it’s a completely normal dinner for a Saturday night. Nothing would make me happier than to have this become our tradition, football during the day and picnicking at the lake as the sun goes down. The only thing better would be visiting one of the more secluded parks so I could make love to her under the stars once the park is empty.
Something happened when Tasha went in to get her purse. She hasn’t said anything, but the carefree woman who walked inside was gone before Tasha climbed back into my car. This may be my opening to figure out how tight she and Holly really are. “You wanna talk about it?”
“About what?” She turns to look at me curiously. I’ve pushed her more times than I can count in the day we’ve known each other and I can only imagine where her mind might be wandering.
I reach for her, needing her closer to me. Needing her to feel the desire coursing through my veins. Wanting nothing more than for her to feel how much I want to help her and make her happy. “About what happened when you were at Holly’s. When you walked in, you were smiling and happy. When you came out, your smile was forced. It wasn’t even wide enough to show off those cute dimples you have.”
As she settles herself between my legs, using my chest as a backrest, I reach up with one hand to tuck the loose hair behind her ears. It seems foolish to me, but it is the only thing I can think of to do so my hands touch her without giving her the wrong impression.
We sit in silence, watching a windsurfer navigating the rolling waves, possibly for the last time this year. Just as I give up on expecting a response from her, she starts to talk. “She’s just… she’s different. I’m not sure what it is, but tonight was the first time I saw it. I can’t help but feel like the years I spent with my ex placed a wedge between us that I’m not sure how to remove.”
I hate the sadness in her voice as she realizes one of her oldest friends is drifting away from her. Even more, I hate the fist pump I’m doing internally at the thought that Holly hasn’t corrupted her.
“Precious,” I whisper softly. “It’s not pleasant, but it’s a fact that sometimes we grow and change. The people we thought would always be there for us aren’t. You’re just now at a place where you can start to be the person you should be. She’s a single woman who has had years to get to where she is. Maybe you were meant to be close as kids, but your paths as adults aren’t meant to cross.”
Tasha runs her fingers against my jeans. “I can’t think like that. I can’t just give up on someone I’ve known almost my entire life. She’s my best friend. She’s my Zeke.”
“No, she’s not. Zeke and I didn’t meet until college. Our paths crossed because once we knew who we were, the paths led to the same place.”
“But how do I let that go? I don’t want to, but if it comes down to it, how am I supposed to let go of such a huge part of my life?”
“With your head held high, precious angel,” I say so quietly I’m not sure if she hears me over a group of pre-teens playing soccer nearby.
The sun dips below the horizon and we stand to head back to my car. I silently wish for many more days like today with Tasha. Before we leave, Tasha checks her phone. Seeing her brow furrow as she reads the newest message, I try to look over her shoulder to see what caused that reaction. Yes, that makes me just a bit of a creeper, but I don’t like the look in her eyes. Unfortunately, she stashes the phone back in her pocket before I can see.
When I pull into Tasha’s driveway, I kill the engine and quickly make my way around to her door. With every step, I say a prayer that I’ll find a way to keep our time together going. Sharing the same physical space with another person is something I normally try to avoid but I want that with Tasha.
“So, I was thinking maybe you could grab some clothes and we could head back to my place,” I say
Something happened when Tasha went in to get her purse. She hasn’t said anything, but the carefree woman who walked inside was gone before Tasha climbed back into my car. This may be my opening to figure out how tight she and Holly really are. “You wanna talk about it?”
“About what?” She turns to look at me curiously. I’ve pushed her more times than I can count in the day we’ve known each other and I can only imagine where her mind might be wandering.
I reach for her, needing her closer to me. Needing her to feel the desire coursing through my veins. Wanting nothing more than for her to feel how much I want to help her and make her happy. “About what happened when you were at Holly’s. When you walked in, you were smiling and happy. When you came out, your smile was forced. It wasn’t even wide enough to show off those cute dimples you have.”
As she settles herself between my legs, using my chest as a backrest, I reach up with one hand to tuck the loose hair behind her ears. It seems foolish to me, but it is the only thing I can think of to do so my hands touch her without giving her the wrong impression.
We sit in silence, watching a windsurfer navigating the rolling waves, possibly for the last time this year. Just as I give up on expecting a response from her, she starts to talk. “She’s just… she’s different. I’m not sure what it is, but tonight was the first time I saw it. I can’t help but feel like the years I spent with my ex placed a wedge between us that I’m not sure how to remove.”
I hate the sadness in her voice as she realizes one of her oldest friends is drifting away from her. Even more, I hate the fist pump I’m doing internally at the thought that Holly hasn’t corrupted her.
“Precious,” I whisper softly. “It’s not pleasant, but it’s a fact that sometimes we grow and change. The people we thought would always be there for us aren’t. You’re just now at a place where you can start to be the person you should be. She’s a single woman who has had years to get to where she is. Maybe you were meant to be close as kids, but your paths as adults aren’t meant to cross.”
Tasha runs her fingers against my jeans. “I can’t think like that. I can’t just give up on someone I’ve known almost my entire life. She’s my best friend. She’s my Zeke.”
“No, she’s not. Zeke and I didn’t meet until college. Our paths crossed because once we knew who we were, the paths led to the same place.”
“But how do I let that go? I don’t want to, but if it comes down to it, how am I supposed to let go of such a huge part of my life?”
“With your head held high, precious angel,” I say so quietly I’m not sure if she hears me over a group of pre-teens playing soccer nearby.
The sun dips below the horizon and we stand to head back to my car. I silently wish for many more days like today with Tasha. Before we leave, Tasha checks her phone. Seeing her brow furrow as she reads the newest message, I try to look over her shoulder to see what caused that reaction. Yes, that makes me just a bit of a creeper, but I don’t like the look in her eyes. Unfortunately, she stashes the phone back in her pocket before I can see.
When I pull into Tasha’s driveway, I kill the engine and quickly make my way around to her door. With every step, I say a prayer that I’ll find a way to keep our time together going. Sharing the same physical space with another person is something I normally try to avoid but I want that with Tasha.
“So, I was thinking maybe you could grab some clothes and we could head back to my place,” I say
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