Page 37 of Beck & Coll
He looked up at the sky. “The sun is setting. It’s too late to do the corn maze. You have to do that during the daylight. You wanna get hot cider and go on a hayride?”
My face lit up with a smile. “Yes, I do.”
“Coll.” His tone was serious.
“Yes?” I matched his energy.
“Don’t fall off the damn tractor.”
“How’d you fall off the tractor, Coll?” My mother questioned as the two of us crossed the threshold back into our hotel suite later that night.
“Ma, I didn’t fall off the tractor. When I was getting off after the ride, my boot got stuck in some hay or something, and I stumbled a little bit. I didn’t fall. Besides, Beck was right there to catch me.”
“Beck is handsome,” she commented, taking off her cowboy hat. “Sweet, too. Seems like the type that would make a good son-in-law.”
I eyed her. “Not you trying to give me away to some man you’ve met once.”
Her shoulders bobbed in a quick shrug. “I’m just calling them how I see them.”
“And you see Beck for me?”
“I see my daughter smiling and glowing. I see her relaxing in the arms of a man, looking like she feels safe… comfortable. I like how you are with him, toots. But even more important than that, I like how he is with you.”
“I’m surprised you noticed Beck and me with the way you were all wrapped up in Bay.”
She winked at me. “Don’t be jealous.”
“I’m not.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure, Ma. You run around wearing so many hats—mom, bus driver, grandmother. When do you get to just be Alisha?”
Tears formed in her eyes.
“Mama.” I rushed over to her and wrapped her in my arms. “Are you okay? What did I say?”
“Nothing. Nothing.” She pulled away from me and wiped furiously at her tears. “I’m sorry. I’m just… tired. And it’s good to get away from home and let my hair down. Thank you for sending for me, Coll. Thank you for thinking of me and giving me this weekend.”
“You’re welcome. Did you enjoy the concert?”
“I did. And I enjoyed it even more since I had some strong arms wrapped around me, making me feel cherished. Bayliss is really good at that. I don’t know this man from a can of paint, but somehow, he made me feel cherished and safe in his arms.”
“I think it’s a family trait.” I giggled. “It’s okay if you want to spend time with Bay while you’re here. Don’t feel like you have to spend all of your time with me. It’s your vacation, too.”
“I might take you up on that because I think I like the way that young man makes me feel.”
On Sunday, my mom, Beckham, Bayliss, and I decided to skip the fall festival. Instead, the guys took us ATV riding on the back forty acres of their family’s property. After tearing through the forest that backed up to their property, the four of us had a picnic lunch in an open field on a blanket under the clouds.
That night, my mom and Bayliss went to dinner without us. I went to Beckham’s house.
I scooted over next to him and rested my head on his shoulder as we chilled on his couch.
“I wish I could stay,” I said, meaning it with my whole heart. “But this trip was always meant to be temporary.”
How did one pick up their entire life and move it 2,000 miles away from everything they knew? For a guy they met thirteen days earlier? That was insane. Wasn’t it?
The lovemaking was soft and sweet that night. Beckham was gentle with me as both of us tried to show the other physically what our words weren’t able to express verbally. I cried as our bodies connected, dropping hot tears on his shoulder. I think his eyes might’ve watered a little bit, too.
