Frightful Reunion

Ch2

You wake the next morning to a dreary, overcast day, barely able to tell the time from the dim light. Rolling out of bed, you stretch and glance at the clock, curious about the overly quiet, empty feeling in the house.

Even knowing that there's no way your dad is still asleep, you decide to check his room anyway.

Empty.

Rounding the corner to the living room, you purse your lips, also finding it to be empty. Turning around to pad into the kitchen, you find a note stuck to the fridge. 'Gone to town. Forecast to rain all day. Picking up movies, food, and gas for generator. See you soon. Stay out of trouble. - XX Dad'. Smiling to yourself, you toss the note away, certain he couldn't have left that long ago. It takes a full 50 minutes just to get to town, so you would be left to entertain yourself for at least 2 hours, maybe 3 if he ran into that chatty store clerk.

Glancing around the kitchen, you suddenly recall last night's strange interaction with your new neighbor. Chewing at your cheek, you check the time again, 8:30 a.m. You weren't used to sleeping in so late, and you definitely weren't used to not having a mile-long to do list.

With a sigh, you eye the couch, debating whether you should take the opportunity to sit back and relax. However, you find the idea quite unappealing, and decide instead to grab your laptop bag. Setting everything at the kitchen counter, you open your computer and unsuccessfully attempt to connect to the WiFi.

Your dad must have shut off the cabin's internet, knowing your tendency to be workaholic.

Shutting your laptop, you again eye the couch with a defeated huff of frustrated boredom. You didn't want to be cooped up, alone, in this big old cabin, without even your work to keep your mind busy.

Resting your elbows on the counter, you again find your thoughts drifting toward the mysterious Jerry.

Knowing you have nothing better to do, you let your curiosity get the better of you.

After changing into some shorts and a tank-top, you hop into your car, and make your way down the long driveway to the main road. You look left, then right, the thick fog making the empty, tree lined road seem almost ominous. It feels as if the tall pine branches would reach down and swallow you; never to be seen or heard again.

Shaking your head, you adjust your rear-view mirror, and take a quick look back at the cabin before easing your foot off the brake. You turn right onto the road, knowing it would only take a few minutes by car to make it to the next cabin's driveway.

In what feels to be the blink of an eye, you find yourself turning slowly onto an old road, almost unrecognizable as anything other than an abandoned, overgrown trail. But as you continue, the old cabin comes into view. There's a truck parked just in front, wooden boards sticking out the back, and construction supplies strewn about the front porch, which seems to have been recently reconstructed. Throwing your car into park, you quickly step out, admiring the quality of work Jerry had clearly already put into the place. You almost don't notice as a figure comes around from behind the truck.

"Hey." His voice startles you, causing you to jump slightly and spin to face him, which he clearly finds to be amusing. "Sorry, didn't realize I had snuck up on you."

With a smile and a light chuckle, you shake your head. "It's fine, I just wanted to stop by and see what you've done with the place." You motion toward the porch. "Did you do this by yourself?"

Wiping his hands with a rag, he comes to stand a bit closer, his white tank-top and bare shoulders equally covered in black grease and dirt. Placing his hands on his hips, he glances between you and the porch, his brows slightly furrowing. "Is it that bad?"

You laugh and roll your eyes at his sarcasm. "It looks amazing. So, I'm assuming you work in construction then?"

He nods. "I did for a long time."

Moving up the steps, you admire the quality up close, dragging your fingers along the smooth, freshly painted portion of the railing where several different colors are swatched next to each other. "Can't decide on a color?"

"I can build it... " He comes to stand beside you, flashing that sly grin of his. "But I'm clueless with decorating."

Shaking your head, you catch yourself smiling again. "Maybe I should hire you do redo ours, I'm sure you noticed how creaky it's getting."

Crossing his arms, he leans back against the railing directly next to you. "I'm sure we could work something out."

You look up to meet his eyes with a questioning quirk to your brow.

Chuckling, he uncrosses his arms, tapping a single finger on the painted portion of the railing. "Help me with this kind of stuff and I'm more than happy to build whatever you want."

Cocking your head to the side, you keep your eyes locked. "Gray."

"Gray?" He inquires, his eyes seeming to dart momentarily to your lips as you allow yourself to smile again.

Looking down to the railing, you point to the light gray portion. "You should paint the railing this lighter color," then you move your finger to the darker gray, "and the shutters should be this charcoal tone, maybe do some of the trim in white."

He turns to look at the house, then back to the paint swatched railing, then back to the house, and finally rests his eyes on you. He draws his bottom lip between his teeth in what you assume is contemplation over your suggested color scheme. "I never would've thought of that."

Shrugging, you lean over the railing, glancing up at the now even darker sky. "Weather is supposed to be really bad this afternoon."

Grabbing your hand gently, he again meets your eyes, his dark and yet somehow heated gaze seeming to dare you to protest as he turns your hand over in his own. He checks the time on your watch briefly before returning his attention to you, and then nods toward the door. "It's not supposed to hit for another hour at least. Why don't you come check out the inside, maybe you can give me more advice?"

Noticing him still caressing your hand, his thumb moving slightly, barely grazing along your skin. You clear your throat to both regain your train of thought, and to draw his attention. Although, as he releases your wrist and shoves his hands into his pockets, you feel a strange sense of loss.

Fighting the urge to reach out, you turn your head back toward the sky. "I really think I should get going, but I would love to help out next time."

When you turn back to face him, his eyes seem to dart from your neck, to your lips, and then finally to your eyes, and he realizes he's been caught. With an amused grin, he follows you out into the yard again. He glances back toward the house as if contemplating asking you again, but then turns his gaze up to the sky and chuckles. Looking down at you, he notices your keys already drawn, and seems to give up on the attempt.

Instead, he walks you the last few steps to your car, holding the door open for you as you lower yourself inside. "I'm glad you came over, maybe we can have dinner once this weather calms down?"

After latching your seat-belt, you look up at him, his hopeful smile and brows raised in patient curiosity surprise you. He seemed so cocky before, but you find yourself sharing in his smile with a soft giggle as he seems to give you puppy eyes.

Nodding, you start up your car, indicating to him that you really should be going. "That would be great."

Smiling triumphantly, he takes his bottom lip between his teeth again. He moves to shut your door, but pauses, adding a quick "Drive safe." before finally closing it and patting the roof of your car in goodbye.

You glance in your rear-view as you make your way out to the main road, seeing him still standing there. His hands are on his hips, and lips turning up into his sexy signature grin seeming overly pleased with himself. Again, his teeth seem sharper as he fades out of view.