I pulled into the dusty parking lot. The sun glared bright and hot as I climbed out of the car. I cupped my hand above my eyes to shield them. Dry heat made my skin feel shriveled and thirsty, like the parched, cracked earth we walked on. The outside of the store was a genuine piece of adobe architecture, pinkish brown, with rounded corners and edges. A woman with a soft yellow aura sat by the entrance, weaving on a traditional loom.
Inside, we stood in a large room that smelled of sweet earth and cedar. The walls were draped in handmade blankets woven with intricate designs and patterns. Tables around the room displayed colorful jewelry. In the corner stood an antique drink cooler that must have been fifty years old.
A couple sat at a small table to the side. An old man and woman with matching skin the rich color of the soil, both with long black-and-gray hair pulled back from their faces. They greeted us with friendly nods and smiles.
I went to their table and watched them work for a moment. She was stringing tiny beads into a bracelet by hand, creating an elaborate motif. He was carving a chunk of wood. I could make out the hind legs of a horse. Amazing. They made the art look easy in their experienced hands.
I walked around the store. Hundreds of wooden animals of all sizes stared back at us from the walls. Wolves and coyotes seemed to be the most popular. Kaidan examined an eagle with its wings spread.
“Incredible detail,” he said. His appreciation made me glad, since he didn’t show much admiration for humans, in general.
I ran my fingers over a coarse throw blanket as I moved around the room, and then spotted a table full of turquoise and amber jewelry. I went over and touched several of the smooth stones.
A delicate, dainty necklace caught my attention, made of silver with a turquoise charm naturally in the form of a misshapen heart. It was one of the prettiest things I’d ever seen. I looked at the price tag and balked. It would have cost me all the money I’d brought. I was sure it was worth that much, but still. I set it back down.
“See anything you like?” Kaidan asked. I hadn’t heard him walk over.
“Yeah. It’s all beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Can I... get you something?”
A rush of heat flowed to my face from the surprise of his offer. I kept my eyes on the table.
“Oh. No. I don’t need anything, but thank you.”
He stood so close that my shoulder touched his chest and I was afraid he could hear my galloping heart.
“I guess we’d better get back on the road,” I said.
“Yes.”
I turned to the kind couple and thanked them. They both nodded in their quiet way. Kaidan pointed to the drink cooler as we were leaving.
“I’ll get us drinks so we don’t have to stop again for a while,” he said, handing me the keys.
I squinted as I walked back out, cupping my hands above my eyes. I could hardly see, it was so bright. We hadn’t been in the store very long, but the inside of the vehicle was already ablaze with heat. I started the engine and cranked up the AC. As I sat in the hot car with the air blasting, I watched the woman weaving outside and wondered how many demon whisperers were involved in the trampling of Native American cultures throughout history.
The stride of Kaidan’s tanned legs in his baggy skater shorts shook me out of my reverie. He climbed in and put the cold drinks in the cup holders.
“New Mexico is my favorite state,” I declared as we pulled onto I-40.
“I’m waiting to see it all before I decide. And by the way, your driving isn’t half-bad. I expected to be terrified.”
“Why?”
“I imagined a timid, overly cautious little angel, but you’ve got an impressive lead foot.”
Whoops.
“Your car drives so quietly,” I said, “I don’t realize how fast I’m going. I’ll set the cruise control from now on.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep an ear out for cops,” he told me.
“Will we be passing the Grand Canyon?” I asked. “I’ve always wanted to see it.”
Kaidan pulled out the map and studied it.
“It’s a bit out of the way, more than an hour. But how about this? We can go on the way back, since we won’t have a time crunch.”
I didn’t know if it was the desert air or what, but I felt at ease. I still had a thousand questions for Kaidan, but I wasn’t in the mood for another heavy conversation just yet. I liked talking to him. We were still guarded, and it wasn’t nearly as carefree as talking with Jay, but I was beginning to imagine keeping Kaidan in my life as a friend after this trip. Time would help us forget the kiss. My crush on him would fade. If I could stop analyzing every touch and every look, then maybe it could work. I vowed to myself at that moment: No more jealousy. No more flirting. No more lustful longing for the elusive Kaidan Rowe.