“She doesn’t want you to make up for it, man. She wants you to love her and tell her that everything will be okay. You just need to go talk to her. Whether you are ready or not, you are the man and you have to be strong for her. She needs to know that you didn’t run from her. So make sure that’s the first thing that you tell her.”
“You love her too don’t you?”
“Yes I do. She is my best friend. I am allowed to have that title since you get to be boyfriend.”
“I’m not her boyfriend.”
“I wish the two of you would quit saying that. I am sure that you have loved her since you met her. I know I did, and you want to protect her and keep her safe. You also don’t want anyone else to have her. So shit or get off the pot.”
“You don’t hold back, do you?” I laughed at him.
“There’s no fun in that.”
“Thank you for taking care of my girl.”
“Our girl,” he demanded. “And you’re welcome. Always take care of her. I mean it. Underneath this gay there is still a set of muscles, and I will kick your ass.”
I smiled. “You got it.”
We grabbed the bags from the trunk. “See ya around, Man” He held out his hand to me and I gladly accepted.
“Friend,” I said shaking his hand.
“Yeah, friend… I’ll catch you later. Thanks for the ride.” He called over his shoulder.
29
Shine
Six days he’s been gone, and I feel blah. I miss him more and more every day. Not once have I gotten that damn letter I requested. He knew that I would worry. It would have been nice to at least have a phone call to say he was partying like rock star. Luckily, Moon’s letters have been coming full force. There was only one day that I didn’t get a letter and that was the day he came to hear my story, but Monday I had two letters to make up for it. Gerry said that he tried to persuade her to let him see me, but rules are rules. He apologized for running out on me and told me that he would make it up to me. Since today is visiting day, he promised he would come and spend the whole day with me. Mom and Dad won’t be coming today, they promised they would give me and Moon some alone time. I was so excited last night that I could barely sleep.
“Mrs. Gerry, is he here yet?” I asked through the doorway of the office.
“Why don’t you go out to the backyard and check and see. I haven’t seen him, but I know he’ll be here. I have no doubt. He’s persistent. Every day that he dropped off a letter this week, he asked to see you. Once he even offered me fifty bucks and a kiss. I almost went for it. He’s a cutie.”
“Yes ma’am he is.” I giggled.
When I opened the sliding glass door I saw him on the backside of the lawn setting on a park bench. He didn’t notice me because he was looking at his phone. I don’t know why I felt nervous, but it just hit me all of a sudden. There were no words to describe it, but I felt it in the pit of stomach. That fluttering feeling I get every time I look at him. His long legs were stretched out in front of him, and he was wearing his blue jeans and work boots. I don’t know why but every time I saw him in those damn boots I would picture him only wearing those boots and nothing else.
I had almost made it to him before he looked up and saw me. I made sure I wore the outfit that he loved the most. I had on a navy blue sundress and the cowboy boots that he bought me. The look he gave me says he approved.
He scooped me up in his arms so fast that I didn’t even have time to speak. His big muscular arms swallowed me up and he spun me around. It felt perfect.
“You look beautiful, Shine baby.”
My heart sunk all the way to my feet. It was the first time I had heard him call me that in a very long time, to my face anyway. I had seen it written on every letter, but to actually hear the words come out of his mouth was a million times better.
“Thank you! Would you say that again?” I asked as I pulled him onto the bench beside me.
“You look beautiful.” He gave me this strange look.
“Not that.” I playfully slapped his arm.
“Shine baby,” he grinned.
“Yes that. I have missed hearing you call me that.”
“Really, I always thought that you hated when I called you that.”
“That was because I couldn’t let you know how much I really liked it. You were always just Moon, my best friend. I didn’t want you to know that I secretly loved it when you called me that.”
“Why don’t you tell me all of the other things that you secretly love?”
“Well there was one other thing. I loved it when you kissed my cheek goodbye and especially when you did it in front of everybody. I really just wanted to turn around and flip every other girl standing behind me the bird.” He laughed. It was one of his deep sexy laughs that I loved so much. “Now you know, so there.”