Twenty-one

TWENTY-ONE

Josie

"Okay. I'm all done. Where are we going?"

Never in my life had I felt this feeling, the feeling that each day got better and better to the point I thought I would burst from the happiness and excitement I felt.

I felt good.

There was no other way to describe it.

And it was all thanks to one man—Huck Davidson.

Sure, there was the progress I'd been making at my therapy and rehab sessions that couldn't go unnoticed and that I was largely responsible for achieving all on my own. In fact, I'd gotten word from my doctor I could return to work as long as I did it on a modified workload. But there was so much more than just that.

I had Huck being the guy that he was to make everything good seem great and special. Sometimes, he made me feel like each milestone I hit was a great accomplishment when the reality was that I was just getting myself to a place where I should have been all along, where most people already were.

Huck made it a point to celebrate those achievements, believing it was a necessary step in continuing to provide me with motivation. Even if I'd already told him it wasn't needed—that the feeling of success alone was enough to drive me forward—he refused to be denied. And since I enjoyed everything that I got to do with him, I didn't put up a fight.

I loved it.

I loved the way he was only ever interested in the best for me.

And he made it impossible to feel sad or forlorn about anything, not even the places I'd been or the things I'd gone through, without even realizing he was doing it.

But aside from the emotional and physical progress I'd made and Huck's never-ending support of me in those endeavors, there was something else lighting me up inside.

Lately, I'd been seeing this new side to Huck that I hadn't seen much from him other than when we were in high school.

He was fun.

The serious and concentrated focus I'd been seeing over the last few weeks had diminished substantially, and something else was taking its place. Huck seemed more laidback than ever. He was at ease and eager for fun.

Maybe, indirectly, I was responsible for the change in him. It was entirely possible, based on what I knew about the kind of man Huck was, that seeing the improvement in my physical and emotional well-being was lifting his spirits. Knowing I was going to bounce back, regardless of how slow the process, was enough to shift Huck's mindset to something that resulted in him being less worried and more celebratory. Perhaps he could now look on the bright side of this whole situation. Or even if he couldn't quite bring himself to do that, at least he could find the silver lining.

This morning, I'd had another appointment for my shoulder rehab. As usual, Huck had taken me to the appointment. Since he hadn't indicated otherwise, I assumed we were going to go back to his place afterward.

But that wasn't what happened at all.

Huck drove us to Grant's Deli, where he not only treated the both of us to lunch, but he also introduced me to Mallory, the wife of his coworker, Nixon. After having heard about their story from Huck while I was still in the hospital, it was nice to be able to put a face to a name. Not only that, but I loved being able to see that Huck hadn't been kidding about just how good things were for her now, because she was in the middle of her pregnancy and positively glowing. Maybe, just maybe, I'd be able to have that someday, too.

After ordering some sandwiches, Huck and I grabbed a seat at one of the few tables Mallory had inside the deli. And it was while we were eating when Huck shared that he had come up with a plan for something to do this afternoon. Despite my best efforts, he refused to tell me during lunch, but now that I'd finished, I wanted answers.

Ignoring my question, he asked, "How was your lunch?"

"It was great. Wonderful. I'd love to come back and get sandwiches here again one day," I quickly replied. "But that doesn't tell me what you've got up your sleeve for us this afternoon."

"Maybe I want it to be a surprise," he reasoned.

I rolled my eyes at him. "It already is. I had no clue you planned something fun for us to do today. I was surprised when you brought me here, and I was surprised when you told me you intended to take me somewhere else after this. How is it not a surprise if you tell me the specifics of it now?"

He shrugged and sat back in his seat. "I don't know. I guess you'd still be surprised, but I'm more interested in seeing the look on your face when we get there."

"Ugh, you're no fun," I grumbled, wishing I had another way to convince him. Then, an idea popped into my head. "What if, what if I don't want to do whatever you have planned? What if I have the wrong reaction?"

Shaking his head, Huck insisted, "There is no wrong reaction, Josie. You react however you react. To that end, I've got to ask you a question."

"What?"

He stared at me for several long seconds, his eyes attempting to communicate something I couldn't quite figure out. Eventually, he asked, "Do you trust me?"

I wanted to respond and ask him why he'd ever ask such a ridiculous question, but I thought better of it. Because it was him asking me that question that put everything into perspective for me.

Huck would never take me anywhere that he wasn't absolutely certain I would enjoy. Then again, even if the place was somewhere I might not have normally liked, if I was there with him, the likelihood was that the happiness I felt being with him would overshadow any distaste I had for wherever we were.

Offering him a slight nod, I replied quietly. "I trust you, Huck."

He smiled, reached across the table for my hand, and gave me a squeeze. "Good. Let's get this garbage tossed and say goodbye to Mallory. Then I'll take you somewhere I think you're bound to have loads of fun with me."

Trusting he wasn't wrong about that, I returned the smile. "Okay."

A few minutes later, Huck and I were back in his truck and on our way to some special place. I tried my best to figure out where we were heading as he drove through the streets of Steel Ridge, but nothing came to mind.

Finally, he made a turn off the main road into a shopping center. That's when it hit me. That's when I knew. A lump immediately formed in my throat as unshed tears filled my eyes.

Once Huck pulled into a parking space and turned off the truck, I stopped gazing out the windshield and looked at him.

"Well, that's not the reaction I was hoping for," he said, reaching out to brush away a tear that had managed to escape. "Why are you crying?"

My mind instantly flashed back to our senior year, the year that, until now, had been the best year of my life. The year that gave me the best memories that I held near and dear to my heart, because they were made with him. And now he was bringing me here, so I could do it all over again.

"You were right," I whispered.

"About what?"

"I'm going to have so much fun with you today."

Huck pretended to wipe the non-existent sweat off his brow. "You had me worried there for a second. I thought this place held some good memories for the both of us, and it seemed like the perfect place for us to let loose and have some fun."

"I agree."

He jerked his head to the side. "Are you ready?"

I inhaled deeply, blinked back the tears that hadn't fallen, and countered playfully, "I think the better question is, are you?"

Huck laughed, the sound of it making my heart, which was already full to bursting, explode in my chest. He exited the truck, and I watched him round it, feeling more of that same happiness I'd been feeling around him for weeks now.

He helped me out of the truck, took me by the hand, and led me across the parking lot. The next thing I knew, Huck and I stepped inside the arcade and were assaulted by the sounds of games all around us.

I felt like a kid again as my eyes scanned the room. It was just as I remembered it—I couldn't believe I hadn't come back here since Huck brought me. Then again, I was glad I hadn't, because it wouldn't have been the same. It would have taken away from how special this felt.

"Where do you want to go first?" he asked.

My eyes met his, and I beamed. "Pinball."

Before I knew it, Huck and I were in the thick of it. We played pinball for a while before heading over to play some Skee-ball. Unfortunately, with the way I had to move my body for that, I couldn't handle more than one round. But I cheered Huck on as he won us a boatload of tickets over several additional rounds.

Unsurprisingly, he wasn't thrilled with being the only one who was playing, so we moved away from that and onto some video games. At first, we challenged one another to some racing games. Whether it was because I hadn't driven in so long or just that I hadn't ever really been great at that style of game before, Huck crushed me. I was lucky to keep my vehicle on the track in every round.

Then an idea popped into my head. "Hey, can we do something else?"

"Sure. What did you have in mind?"

I pressed my lips together in a vain attempt to stifle a smile. "Care to join me in leveling up while avoiding a few ghosts?

Huck's eyes danced. "I'd love nothing more."

It was the one game we'd played back in high school that I consistently did well at, and at the thought of playing it again with him, I was ecstatic.

Huck took me by the hand and led me through the arcade to where the game dubbed "World's Largest Pac-Man" was located. It donned a two-player option, which would allow us to play together to beat each level.

We didn't hesitate to get started. Even though I hadn't played in years, it was like riding a bike. I fell right back into it, doing it effortlessly and working well with Huck to conquer the ghosts on each level.

One level after another, Huck and I continued to advance through the game. It had started off easy, but it soon grew more challenging. The higher the level, the faster the ghosts moved. We had to be quick, and there were a few instances where we just barely managed to eat the last dot in order to advance.

With each completed level, things got more intense. Huck and I were so focused, barely celebrating with each other in between rounds.

And then it happened.

Sadly, we'd gotten so far, tried our best, and lost all our lives. But we'd managed to go the farthest we'd ever gone in the game, so I still considered it a win.

When our lives were all lost and the game had ended, I turned to face Huck and said, "We did awesome."

He threw his arm around my back and rested it on top of my shoulders, his hand settling on the one farthest from him and curling me in slightly toward his body. "Yeah, honey, we did. We make a really great team."

It was at that moment, with those words, when it happened for me.

He thought we were a great team. I liked the idea of us simply being on the same one.

For weeks, I'd been avoiding it, but I couldn't do it any longer.

The feelings I had for Huck turned into something more than what they'd been. I could no longer tell myself I didn't want or couldn't risk having more with him.

Huck had given me the very best of everything I had in my life, most of it being the memories from our shared past and the tenderness, compassion, and laughter in our present.

So, I took advantage of the moment and the way he was looking so adoringly at me. I pressed my palm to the center of his chest and slid it up toward his neck as my eyes focused on his mouth.

Huck must have realized what was happening because I felt his fingers press in firmly on my shoulder as his other hand landed on my hip.

The next thing I knew, my lips had brushed up against his, and I inhaled the scent of him.

God, he smelled good.

Being in his arms felt even better.

But I knew nothing, absolutely nothing, was going to compare to being kissed by him.

"Josie," he whispered. "What are you doing?"

I didn't back away. I didn't hesitate. I'd wanted this for as long as I could remember. "Kiss me, Huck."

As he always did, Huck gave me what I needed.

He gave me that and then some.

Because the moment his lips touched mine, something all-consuming moved through me. This man was meant to be mine.

Or, perhaps more precisely, I was always meant to be his.