Page 81 of Skye's Fall

“I don’t know why you’re so nervous,” Ariel calls from the kitchen.

She knows I’ve been waiting all day for him. But she’s also right. I don’t know why I am nervous.

“I don’t know why either,” she hands me a glass of tea and sits next to me.

“Maybe he just wants to take you on a date,” she says.

“Maybe. Or he wants to end it with me,” I tell her. Maybe my mother scared him off. Wouldn’t be the first time. Most guys don’t live up to DD’s potential, Memphis included.

“No, I don’t think that is what it is,” she smiles coyly.

“What’s going on?” Something fishy is going on.

“Nothing,” she lies. I know it’s a lie. I’ve lied so many times in my life that I can smell one a mile away.

“Ariel,” I warn.

“I really don’t know anything. He called Brick to help him with something. I don’t know what. I swear that’s all I know.”

Now I am nervous. What is he up to? Maybe he’s going to take me out to the woods and kill me.

“Just go with it. You guys have been through so much. I’m sure he’s just showing he cares in some way,” she says as I set my empty glass on the table.

“Okay,” I reply and start to fidget. Do I look okay? Am I dressed right?

“You look fine,” she pats my shoulder as I hear two trucks outside. I jump up to look out the window, Ariel on my heels.

“That’s your cue,” she smiles and shoves me toward the door.

“I’m going,” I open the door at the same time Brick does.

“Have fun,” he winks. Oh boy.

I slide into the truck and sigh.

“What?”

“Nothing. Just wondering what we’re doing.” This is it, right?

“You’ll see,” Linc grins. I love it when he smiles, his face softens and he looks so young. And hot. Yes, I said hot. He is definitely all that and a bag of potato chips which I’m craving at the minute. I’m on a salty kick right now. My cravings are all over the place, the same with these mood swings.

He drives for a bit, heading toward the old watering hole, as in a small pond everyone would swim at. He has a cabin out there that he would rent to people when they wanted to get away from Atlanta. It’s quiet. This is one of my favorite places to come. After everything that happened last season, I found myself here a lot just to be close to him even when he wasn’t around or didn’t want to be around me.

And he pulls up to his cabin. I knew that’s where we were going.

“I have a confession.”

“Oh?”

“I’ve been coming out here for a while now. After all that went down on the show last season with Ever, I needed to get away. I would come sit at the fire pit and think. It was a way to be close to you.”

He traces my cheek with his finger before leaning in to kissing me.

“It’s been awhile for me,” he says, hugging me for a minute.

I stare up at him and wait for him to elaborate.

“The last time I was here was with you,” he says softly.