Page 78 of Banter & Blushes

“I’d rather you ride with Johnny,” she says.

Genesis and I exchange a look. I thought the entire set knew that was a bust. Tiffany glances between us, then sighs. “I never know anything.”

“It would still be easier if you rode with me,” I say to her.

She drops her shoulders. “Okay, fine. But I’ll dock her pay if there are any scratches.” She turns to Genesis. “And do not leave the lights on.”

“Noted, boss.” Genesis slams the window shut.

I’m still leaning against the truck when it cranks. I push off the side and join Tiffany. “Where to?”

“Want to stay on the beach a while?”

“Yeah.”

An involuntary smile crosses my face. I’d love nothing more than to stay on the beach for a while. But I know she means tonight and not beyond that.

I unlock my truck and get her door. We drive just outside the gate of the set and park at the public beach. Few people are out this time of night. Most night beachgoers are families at condos and resorts taking their kids to hunt crabs.

I grab an old blanket from my toolbox and take Tiffany’s hand. The sand is smooth except for a sandcastle half melted by the tide. I find a flat spot to spread the blanket for us to sit.

She snuggles against me with her head on my chest. The waves crash in front of us and a full moon reflects on the water. I haven’t been this content in a long time.

“This is nice,” she says.

“Yeah, I could stay like this forever.”

She tilts her head to meet my eyes. I smile and brush her hair back from blowing in her face.

“Do you mean that?”

“Yeah, it’s so peaceful.”

Her face falls a little, and she sits straighter.

“What?” I’ve never been the best at communicating with women, which is probably why she’s the longest dating relationship I’ve had. And it looks like I said something wrong now.

“When you said forever . . . I’m confused.”

“How?” I ask.

She takes a deep breath and lets it out, then turns to face me fully. “This last week has been so fun. It’s like we’re back in high school, but I know we’re not. We both have adult things to do and places to be. But I don’t want to go another eight or nine years without you.”

I take both her hands in mine and lean closer. “I know. I’ve got a lot of decisions to make over the next week about where I’m going to be or even what I’m going to do next. It will only take a few days to finish my recordings in Nashville, and I don’t even have a place lined up to stay.”

“So how does this work?”

I shrug. “I’m a nomad. I can’t promise I won’t have a life on the road no matter what I do next or where I live, but I want to be with you. I’m happiest with you.”

“Me too.”

Her smile is a little sadder than I’d like, but she leans forward and lets go of my hands, then wraps her arms around my shoulders. I hold her close and breathe in the mixture of her natural floral scent and whatever mess Jessica sprayed in her hair.

We sit embraced for several minutes before she says softly in my ear, “What do we do, then?”

“Tonight, we do this. Just be together. I don’t leave until tomorrow night, so we can worry about the rest then.”

She nods and lays her head on my shoulder. I hug her tightly and close my eyes. It would be nice to stay like this forever.

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