Chapter Six
The ride home was not as tense as I thought it would be. Tense, but not vice grip, stomach churning tense.
Nick bought me breakfast at a truck stop, then we hit the road. At first, I didn’t know what to say. It seemed ridiculous to pretend that we hadn’t just kissed like Romeo and Juliet after the prom. But, still, the subject stayed buried.
After a long while, Nick smiled, and said, “So Miss Jenny Brewster. What ...”
My phone chose that exact moment to remind me that a real world existed.
It was my mom.
“Hi mom, everything is fine.”
I could hear her silent sigh on the other end. “Hi honey,” she said. “I just wanted to call and wish you a Merry Christmas.”
I laughed. Yeah right. She was worried and didn’t want me to know.
“Why didn’t Dad call last night? He said he was going to.”
“I wouldn’t let him,” my mom said. “I told him you’re a grown woman and he needed to give you some space. And that if he kept calling you all night, it would send the message that we didn’t trust you.”
My mind freaked out. My mom telling my dad something like that. It didn’t seem possible.
“He grumbled most of the night, but he did what I told him.”
I laughed, “Thanks, Mom.”
There was a short pause. “You are okay? Right?”
I know that she was really wondering if I was still a virgin or not. As if I was going to have that discussion with her, ever. Especially, not with Nick sitting there.
Swallowing hard, I said, “I am fine, Mom, promise. We should be home in a couple of hours. Did the kids enjoy their presents?”
“We are waiting for you,” she said, as if there was no other choice. That was my family. They knew how important it was for me.
“Dinner’s been pushed back to five,” Mom said. “You can invite this Nick person if you want.”
Yes, like that was ever happening. Nick would take one look at my family and run for the hills.
“I think he has his own plans for Christmas, Mom. But, I’ll ask him.”
“Okay hon, you be safe. I’ll let you go. You know I don’t like talking when you’re in a car.”
“Mom, I’m not driving,” I said.
“I know, I know. It’s just that ... Never mind. We will see you when you get home. I love you.”
“I love you too, Mom. And, thank you.”
She hung up before we could get too maudlin.
They’d held off on opening the presents until I got there. I’d be able to see their faces. Life was good. I’d kissed Nick Parsons and he hadn’t laughed at me. I’d had an adventure half the girls I knew would have killed for. And, I still got to have Christmas. Yes, life was good.
I glanced over at Nick, he was looking at me like he was trying to figure something out.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
“Yes,” I answered, still unable to stop smiling. “My mom said I should invite you to Christmas dinner. She is a good cook. Turkey, ham, all the trimmings.”
He actually blanched. The fear that jumped into his eyes was priceless.
“Um, I don’t think so,” he said.
My laughter echoed through the car. It was nice being able to tease him for a change. “What? You don’t want to spend the next few hours talking to my father and my uncles?”
He cringed and shuddered, as if something had crawled up his spine.
I sat back and relaxed. Things were going well. At least they would continue until we said goodbye. At that moment, I knew that reality would hit me and take a little bit of happiness from my life.
But, for now, some of the awkward silence was gone. At least there was that.
“So, what were you going to ask me?” I said. “Before the call?”
He frowned for a moment then said, “Oh, I was just going to ask you about what books you liked, music, stuff like that. It’s a long drive. I just wanted to talk.”
I smiled to myself. Life was most definitely good.
.o0o.
Nick pulled to a stop at the corner of my street.
“It’s the blue house up on the right,” I said. My heart was racing so hard I was pretty sure it was going to jump out of my chest.
“I know, I just ...”
That awkward silence had returned tenfold. It was like a heavy blanket smothering the both of us.
I looked down at my hands. Unable to think of one thing to say.
Nick chuckled and shook his head.
“What?” I asked.
He looked at me and smiled. “We’ve been together what? over twenty four hours. Right?
I nodded my head, completely confused about where he was going with this.
“That’s like what? Six dates? I’ve spent more alone time with you than any other girl in my life.”
I blushed, “Yes, but I don’t think this counts.”
He laughed, then looked at me for a long moment.
My heart beat even faster. What was he going to say? What was he thinking?
Finally, his shoulders slumped and he pushed the shifter into first gear and rolled to the front of my house.
What had that been all about? I wondered.
He glanced up at the front door. As if he expected my dad to step out with a shotgun and start blasting.
“Are you nervous,” he asked.
Couldn’t he tell? We were saying goodbye and we’d never be like this again. I know for him, it wasn’t a big deal. He would return to his fast life with casual girls and would soon forget about me. Probably before he made it home.
But, I knew deep down, it would be a long time until I would be able to get Nick Parsons from my mind. He had taken up permanent residence in my brain.
“Your parents, are they cool? Or, are they going to give you a hard time?” he asked.
Oh, that was what he was talking about.
“They’re cool. At least I think so. I’ve never exactly done something like this. So we will see.”
He smiled and nodded. “Listen Jenny, thank you for a wonderful Christmas. It was ... different.”
I blushed, and began to open the car door, when something came over me. Before I could change my mind, I leaned over and kissed him.
A fast kiss that quickly became more intense, and a lot longer than I had anticipated.
Leather and smoke. Firm lips, and gentle hands. A rightness with the world. As if this was where I belonged.
Finally, the world came back to my awareness and I pulled away. Sighing heavily, I grabbed my violin, opened my door, and got out of there as quickly as I could, before I said something totally stupid.
As I turned the handle of my front door, I looked back over my shoulder. Nick sat in his car, that big V-8 purring, waiting for me to get inside. His forehead was creased and his eyes looked as if he’d lost something important.
My heart jumped, but, before I could analyze that look. My family descended and my world changed once again.