{Wattys Shortlist 2022}
A one night stand is turned inside out when two strangers discover their shared past.
After a skydiving excursion that ends in a whirlwind one night stand, Camilla writes off ever seeing her handsome instructor again. That...
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South picked me up from work at six, and I'd never been so happy to see his car. Racing out the front doors and down the steps. Carried towards him on a tide of happiness.
Lianna told me she'd be sad to see me go but that she understood wanting to follow your heart. We'd walked into the Director's office together and told him I'd be leaving in two weeks.
"If you need a reference, don't hesitate to ask. We've loved having you here, Camilla."
Once the hard part was behind me, I'd felt the sweet release of happiness. Moving had been a constant part of my life, and I told myself this next move was going to be the best one yet.
But, when I opened the door, South was wearing a look that didn't match his mood this morning. He hadn't brought me lunch earlier, texting me that something important had come up, but I didn't think anything of it until now.
Unease sat in my stomach when I took in his lined brow and tight jaw. This version of South Tenney was so much different from the easy rest of this morning. Just looking at him and made my stomach tight.
South laced his fingers through mine.
"What do you think about leaving now? You and me. We just start driving down to Virginia."
I tried to puzzle out his shift in moods. His concern and worry.
"Like right now?"
"Hell yes. Let's just pack what we can and go on an epic road trip down south. We can stop wherever you want along the way. Go camping. Whatever. What do you say? Let's just get the fuck out of here."
I couldn't look away from South, not if I tried.
"I mean, I only put my notice in today," I explained. Wilting when his face lost that glow of excitement. "And I still need to sign the adoption papers for Rocky. He's only my foster dog."
South held my hand a little tighter.
"Okay, so we do that tomorrow. We sign the papers, adopt Rocky, then we leave."
As much as I wanted to walk up to the shelter—hand-in-hand with South Tenney—this whole exchange felt forced. Suspicion prickled beside the excitement I still held for the future.
"Where is this coming from? Did the talk with my dad go bad? Did he threaten to hide your body or some corny dad insult?"
"No, that's not it," South said, letting go of my hand and pushing dark hair out of his eyes. "His flag secretary told me he wasn't in the office today."
"Oh."
I'd spent the rest of the day at work planning out the perfect way to tell South that I loved him. And it didn't involve a spur-of-the-moment road trip.
