Page 17 of FWB
Kenny
T he Fourth of July is coming up in a couple of weeks.
Normally, I stay in and avoid the crowds like the plague, but this year I want to spend it with Tiegan.
I don’t care what we do as long as we end up creating our own fireworks at the end of the night.
It’s been less than two months since we’ve started our FWB arrangement, but I’m having the best time of my life.
Every minute I spend with her is like an adventure.
Her laugh is infectious; I catch myself smiling just thinking about her.
I worry about getting her hopes up that my plan will be more than I’m intending.
But I’ll deal with the consequences of my actions later. For now, I want to take her away.
I notice her alone in the multipurpose room one day and sneak up behind her. I slip my hands around her waist, and she startles before I rest my chin on her left shoulder. When she realizes it’s me, she relaxes.
“Hey, you,” she says in her husky voice, dripping with lust. “What are you up to? Aren’t you afraid someone’s going to walk in?”
Remembering where we are and that she’s right in that we shouldn’t be pressed up against each other, I reluctantly back away.
She turns around to face me. She’s got her signature cat-eye eyeliner and ruby red lips.
I’m blown away by her glory. “I was passing by and saw you in here by yourself looking irresistible. Thought I’d come in and say hello. ”
“Well, I’m glad you did. I don’t get to see you nearly as much as I’d like.”
“I know. Work always has me glued to my computer. But I wanted to ask if you had plans for the Fourth?”
“No, I don’t. I’m usually a recluse. I think the last time I went downtown for the Fourth of July was in high school when my aunt took us to her office building on Second Avenue to watch the fireworks.
I’ve never actually done the Broadway thing on the Fourth or New Year’s Eve.
It’s way too crowded for me. I usually just stay at home and crash early. ”
“Yeah, same here. But I was thinking that maybe we could do something fun together? The Fourth falls on a Monday, so we get a three-day weekend since the office is closed. Would you be down for an impromptu getaway?”
Shocked, she stammers, “You … you want to go away for the weekend … with … me?”
“Is that weird? I just figured I don’t have any plans, and I’ve always wanted to go to Asheville. I decided I might go over that weekend and thought I’d see if you wanted to keep me company.”
A slow smile spreads on her face. “You know, I happen to love Asheville. I spent a lot of time there in college because it was the closest place with the best concerts coming through. It was only about an hour away from where I went to school. I haven’t been in over ten years.
I think the last time I was in Asheville was my twenty-first birthday, and I almost broke my ankle walking across the crosswalk. ” She laughs.
“Oh, no!”
“Oh, yeah! I went down ! I was laying in the middle of the crosswalk, and a street cop comes up and goes,“ she lowers her voice to mimic a man’s, “‘Uh, ma’am, you need to get out of the street.’”
“What? He didn’t even offer to help you up or anything?” I ask, laughing because I’m not surprised.
“Nope. My best friend, Kiersten, was with me, so she helped me up and across. We were headed to a concert later that night, too. My ankle was screaming the whole time, but it made for a funny story.”
“Well, if you agree to come with me, I promise to hold your hand across the street like I would an elderly lady, so you don’t fall.”
She seems to think on it for a second before a slow smile spreads across her face. “Okay, I’m in.”
I can’t help but give her a big grin in return. “Excellent. I’ll take care of everything. Just bring a bag with you and yourself.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind contributing to the room and stuff.”
“No, I’ve got it. Like I said, I was already kind of planning on going. Now, I’m gonna get my own personal tour guide.”
“Okay. I just have one request.”
“Name it.”
“We have to stop and eat at Mayfel’s downtown. Their burgers and homemade pickles are to die for!”
“Burgers and homemade pickles? A woman after my own heart.”