Page 40 of Forgotten Pieces

I walk her bike to my truck while she follows a few steps behind me. We both climb into the truck and I ask her where she lives.

I drive her the ten minutes it takes to get to her house and drop her off a little bit down the road like she asks.

“The next time you want to talk just let me know.”

She looks over at me but then turns to the road. “And say what? Seven for a secret?”

I smile at that. “Yeah. It can be our code.”

“What’s it mean anyway?”

“Just from an old nursery rhyme. But it's always stuck with me and my mom.”

“Okay,” is all she says back.

I jump out of the truck and pull her bag and bike out and pass them off. She starts to walk down the road but I stop her with my words. “I don’t think you’re cute Tacoma. I think you’re beautiful. Remember that, okay?”

She looks at me with that sadness back in her eyes and nods.

Chapter Fourteen

Ryder

Shelley didn’t come home last night like she promised. She texted me as I was walking in the door and said there was a bad storm in Atlanta.

I decide to go for a run to shake my thoughts. I couldn’t sleep last night. Luckily, not because of nightmares and flashbacks but because of Shelley. Every step I take has me second guessing our relationship. She was desperate to move out here to get away from the city, but it’s almost like every chance she gets she is back in Atlanta. My friends might be right. They think she fantasizes about a life out here. If she really knew me, she would know that’s all it is, a fantasy. Life out here is nothing but bruises and bad memories. But my past is nothing anyone needs to know about. I got that shit off my chest years ago thanks to Tacoma. And I have never found a need to rehash it.

She liked my life back in North Carolina, when I was on base. She liked the tranquility of the small town. She would have moved there if it wasn’t for the accident that forced me to take a leave. She thinks she sees Jacksonville in White Creek. But Jacksonville was a lot bigger than here. These county lines close in on you the longer you stay here. And she isn’t meant for them. She needs the lights and action. If she is here too long, these roads will tear her apart.

Reminds me of someone else I know.

I round the corner to the block our rental is on and see her car in the driveway. I slow down and walk the half block to the house to lower my heart rate. I take my shirt off as I walk in the door, it’s soaked through with sweat from this ninety-degree heat.

Shelley is sitting at the kitchen table and smiles at me as I walk in. I pull my earbuds out as I walk over and lean in to kiss her, but she puts a hand on my chest. “You’re sweaty.”

I sigh. Things have changed since the wedding when I thought we might get back into our groove. I know it has to do with our time apart and her job taking precedence. “That never used to bother you.”

“I know. But I have my expensive work clothes on.”

“That is why washing machines exist,” I mumble. “Why are you in work clothes anyway? I thought you stayed at the condo last night.”

Her phone chimes and she picks it up while taking a sip of her coffee. “I did,” she answers after typing out a response. “But then we had a few contracts to send out this morning that I was working late on last night so I swung by the office.”

I nod my head at her and head to the bathroom to shower.

“Hey, can I talk to you about something?”

I stop and turn around to look at her, raising an eyebrow.

“Harper called me yesterday to tell me the house is just about done. She said we can swing by today to check it out, let her know of any changes we want. If everything looks good we can move in next week!”

“That’s great news,” I say indifferently. “When do you want to go?”

“She said we can stop by around one. Maybe we can go a little earlier and scope out the town. Stop by that cute diner. I think I was talking to the owner of it at Harper’s wedding.”

“Sounds great.”

“I might have to do some work later tonight depending on when we get those contracts back but it’s nothing I can’t do from home.”

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