “I’ve got news.”

I intentionally slow down, walking at a snail’s pace around the truck toward the passenger door.I love getting her going.

“Oh my God. Seriously? Move it or I’ll spank that ass.” She laughs with the last comment. This is how we play. She pretends to be the men from one of the books I like, and depending on theday, I either go along with it or I protest. It’s wildly entertaining for a couple of small-town girls without a whole lot else going on.

When I’m finally up in the truck, she glances toward me with wide eyes. “My parents asked me to help Colton out.”

“Oh… Colton. The forty-nine-year-old friend of your father’s you’ve been crushing on for years. That’s a super idea,” I say using my announcer voice as though this is a movie trailer for a film I think is ridiculous.

She laughs and cocks an eyebrow. “Okay, so you really do want that spanking? Bend over.”

If she weren’t already driving, I would, but the roads up here are kind of sketchy, and I value my life. “You’ll have to spank me later. What are you helping him with?”

She glances toward me quickly, then back at the dirt road ahead of us. It’s a sunny day, but there are rain clouds in the distance that look to be moving this way. “He’s got his hands full with his kids and he’s going to need help. I don’t know what to do.”

“What do you mean? You need the money, and you need to stare at him, so… it’s an easy choice, right?”

“Yeah, but I get this weird, nervous thing every time we’re together. I don’t think I could focus on the kids with my stomach in knots. I’d probably drop one on their head or something.” She laughs under her breath. “Anyway, that’s my news. What about you?” She flicks on her blinker to turn down the old pine highway that leads to Main Street. Summer in Rugged Mountain is my favorite time of the year. The air is warm, everyone is happy, and there’s a buzz in town that’s full of life. “When are you meeting your guy?”

I shrug. “Not sure I’m ever going to meet him.”

“Okay,” her tone rises and falls quickly as though she’s confused, “why not? I thought you guys were hitting it off.”

“We are. He’s a nice guy, but he’s like, really old, and I’m not sure I’m as into that as you are. There’s about a twenty year age gap between us. My mom would lose it. She’s been so weird after Dad died. I don’t know.” I glance out the window, studying the flags blowing in the breeze as Nora turns onto Main Street. “Plus, I haven’t told him everything about me yet.”

Her brows wrinkle as we near the Queen Anne house that belongs to Mrs. Robinson, the town's oldest and most cherished resident. She’s working to have a public playground built on her property and the town loved the idea. So, everyone is chipping in to help build‘Grandma’s Playground.’

“What are you talking about? You and Gunner talk all the time. You were video chatting all day yesterday. I think you took him on a video tour of the grocery store when you needed to pick up milk and eggs. I mean… that’s a level of closeness I’m not sure you get with someone you’re just friends with.”

“Yeah, but I’ve kept certain, very important things a secret.”

She checks her blind spot before pulling into Mrs. Robinson’s driveway, where a few cars are already parked. I don’t know why, but I thought we were the only ones coming today. “What do you need to tell him?”

I draw in a deep breath and let it out slowly as I chew the inside of my cheek. “You know the whol—” the front door swings open and air stops circulating through my lungs. “Oh my God!”

“Oh my God, what?” Nora’s tone matches mine. “What’s wrong?”

I bend forward and squint my eyes, trying to convince myself that I’ve lost my mind. I mean, I must have lost my mind because there’s no way in hell the guy I’ve been talking to online is here, at Mrs. Robinson’s house.

No, that’s not possible… except it is. He’s right there in jeans and a T-shirt. God, he’s huge. Huge and really attractive.How is he so hot? I mean, I knew he was good looking, but here and now, he’s like… a god.

“We have to go.”

“What? We can’t go. Mrs. Robinson is counting on us today. What’s wrong?” Her hand lands on my back as she parks the old truck by the little fence along the driveway.

“That man that just came out of the house… is Gunner.”

Nora’s brows narrow. “Gunner,Gunner?The fisherman online,Gunner?”

“Yes!It’s him.”

“No, it can’t be. Why would he be here? That doesn’t make any sense. Does he live in Rugged Mountain?”

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