Page 50 of Banter & Blushes #1

TIFFANY

C olt and I stayed on the beach for hours, talking and holding each other close. I didn’t realize how tired I was until he took me home. We kissed good night, and I went straight to my room as soon as he drove away.

Before I got in bed, I updated the The Sandbar’s Facebook page to say that we would be closed the following day. Under normal circumstances, I never would’ve done something like that, but sleepiness got the best of me.

Now that it’s the next morning, I’m glad I took the day off.

My phone buzzes again, but it’s the ringtone and not the snooze. I reach for it on my bedside table, hoping it’s Colt. Nope, just Genesis. I answer with a yawn. “Hello?”

“Why didn’t you tell me we were closed today?”

I sit up and slap my hand on my head. Shoot, I forgot about Genesis. The one time she shows up on time, we’re not open.

“I’m so sorry. It was a rash decision.” I yawn again. “I was out late and needed a day off.”

And I hope to spend some time with Colt before he leaves. But I don’t say. Personal details, especially about relationships, only fuel her fire.

“Cool. I’m at the beach so I’m gonna just hang a while.”

“Okay. Sorry again.”

“Girl, you know I’m fine with not working.” She laughs and hangs up .

I stare at the phone a minute. Colt said he’d see me tomorrow, but didn’t say what time. I almost text him, but make myself drop the phone.

This is what I wanted to avoid. Getting too attached.

If I were to get too attached to anyone, it would be Colt. But given the circumstances of so many unknowns in his life and the evident distance between us, I can’t. Distance has literally been the one thing keeping us apart.

Over the years, when I would break up with a boyfriend or be in a lull in my dating life, I’d often think about what might’ve been had we stayed together. Could it have possibly worked between us, with me in college on the coast and him in Nashville, then touring?

If we weren’t so young, I’m sure we would’ve taken the chance.

I get up and shower and go about my morning routine, trying not to think about it too much. If I don’t hear from him by lunchtime, I’ll text or call.

I’m trying to keep busy by checking the food truck when I hear a knock outside. I look through the tiny back window and see the bed of a truck. Then I open the back door and grin.

Colt’s truck is parked behind my car. I hop out and find him up the steps to my house. He’s knocking on my door, so I reach around his waist and tickle him.

He jumps about a foot off the ground and turns around. Once the shock wears off, he starts tickling me. We laugh together until I elbow him to stop.

“Ugh, you still have bony elbows.”

I catch my breath as he releases me, then spins me around to hug me close. “You scared me.”

“Serves you right.” I smile up at him, then sway toward the door and open it. We stumble over the threshold, still embraced. Colt lifts my feet off the ground and sits me down on the couch. He snuggles in beside me and sighs.

I laugh. “What are your plans for today?”

“Be with you every second until I have to leave.”

“Which is when?”

“Probably this afternoon. I have an early morning recording in Nashville.” He sits up straighter. “As soon as I found out it was so early, I came over to get every second we can.”

My heart flutters at his sweetness, then immediately aches knowing today is our last day. I rest my head on his shoulder. “Have you decided what you’re doing after the recording?”

“No.” He exhales, sending a warm tickle of air across my cheek. “I’ve got a few days to give JD my answer. I figure I’ll know once I’m recording my own songs.”

I wish he would give his own music a chance, but it’s not my place to decide. Colt’s so talented and wrote some beautiful songs even in high school.

“So if you focus on that, you’ll stay in Nashville?”

He turns, causing my head to move. I face him, curious about the excited twinkle in his eye .

“You should move to Nashville.”

“What?” My voice cracks.

“You could get a place in Nashville and bring your food truck. There are so many music festivals and recordings, you’d always have something to cater or be a vendor for.”

“That’s a big gamble.”

“I don’t think so. Your food is so good.”

I shake my head. “I mean, for us. The only reason I’d want to move is to be near you, and what if that doesn’t work out?”

“What do you mean?” His face resembles a sad puppy’s.

My mouth twitches as I prepare my answer. I need to choose my words carefully so I don’t hurt him.

“We just reconnected this week after years of not seeing one another. We live in different states and both have busy jobs.”

“People do long distance all the time. If I’d known I’d feel this way seeing you again...” He pauses and sighs. “I would’ve tried harder to make it work after high school.”

I put my hand on his knee and give him what I hope is an encouraging look. “Let’s enjoy today. We can make major decisions later. Okay?”

He sits still as a stone wall for a moment. Finally, he turns toward me, looking less worried. “You’re right. Tell me all the things you wish I knew about the last nine years.”

I lean back against the couch and stare at the ceiling. “That may take a while.”

“I’ve got a few hours. Tell me everything. I don’t want to miss anything about you.”

For the first time since seeing Colt again, I let my guard down. I start with moving to the beach after graduation to cheer and attend college and end with right before I saw him on set.

I tell him about the two serious relationships I’ve been through and how waitressing through college made me decide to start a food truck.

I talk about my friends coming and going since the beach is a place many people don’t stay forever.

I even admit to looking him up on social media a few times but coming up blank.

My stories carry through lunch and the early afternoon. A few times I ask him about his life, but as soon as he answers, he asks about me again. It’s like he’s trying to close the gap in time between us.

He stays as long as he can to still make it to Nashville at a decent hour. I walk him to his truck, my eyes threatening to shed tears.

Colt frames my face with his hands and stares into my eyes. Then he kisses me. I try and live in the moment, but it’s hard when I don’t know what the future holds for us.