Fireflies

Chapter 13: Something New

Aryah

--continued

"Well, we've done it folks!" Sally exclaimed merrily many hours later. She was in a spectacular mood considering what had happened to her today. "And these..." she said, peeling off a couple bills from her totals of the evening, "are your tips for the evening."

I looked down at the large bills she'd placed in my hands and was about to reject it when she said, "Honey, you earned it. I saw you out there busting your ass. Besides, I think business is going to pick up now that you're around. Everyone's so curious and charmed by you." She laughed.

I guess that was true.

"Come on, pretty," Sage coaxed. "Let's go celebrate." It felt natural to slide my fingers into his and have him tug me forward.

"Wait, wait!" I laughed. "I still have the apron on."

"Here, let me help." Quick as a wink, Sage's arms were around me untying the flimsy knot at my waist.

"Why Sage," I joked batting my eyelashes playfully, "what a gentleman! But I do declare..."I drawled on in the worst imitation of a southern accent, "are you trying to steal this poor girls' virtue with those wandering hands?"

Sage laughed heartily as he threw the apron on the counter. "Aren't you the southern belle?" Sage teased. He reached over a tugged at a curly lock.

"Thank you, Thank you! I'm here all week." I curtsied.

Sage barked a laugh again and led me out of the bar. "See what I mean? Full of surprises."

I smiled at the reference and blushed.

I didn't really say anything else until were were seated in the car. Sage seemed content with the momentary silence. However, once the truck began to move out of the gravelly lot, I said softly, thoughtfully. "I don't why I got silly like that. It kind of just came out. The atmosphere, ya know..." I didn't know how else to explain my uncharacteristic behavior lately or the shameless flirting.

Sage chuckled at my discomfort, "I thought it was cute. Now what worries me is if I hear you talking that way with other guys around here..."

His protectiveness stirred something in me that I couldn't quite name. I let myself bask in the ambiguity. "What guys?" I scoffed. "Every male in that bar was well over 30."

Sage chuckled. "That's 'cuz we were at Sally's. There's a younger crowd around here. More with folks our age. I'll show you soon enough. For now I want to keep you to myself."

Our eyes locked and my breathing grew shallow at this admission. I turned away, unable to bear the intensity of his gaze any longer. I closed my eyes against the warm breeze coming in through the window.

"So where are we going to celebrate?"

"Well...do you like ice cream?"

I turned and smiled at him. "I love ice cream."

"Well, there's an ice cream shop not too far from here. It's the oldest and the best. All of the ice cream is made fresh."

I glanced at the clock. It was just after 1 am. "Isn't it too late for an ice cream shop to be open?"

"For any other shop, yes, but the folks that run this joint are a little unorthodox."

We slipped into a comfortable silence after that. Sage kept his eyes on the road and I watched the fireflies in the distance. I felt such peace in that moment; I'd forgotten who I was and where I'd come from. With every breath of the fresh country air, I felt myself just existing in the moment and like those lights dotting the dark sky, I felt something unfurling in my chest.