Page 101 of Mountain Pine
“From the library? Yup. They had it in storage, and I was able to make a deal with them for it because they weren’t planning to use it anymore, anyway.”
I can’t imagine what it might have cost him to get that. It was my favorite part of going to the library when I was little with my mom and I cried when they took it out and replaced it with a plain window after it got an expansion.
“We uhh… tried to put in a water line to make things more convenient for you in here, but it wasn’t as easy as we thought it would be so I got you a longer hose that can reach all the way inside here from your house.” He points at the corner where there’s a long black hose coiled on a wheel. “I also wanted to put in a little water feature, so you had nice namaste noises too.” There’s a tiny battery-operated fountain on a shelf. “Thought you could double this place up as a greenhouse and a place to do your yoga.”
I’ve started training so I can get my certification to teach classes.
And this is the perfect place to practice.
Looking up at the ceiling makes me want to cry. I can see the whole sky. “Look at the moon.”
Conner doesn’t respond, so I turn my gaze towards him and realize he’s staring at me. It feels like there’s something more he wants to say. I think we’re both holding our breath.
And God, how I want to kiss him. I want to crawl up his body and wrap myself around him and never ever let go. I want to thank him for always making my life so special and for always having my back and understanding me.
Fidgeting, I twirl my amethyst infinity ring around my finger and wish, wish, wish he loved me like I love him. Not as a friend. As a soul mate.
“It’s late,” I say, because I’m a fucking dumbass with no courage to go after what I really want and risk being shut down and humiliated a second time.
Conner clears his throat. “Yeah. I should uh… get back to my place.”
Nick and Carly stumble in, laughing loudly. “No way,” Nick says.
“Way. It was crazy. I thought for sure we were going to get arrested.”
The energy shift is a harsh relief. “Hey! What happened to what happens on girls’ trip stays on girls’ trip?”
Carly shrugs. “It’s Nick! He doesn’t count!”
“Ooof.” He grabs his chest. “That hurt, girl.”
“You’ll be fine.” She pats his shoulder. “Wow, you guys knocked this out of the park.” She looks around and gawks at everything. “What are the shelves made of?”
“Whatever wood we could get our hands on.”
She runs her hand along a bench. “Is this a church pew?”
“Yup,” Nick proudly beams. “Found that sucker in a barn.”
“Who’s barn?” Conner and I ask at the same time. We look at each other and smile, then wiggle our fingers at each other.
“You guys are wild with your shared brain.”
I wish we shared a heart, but I guess some wishes don’t come true.
“Anyway, this baby here,” Nick taps the top of the bench. “Came from Honey Pete’s.”
There is no way on this green earth I’m going to ask why that old man had a pew in his barn. But now I see thewords, “Lettuce Pray” painted on it and I know damn well Nick did that. He has the worst handwriting.
“Huh.” Conner stuffs his hands in his pockets. “I didn’t know you got that thing from Honey Pete.”
“What did you think?” Nick frowns. “That I took it straight out of a church?”
“Hey, it wouldn’t be the first time you did some shit like that,” Carly chimes in.
Nick gawks at her. “Oh, you’re one to talk.”
Conner grabs Nick by the back of the neck. “Okay, time to go home. We all have work in the morning.”
