Page 6 of Dash to Me
“I’m not opposed to a nice walk.”
She gets out and we start down the shoulder. The heat hangs heavy and oppressive around us, a reminder that this early taste of summer is upon us.
We’re about a half a mile in when she talks. “I can’t believe we broke down in the middle of nowhere.”
Eva gives me a small smile, but I can see the worry etched in her features. Her brother's wedding is tomorrow, and we promised to pick up the cake from that specialty bakery two towns over. The one his fiancée insisted on because she saw it on some baking show.
“How far do you think we are from the next town?” she asks, shielding her eyes from the sun.
I pull out my phone again, hoping for a miraculous bar of service. Nothing. “I'm guessing maybe three or four miles? We passed that sign a while back.”
A bead of sweat trickles down my spine. The pavement radiates heat, and I'm already regretting my choice of jeans. Eva seems to be handling it better in her sundress, though her sandals weren't made for this kind of trek.
“What do you think happened to the truck?” I ask, trying to distract her.
“Probably the radiator. Dad always said it was the weak spot.” She kicks a small stone. “I should've listened when he told me to get it checked before a long trip.”
The silence hangs between us for a moment, punctuated only by the distant cry of a hawk circling overhead.
“Your dad would have a field day with this,” I say, attempting to lighten the mood. “Remember how he lectured us for an hour when we got that flat tire that one summer?”
Eva laughs, the sound brightening the desolate stretch of road. “God, yes. 'Always check your spare, always carry water, always have a plan B.' I can hear him now.”
“And yet here we are,” I gesture broadly at the empty landscape, “with no spare plan and no water.”
We walk in companionable silence for another quarter mile. The sun beats down mercilessly, and I can feel my shirt sticking to my back. Eva's pace has slowed, her sandals clearly starting to rub blisters onto her heels.
“We should’ve taken my car.”
“Your little eco-friendly car doesn’t have a bigger enough space for a three-tier wedding cake.”
We go back to silence, because it’s been a long while since we’ve been together.
“Do you think they'll be mad?” Eva finally asks, her voice small.
“Who? Your brother?”
“And Jenna. She's been... particular about everything.” Eva tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “The cake was the one thing she was the most excited about.”
I reach for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “We'll figure it out. Maybe we can find a phone in the next town, call the bakery, explain what happened.”
“And then what? Have them deliver it? On a Saturday afternoon, with no notice?” She shakes her head. “This is a disaster.”
The sun beats down relentlessly. My shirt sticks to my back, and Eva's cheeks are flushed pink. We should have brought water.
There is no one I would rather be stuck with walking down the country road in the middle of summer. I want to speak up, just tell her the truth, but… what if she doesn’t feel that same way? Fuck it. It’s now or never. I might be staying in Lawson Ridge and right now it’s just me and her.
“Listen, I know we’ve known each other forever… and your brother is my best friend…”
She stops and turns around to stare at me. “What is it?”
“I just need to tell you before I talk myself out of it again.”
“Jesus. Can you just tell me instead of making me think you’re dying or something?”
I run my hand through my hair, catching my breath. “Do you find me attractive? Or… well, I guess that isn’t the best way to ask the question. Do you see me as more than your brother’s best friend?”
EVA
