Stay in your Lane (On Hold)

Chapter Three ~ Mud-buddy

Chapter Three

Travis stood on Daddy's porch in all his grown-up glory. My eyes did a scan without permission, taking in his dark jeans, white T, and unbuttoned black dress-shirt. He was taller than I remembered. Larger. More defined. My eyes lingered on his forearms, and I swallowed hard.

"Want me to do a spin?" he asked. He extended his arms and did a slow three-sixty, giving me a glimpse of God's blessings. When he made it back around, I forced my eyes to his. His grin was wide.

Damn him. Damn me. Damn it all to Hell because I still hadn't spoken. My tongue lay heavy; my brain scattered.

Travis's eyes ran over the blue dress Mama had forced me to wear, then he cast a cautious glance toward the door behind him. It reminded me of when he was a kid, checking to make sure no adults were around just before he did something bad. When he turned back, he motioned to me with his chin. "Alright. Your turn."

I opened my mouth, closed it, opened it again. "Excuse me?"

"Let me see the back." His voice was low, and he glanced behind him again before continuing, "It's only fair. I gave you a little spin."

My neck heated, and I ground my teeth. Damn, him. It'd been years, and I was grown, and I shouldn't still react this way. "Hello, Travis." Good. That was good. "I just came to bring Daddy his groceries." I turned toward the bed of the truck and reached inside, gathering grocery bags like they were anchors that could weigh me back to Earth.

I was just about to lift them out, when Travis stepped into place next to me. Close. Too close. He peeked into the bed, his body brushing against mine.

My breath caught. My body zapped; that was the only way to describe it. Like a mosquito just connected to the light. I'd always thought the bugs were stupid as hell to keep flying closer despite the many others dying ahead of them. But now I understood, because I didn't pull away.

Neither did he.

I turned my head. His gaze was soft.

Memories flashed as if I were dying. An entire life playing out; making it feel as though he'd never left. Us sitting together on Mrs. Joyce's porch, drinking iced tea on a hot day. Thousands of games of bowling. Him goading me into playing football even though Mama had told me no. The fun I'd had until I hit the mud; the punishment I'd gotten when Mama saw my dress. Then his stupid dog the day it attacked and ripped another dress. Or the time he'd spilled his chocolate milk all over me on picture day. The more I thought about it, the more I remembered what a pain in the ass Travis was.

Then why couldn't I breathe?

We hadn't stood this close since that night. Senior prom. When he'd offered me his heart, and I'd lashed out, spewing every vile thing I knew would hurt him the most.

He wasn't looking at me like he had been that night. His expression was something I hadn't seen in the lifetime I'd known him. Velvet. Shameless. Matured. Moments passed unnoticed; time ceased to be. I couldn't have looked away if I tried. He sucked me in, and it was too familiar. We were together, and nothing had changed.

"I missed you, Princess," he whispered.

Wrong. All of this was wrong.

I blinked several times and shook my head, clearing the spell he'd been weaving. None of this made any sense. I was the reason he left. I hadn't heard from him once in the time since. We hadn't seen each other in years. I still hadn't even apologized for all the awful things I'd said that made him go. So, what was this? An act? A game? Revenge?

Whatever it was, I didn't trust it. "Why are you here, Travis?"

He tilted his head, gaze never leaving mine as he appeared to think over his answer. "I'm celebrating."

I bit my tongue. So that was it. He came to rub it in. "Could have gone to Opryland. Not much to see around here."

"I don't know—" He leaned in, putting his lips close to my ear. "—I still haven't seen the back of your dress."

"Y'all stare at each other too much longer and that milk's gonna curdle," Daddy called from the front porch.

We broke apart, and Travis lifted his bags, giving me his back as he carried them up the steps. Daddy patted his shoulder as he passed. "Thank you, son. Just sit them on the table for me, will you?"

"Yes, sir."

Son. If I were a son, would he discuss bowling then? How many times had I tried, and every time, he'd shot me down. I glared at Daddy as I began removing bags and unceremoniously dropping them onto the muddy ground.

His eyes narrowed as he watched me. "That's sanitary."

"Have your son rinse them off. You two can talk about bowling. I'm not staying, so feel free to discuss away." I dropped the last two bags, dusted my hands, then circled around and got in the truck, slamming the door behind me. My hands shook the keys as my emotions built too fast. Travis was here, and it was like he'd never left. He was here, and he was vengeful, and I wouldn't survive it. It didn't matter how much my instincts warned me to be careful, I was putty when it came to him. Always had been.

I just wanted to fucking sleep, but the fucking key wouldn't go into the ignition, and each failed attempt boiled my blood.

Daddy appeared in my passenger's side window, shaking his head as if I'd lost my mind.

I jammed the key in and flipped it over.

"Love you, too, honey." He gathered a few of the bags and turned toward the house. I watched him go in the rear view as I put the gear in drive and slowly pulled forward.

Then Travis ran back out with his hand lifted. "Hey! Hang on a second!"

I pressed the brake, gripping the wheel. Just pull away, I thought, but my foot stayed firmly planted. I hated how badly I wanted to talk to him. How much I wanted to say. He was the last person I needed to see. Daddy was the only real family I had in this Godforsaken town, and Travis just had to come back and take him too. Hadn't I suffered enough? Did he have to ruin me completely?

My jaw tensed as I watched him approach. Before he could reach the tailgate, I let off the brake and pressed the gas, putting ten more feet between us.

Travis stopped walking and gave me a look so nostalgic it stole my breath. How many times had he looked like that? A hundred? A thousand? He never did like to be challenged. Well, I was challenging him. I may have said some things, but I'd suffered for it, and if he wanted to be an ass, he could just go to hell.

He started forward again, slower, as if my truck was a mare he didn't want to spook.

I took in his expensive clothes, perfectly fitted, immaculately clean. I chewed my lip as the devil whispered ideas. How many times had he ruined my dress and forced me to face Mama's wrath? It was only fair. It was justice, in a way. I was sure Jesus would understand. He might even think it was funny.

I waited, watching his steps get closer, and closer. My heart rate kicked up, and my palms began to sweat. I kept the brake pressed firmly, my other foot hovering above the gas. Would I really?

Travis pressed his hand to the tailgate, then ran it up the side of the truck.

I inched forward.

He lifted a brow. "It's the middle of the day, Cinderella. No need to be in such a big-damn-hurry."

Cinderella.

I hit the gas hard. Mud flew. Travis jolted and fell backward, his newfound glory buried beneath shit brown.

An oddly pig-like laugh ripped out of me as I let off the brake and drove away, stealing glances in the rear view. Travis struggled to his feet, swiping the mud from his eyes.

First church and now this. Had I completely lost my mind? It felt good. I should have lost it sooner.

Before I had a proper chance to celebrate, my smile fell.

Travis ran to his truck, jumped inside, and barreled down the driveway after me.

Hit the star like it just sprayed mud all over your clothes 😘 Upload a little early! Next upload next Sunday!