Page 38 of Apex of the Curve

“I promise, I’m just trying to help,” I said, and she sank down to sit on the edge of the bed.

“I know.”

I sat down next to her and waited out whatever thought process she had going on. Finally, with a large sigh she committed and said, “Okay. I’m ready; let’s go.”

“You sure?” I double-checked because she didn’t really seem like it.

“No,” she whispered reluctantly.

“Okay, what’s going on in there?” I smoothed some of her loose hair back from her face to get a better look at her.

“I feel like I’m asking way too much of you.”

“You aren’t asking for anything, babe. I’m sort of over here insisting.”

“I don’t know what to think anymore,” she whispered, and I hugged her to my side, her head naturally finding my shoulder.

“That’s the whole point of this field trip – to get you out of this house full of old ghosts and memories and someplace different, neutral, so you can begin to sort out what’s in your head.”

She nodded and stood up slowly and I gathered her bags.

She followed me in her Prius up I-5 and across Highway 18 to the Auburn-Black Diamond Road exit, then a sharp pair of turns up Green Valley Road and the city feel was left behind fairly swiftly.

We pulled up outside my house and I got out of the truck. The goats were bedded down for the most part, but there was still an excited bleat or two out in the dark. I immediately went to Aspen’s door and opened it up for her and she got out of the car.

“Thank you,” she murmured.

“No problem. Pop your hatch.”

She did from her key fob and I retrieved her gear. My pops was already at the kitchen door, a rectangle of light spilling over the gravel.

“C’mon and get in here, girl. It’s damp and cold out here.”

Aspen rushed ahead, and he stood sideways, letting her slide past him.

“I’m sorry if we’ve kept you up,” she said.

“Nah, I’ve always been a night owl. Y’all eat?”

“Yeah,” I answered. “Go on upstairs, let’s get you settled,” I said. She nodded and went for the stairs.

“All good?” my dad asked.

I gave him a nod and twisted to get through the door and around the counters with my cargo without banging into anything.

“Night then,” he called after me when I went right for the stairs myself.

“Night,” I grunted back.

She was waiting at the top of the stairs and I gestured with a handful of bags to my room. She nodded and went into it and I followed just to set things down and get her settled.

“I can stay on the couch for now,” I told her.

“You don’t really have to do that,” she said. “I’m okay if you’re okay. I mean, um…” she was blushing hardcore, and it was fucking cute.

I smiled, nodding, but still asked, “You sure?”

“Yeah.”

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