Page 47 of Flowers To Give

Jeremy could laugh, “You want me to come to your big Hollywood party?”

“Yeah, it’ll be fun,” Clark shrugs, “C’mon, I want to celebrate with you! I couldn’t have done this movie without you, so come party.”

Chewing on that, Jeremy looks out to the first stars that start to sparkle in the sky. He doesn’t see how this party could be fun, still not entirely convinced on why he’s even invited in the first place. Eyeing down Clark, Jeremy hesitates in even responding.

Clark reads his reluctance and sighs, admitting, “Okay, I want you to also represent Willmaker Ranch. You know, buff me out to some of the big wigs and make it seem like me moving to Colorado wasn’t a huge mistake.”

Remembering what Laurelai had shared in the tack room, Jeremy can’t stop his tongue as he asks, “Why did you move here?”

Clark chuckles, “What?”

“Why move back after all this time?”

“I told you,” Clark readjusts his stance, “For a change of pace. To try to save my marriage.”

“Yeah, but why here? Why not North California, like she wanted?” Jeremy wishes he would stop pressing the topic but he doesn’t know how to restrain himself.

“Because this is my home. I grew up here,” Clark seems uncomfortable, hands in his pockets and shrugging a bunch, “What’s this all about, Jeremy?”

He shakes his head, finally being knocked out of his stupor and telling Clark honestly, “Nothing. Sorry. It’s just something Laurelai said got under my skin.”

“Dude, you need to forget about Laurelai. She’ll say anything to get a rise out of people,” Clark shakes his head, “For some reason I figure she has it out for you.”

“It’s okay,” Jeremy rubs his toe into the dirt, asking as nonchalantly as possible, “So. When is she headed back?”

“Hm? What’s that?” Clark asks.

Jeremy doesn’t look directly at Clark as he reminds him, “You said you two were signing your divorce papers as soon as you got back.”

“Oh, no. That’s off again,” Clark laughs to himself, “Yeah, she wants to give it another shot. Again. So that’s all been put on hold.”

“Oh. Great,” Jeremy nods, “Congratulations.”

“Hmph. Thanks,” Clark shrugs. He eyes Jeremy and asks outright, “So are you coming to my party or what?”

Sighing, Jeremy forgets about seeing Merle this weekend and submits to the request, “I don’t really have a choice, huh?”

Clark smiles fully, “Nope.”

Jeremy thinly smiles back, “Then I’ll be there, boss.”

They walk under the first moonbeams together, Clark asking Jeremy about being back and him asking Clark about Vancouver. They walk on into the night and don’t make it back to their respective living areas until much later. It’s as if that day on the beach and their miraculous kiss secretly still meant quite a lot to each of them without either addressing it. Instead, they indulge in each other’s presence, neither eager to separate again. When they do, they both rock on their heels and hold out until the end.

CHAPTER SEVEN

THE MOON STRIKES down on the raging ranch house, bathing the pops of color coming from the windows in a preternatural blue hue as the beams move throughout straggling clouds. Jeremy doesn’t know what he expected from the scene, but the party has already spilled out to the lawn and the whole place is crawling with black specks of people partying on.

Barry had been jealous when Jeremy had shared with him and some of the other ranch workers that he’d been invited to the exclusive affair. But there is nothing to be envious of, Jeremy wishing he could skip the thing altogether. He’s already running absurdly late, although that seems to be right on time as far as the party is concerned.

Approaching the house, he’s crossing the lawn when a familiar voice calls out, “Cowboy! Aloha!”

Jeremy turns his head and sees Eneki and Ryan waving to him. Smiling big, Jeremy steers away from the entrance and goes over to his friends, giving them a big hug and greeting them with, “Wow, I can’t believe y’all are here!”

“Now we’re on your island!” Ryan laughs, sipping from his cocktail.

Eneki smiles wide, “It sure is good to see you, man.”

“Yeah, same,” Jeremy nods, “How was the rest of filming?”