Page 7 of Losing Sleep
“Sorry.” The word came out soft and hesitant, but I pushed forward, ignoring the doubts that continued to niggle in my brain. “You may have noticed, I’m not really an extrovert. I’m much more comfortable at home with my dog and a yoga video than in social situations.”
I fidgeted with my seatbelt, pretending the confession didn’t stick a bit in my throat as I gazed out the window at the passing mountains. It looked like we were driving through the canyon instead of heading back to the freeway, which made no sense. I pushed the thought aside, certain I must be turned around. I had only been up this way a handful of times. Going up the canyon was hardly the fastest way to get to Island Park. Though maybe Grey knew a shortcut I was unaware of.
Grey reached over and gave my arm a reassuring squeeze before returning his hand to the steering wheel. I startled at the warmth and comfort that came from the simple gesture. Grey’s kindness and patience when I was clearly struggling to find my footing unnerved me. I typically surrounded myself with loud, bold personalities. People like my mom, who allowed me to fade into the background.
“I get that. But you know, ‘Not all who wander are lost.’” He gestured at his shirt, with its faded words and outline of mountains.
“That makes no sense.” I bit back a laugh, completely thrown off by the random change of topic. Grey was good at keeping me on my toes, and I couldn’t quite decide how I felt about it. The smile hovering at the edge of my lips told me I might like it more than I realized.
“Maybe not, but it kept you talking and meant I got to bring in a fun fact you probably don’t know.” Grey shrugged, clearly unbothered at the random change of topic. It was the type of comment that would have left me stumbling over my words and second-guessing everything I said well after the conversation was over.
“What’s that?”
“This lovely quote, which some may argue is overused, is fromThe Lord of the Rings. Though technically, the exact quote is ‘Not all those who wander are lost.’ But it’s close enough.”
“Seriously?” The information surprised me. I assumed the quote had come from some t-shirt company trying to make a quick buck from outdoors enthusiasts.
“Are you questioning my J. R. R. Tolkien knowledge? It comes fromThe Fellowship of the Ring.” His lips pursed, daring me to question him.
“As someone who’s never read or watchedThe Lord of the Rings, I’ll take your word for it.” I held up my hands in a placating gesture, my lips tipping into a smile.
Grey groaned and put his hand over his heart in mock outrage. “It’s a classic! I’m not sure I can continue this drive with someone so unfamiliar with such a staple of modern culture.”
I shrugged. “It’s a story about mythical creatures walking in the woods for days trying to throw a ring into a volcano. What’s classic about that?”
He shook his head, his hand clutching at his heart now in exaggerated distress. “If you’d read or seenThe Lord of the Rings, you’d understand just how wrong you are, Audrey.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” I leaned back in my seat, watching humor dance across the lines of Grey’s face.
We drifted into a comfortable silence for a moment before Grey glanced my way, giving me a wink and a cheeky grin.
“Wasn’t that conversation nice? And we didn’t reference fast food once. The question is, how do we keep this going? I’m more than happy to rank my favorite taco places.”
I slouched in my seat and gave an exaggerated groan before I straightened with an idea.
“I’ll keep talking on two conditions. First, you don’t make fun of me if I say something stupid, and second, you promise not to discuss food unless we’re discussing where to stop for dinner. Deal?” Under normal circumstances, I wasn’t opposed to a good foodie conversation. But after listening to Grey discuss food for the bulk of our drive, I needed a change of topic.
Grey tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, seeming to consider my terms before flashing a smile, white teeth contrasting with his dark beard and tanned skin. “Deal, but with one exception…which I’ll explain later.”
I didn’t like leaving our deal so open-ended but decided to play along. Searching for a question, I quickly dismissed the first options that came to mind. Asking him about why he was late felt accusatory, and asking his favorite color would hardly lead to a full conversation. Instead, I started with the obvious. If Grey wanted conversation, I’d give it to him. He just couldn’t blame me if it was a bit stilted and predictable. “What are your hobbies?”
“I’m so glad you asked.” Grey scrunched his face, tapping a finger on his chin as if pondering before responding. “I like hiking and fishing. I wouldn’t say that I’m a movie buff, but I do enjoy movies. I also like long walks on the beach and getting caught in the rain.”
I laughed at the botched Rupert Holmes song reference. “I think the lyric you’re looking for involves pina coladas and rain, not beaches.”
“True, but I don’t drink alcohol, and I think pineapple is nasty, so I figured I might as well combine two dating profile clichés into one for a fun new twist.”
“Your answer was well-thought-out.” I could appreciate his cleverness even if his wit kept me on my toes. A not altogether unpleasant experience, if I was being honest.
“That’s what happens in the age of internet dating: you get good at answering questions about yourself. I think I have profiles on nearly every dating app available.”
“I’ve never tried online dating. Does it work?” I’d heard enough horror stories to scare me away from the possibility. Yet I was also curious. Now that I was done with college, the internet seemed like the only viable option for meeting people, especially since I didn’t drink or go to clubs. And if I didn’t count road trips with near strangers to celebrate a friend’s birthday.
“I’m still single, so what do you think?” He looked over and winked at me, and I couldn’t keep a smile from my lips, his conversation distracting me from the passing scenery outside the car.
“I’ve heard many success stories,” I observed, giving him the same argument I’d heard from my mom every time she tried to get me to join an online dating service. After all, it had worked for her. Why wouldn’t it work for her introverted, comfort-zone-bound daughter?
“I’ve decided those are unicorns,” Grey said with complete seriousness.
