Page 20 of Steadfast

“That’s nice of them.”

“That’s what I’m saying! They just seem cool. I think I’ll like it there. I met a couple of the warehouse guys while I was there, and they were super welcoming. One of them is this really old grizzled guy who should’ve retired like ten years ago. He was out there carrying pipe around like it was a roll of toilet paper. Wild.”

“That’s awesome,” I replied, watching him as we pulled onto the little gravel oasis we’d made for ourselves. “You know that like ninety-five percent of being happy at work is who you work with.”

“Who says that?” he asked as he put the truck in reverse and parked.

“I say that. Take it from someone who works a mind-numbing job—it’s all about the coworkers.”

Richie chuckled.

“I’ve got Kathy, who’s a complete riot. Jasmine, who is always so full of drama that she can spend an entire shift telling a story so well that it’s like I’m listening to an audiobook. Who else? Oh, and Kenny, who is the nicest old guy you’ll probably ever meet, and I get to see his wife come in every day to give him a kiss halfway through the shift. It’s the cutest thing ever. And that, my friend, equals workplace satisfaction.”

“I’ll make good money,” he said, reaching out to unbuckle both of our seat belts. “Eventually. That’s enough incentive for me.”

“Life’s not all about money,” I replied mockingly. The only people who ever said that were people with money. If youdidn’thave it, you knew it made life a fuck of a lot easier.

“Grab the food,” Richie ordered, reaching behind his seat to grab a sleeping bag.

I hopped out of the truck and waited for him to lay it out in the bed for us before using the tire like a step stool to climb up there.

“This is the perfect date,” I called out as Richie grabbed our sodas from the cab.

“Agreed,” he said. “You, good view, street tacos, and no interruptions.”

I smiled. “I’m so excited for you. I think you’re going to love your job, and it’s all going to be awesome.”

“As long as I get to come home to you, I could probably work anywhere,” he said as I unpacked our food. “But it would be nice to enjoy it.”

“Life’s too short to work ashittyjob,” I joked. I paused a minute and then widened my eyes. “Too soon?”

“You’ve got jokes,” Richie replied dryly. “Come on, get them all out now.”

“Can’t,” I teased. “They’re so much better when you don’t expect them.”

He laughed. “You know, plumbers don’t deserve to be made the butt of anyone’s jokes. Their jobs are shitty enough, alright?” He grinned slyly as I hooted.

“It’s a shitty job, but someone’s gotta do it,” I chirped back.

We were quiet as we ate, enjoying the view of the valley below us. We were somewhere down an old logging road that I was pretty sure I’d never be able to find on my own. The trees tapered down almost like gigantic stairs on the opposite side of the ravine, and I always wondered if the ground was shaped like that or if it was just the way the trees had grown.

When I was done eating, I laid back on the sleeping bag and stared at the sky. It was blue for as far as the eye could see, not a single cloud.

“What are you thinking about?” Richie asked, lying down beside me on his side. I knew his hand would roam, and I smiled as it slid beneath my dress and up my thigh.

“Well, I was thinking that there were no clouds, but now I’m wondering where that hand is headed,” I joked.

“You know exactly where it’s headed.” He grinned.

“Lucky me.”

He let out a huff of a laugh before his eyes grew serious. “Jesus, you’re pretty.”

“You’re prettier,” I crooned back, making him shake his head.

His hand traced designs on my thigh, higher and higher while his eyes roamed over my face and neck.

“What are you looking at?” I asked hoarsely, my cheeks heating.

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