Page 13

Seventy-Two Hours

A hot bathroom make-out session and me nearly running off the road when she was kissing my neck on the way back to the cabin all screamed that this girl might just be my demise.

We pulled in the drive and stood by my SUV for a minute. Her eyes were glued to the cabin as I examined her profile. She bit her lip, and I could see her mind spinning. She was nervous. Or worse, she’d be running for the hills and changing her mind about this weekend.

I didn’t know what was happening, but all I wanted was to be next to her. Sex. No sex. I didn’t give a flying fuck. Bottom line was that I needed to make her feel comfortable. “Hey, I have two new snow mobiles in the garage I’ve been dying to try out. You in?”

Relief washed over her face. “I’d like that.” She took off running. “Race you!”

I hauled ass after her, and while I’d like to say I let the beautiful one win, the lady had wheels.

I could tell by her form that she was a track girl at one time; I loved competitive Fern.

No. I did not love competitive Fern. I appreciate all competitive traits in all people.

Yes, I liked her spirit as much as any other person I’d met. Just to clarify.

We zipped through the snow around the lake, and she was a risk taker.

Not like the women I normally was involved with.

Well shit, if I’m honest, the women I’d seen over the past few years have never really seen the light of day.

Not because they weren’t most likely delightful humans but because I’d been anything but.

I’ve rarely taken anyone out on an official date and never to my cabin.

The cabin I bought after Amy died when I was seeking anything to possibly bring me peace.

Slowly but surely, it had. But now Fern was here, and I knew I’d never be in the place again without seeing her and hearing her laughter everywhere.

WTF is wrong with me? I’d known her in a hot minute, and the thought of not being as close as humanly possible to her launched a panic into my core.

Around the lake, she pulled to a stop and got off as I pulled up beside her.

She pointed. “Look at how beautiful your cabin is from here.” She grabbed my hand and led me to the edge of the icy lake. “This is a special place.”

I nodded, watching the smile as she continued to look on. “I knew it the first time I saw it.”

She stepped onto the ice that I’d paid the neighbor kid over the hill to broom off. Then he brought in water with a hose so it would be slick and ready if any of the wedding party wanted to skate.

Fern scooted onto the lake. “Don’t you think houses have a feel to them? Like their own vibe?”

The allure and fascination of Fern was an invisible string that pulled me behind her. “I guess I haven’t thought of it that way. Hey, in that wooden crate just off the ice are some skates I keep out here. I think there’s some that might work for you.”

She clapped her hands, and before I knew it, we both were skated up. She kicked her back leg out as she put her hands to out. “Your cabin has an amazing energy to it. Like it gushes fun and laughter.”

I threw my back leg out and copied her move as I approached her. “You kind of gush fun and laughter too.”

Her giggle cut through the crisp air. “I do?”

“Yes, and your skating skills are killer.”

“Why thank you, Mr. Gabe. My parents made Dave and I take figure skating lessons when we were kids for a few years, thinking it would help our hockey skills.”

I screeched to a halt as visions of huge Novots doing a spinny thing with little bows tied in a perfectly symmetrical pattern in his dark beard flew through my mind. “Did my ears hear that Dave was a figure skater? No effing way.”

“Way!” Her laugh echoed through the trees nearby.

“Don’t tell anyone, but we were in some teen couple skating competitions.

We won a few times, of course, because Dave and I don’t lose well.

But eventually he threw me too hard, resulting in my body bouncing off the judge’s table.

Yeah, that one we did not win, and I broke my arm. ”

“Tell me someone has that on video? Please.” Now the laughter shooting across the lake was mine. “Ginormous Dave?”

She skated to me and put her hands over my eyes. “Picture this. Thirteen-year-old Dave, a little soft in the middle, wearing a skintight red male skating outfit with dazzling rhinestones running down the sides of his legs.”

“Hot.”

She dropped her hands and skated around me. “We eventually begged our parents to let us hang up our unitards.”

“I don’t know why, but this makes me so happy. Show me your moves, Miss Fern Ethel.”

“I don’t have any moves.” She turned in a small circle.

“Bullshit. If you were a figure skating champion, I know you got moves. Let me be your partner.”

Her giggles tickled me. “You couldn’t do it.”

“Is that a challenge, Fern?”

She groaned. “Fine. Have you seen Dirty Dancing?”

“Uh, who hasn’t?”

“That was the showstopper move Dave and I did in our cringy brother-sister routine. He was even a giant even back then,” she whispered. “The lift.”

“Hey, if Dave can do it, I can do it.” I quickly did some animated stretches while she shook her head.

“I think you’ll drop me.”

“Ye of little faith.” I held out my arms and planted my skates solidly on the ice. “Come on, let’s do this.”

She inhaled. “Are you sure? The last thing I need is another cut on my noggin.”

“I got you. Promise.”

Laughter poured out of her. “Fine, I’m trusting you.” She skated toward me, I got hold of her waist, and boom, she was high in the sky.

“You did it!” she screeched from above.

“Of course, I did.” I lowered her until her skates hit the ground, and my hands pulled her close. “I’ve always got you.”

Her smiled faded as she looked up at me.

That was the opportunity to correct my wording.

To clarify that I would have her for the weekend, not always.

But I couldn’t cough out the words. Instead, I stood silently, soaking her in before kissing those plump lips I was growing way too accustomed to while she wrapped her arms around my waist.

I pulled back to notice her nose was turning pink. “You’re freezing. Let’s get to the cabin.”

We hopped in the back door and kicked off our shoes while she nudged me. “I think your hot tub is yelling at me.”

“Is that so?” I walked over and lifted the lid back. “It is pretty steamy. Do you have a swimsuit?”

A sexy grin slid across her lips. “Nope.”

“Hmmm.” I pulled my shirt over my head and tossed it to the floor. “Whatever shall we do about that?”

She started to pull up her shirt. “I can’t believe I’m doing this. Turn around.”

“Girl, do you remember last night? No need to be bashful.”

She wagged her finger at me. “Just turn around.”

I turned to the wall and whipped my pants off, leaving me in my boxer briefs before hopping in. “I’m not looking.” I kept my eyes closed as I heard her climb in the water.

“Okay.”

I opened my eyes to see Fern about as far away from me as she could be. She wore a shy smile, and I could only make out the top of her light pink bra, “Hi.”

“Hi.”

Her nerves were showing as she bit her lip and looked away. The thought of me making her uncomfortable twisted something, and I had to correct it. She jumped as I scooted a little closer to her. I hated the tension and couldn’t seem to utter a single word. What is wrong with you?

She cleared her throat. “So how long have you had this sporty hot tub?”

“A year or so. But wait.” I reached to the wall, flipped a switch, and twinkly lights appeared overhead as a waterfall in the corner of the tub started flowing.

“Nice.” She cleared her throat.

I looked at the clock on the wall. “Want a beer or wine?”

“Ooh, wine would be nice.”

I sprung out and to the refrigerator in the corner, grabbing a chilled bottle of something pink, and two red solo cups. Super classy.

I handed her a cup before I screwed off the lid. Mental note: never buy gas station wine again. By the time I finished filling up mine, she held out her empty cup.

“Hit me.”

Clearly liquid courage was her phrase of the moment.

Right, wrong or otherwise, an hour later, we sat laughing while the empty wine bottle floated in the bubbling water. My eyes had made several trips to the butterfly tattoo that was strangely familiar and a bit eerie.

“That was some good wine.” Her cheeks glowed soft pink.

“See, you don’t have to spend serious coin on alcohol. This is my new favorite.”

She touched the scar on my hairline. “Where did you get that one?”

“That was a hockey game in college. Threw fists with a dude and somehow ended up with his skate in my head.”

“Ouch.”’

“What about the one under your chin?”

I laughed. “Now that was bar fight where your brother ended the evening by plucking glass from a broken beer bottle out of my face.”

“So you’re clearly his partner in crime.” She leaned her head back. “He is pretty amazing when it comes to taking care of people, huh?”

“You’ve had a lifetime of overprotective Dave taking care of you. He gets worked up when people he cares about are hurting.”

“Oh yeah. You should’ve seen him when I had cancer.” She leaned forward, and my stomach dropped, seeing the long, thick scar on her back.

“Fern.” It came out in a whisper.

“It seems weird that they’d go through a person’s back to get to the esophagus, right?”

I ran my finger over the scar. “Yes.”

“But they got it all, and I’ve had a clean bill of health since.”

She sat back up, and I pulled her close. “Well, clearly, Fern’s won the scar contest. Damn you.”

Her mouth opened as her hands shot in the air. “You’re right! I’ve never thought of it that way. Yes, I am the winner of the scar contest!” She gave me a cocky nod. “Finally, the cancer paid off.”