Begin Again 2: RESET || Nate Maloley

{ six }

I was scared shitless. Nate wanted to keep the hazard lights on in case someone drove past. I, on the other hand, wanted to keep them off until daybreak because I felt something would creep up on us and kill us. I guess we can blame all the old scary Hitchcock movies that the motels have been playing. Around 2 AM, Nate decided to get out the truck and walk down the road with only the light of the moon to help him watch his steps, just to see if he could get phone signal. I begged him not to leave me there but I didn't exactly want to get out either. But he made it back safe and sound, still no signal. We were officially in a dead zone. Worst place for the truck to break down.

He held me while we sat in the truck, music playing low, and we snacked on leftover pie.

"We're gonna die out here," I said with a mouth full of pie.

"To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die," he responded.

"Did you just quote The Smiths?"

"Maybe." He smiled, keeping his mouth closed as it was full. I felt him tense up a bit. "I don't believe it..."

He quickly got out the car and I almost fell over. He saw headlights and he turned on his phone flashlight to flag then down. Just as out luck would have it, it was an old tow truck and it parked in front of us. And old man with white hair and wearing overalls stepped out.

I didn't hear what he and Nate said due to the loud engine of the tow truck but Nate came back to me with a smile.

"Looks like we're not dying tonight," Nate said, standing outside of my door.

"Great," I rejoiced. "What exactly are we doing tonight then?"

"His name is Bill. His shop is a few miles away right next to his house, he said we can stay there for the night with his wife."

"You wanna stay in a stranger's house?"

"What choice do we have, Liv? Do you trust me?" He leaned against the car.

"I trust you."

"Good. I told you I wouldn't let anyone hurt you."

"Yeah but, just know that while you're busy taking care of me, I'm always looking to take care of you."

He paused as he looked at me and then leaned in for a kiss.

. . .

The ride to Bill's shop & house was...entertaining to say the least. Bill felt the need to give us his life story, tell us how much Nate reminded him of his nephew, and how his shop came to be. He met his wife, Julia, during a Vietnam war protest in San Francisco. They were both part of the hippie love movement and it was love at first sight. They never had kids, they never wanted kids. They never even lost sight of their love for each other. And it was during that point in the story that Nate reached for my hand and our fingers locked. He really sees forever with me. If I were asked from the moment we first met if I ever saw any of this happening: the good, the bad, or the ugly...the kisses, the sex, or the danger...I would've thought those were crazy impossible ideas.

Julia was very welcoming, offering us tea and cookies even though it was the middle of the night. We simply requested water and then were shown to our room. There were two twin beds and I tried not to laugh when I saw the look of distraught across Nate's face. Even after they left us alone, he tried to push the beds together but they started making too much noise.