I will be at the Texas Rose Ranch.
I will be in Garrity Valley, Texas.
Our summer has once again been filled with talks, smiles, laughter- and this time, more. It has been as it once was. The thought of her packing up all her things and leaving is startingto weigh heavily. There will be physical distance between us again, but what if this also brought a different kind of distance? What if she decides it is too hard to try something long-distance? What if she decides to end things with us? I have been feeling that this means as much to her as it does to me, but what if she doesn’t really feel that way? What if this is just asummer fling to her?
I brushed my thoughts away, knowing that worrying would do me no good. All I could do right now was to cherish the time that we have spent together and cherish the time yet to come for the remainder of the summer.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Daisy
The sun was starting to dip below the horizon, and I knew we needed to start heading back before it got too late. Walt was surely starving by now, and we had just caught supper.
“Looks like we caught enough to eat.” Colt glanced down at the bucket of fish, a proud look on his face.
“Yep. Your dad will be happy about that.”
“He is probably waiting for us. We'd better head back.” I nodded, and we took off walking back.
“I can’t wait to eat. Who’s going to clean them?”
Colt laughed a little, probably remembering that although I didn’t mind baiting a line with worms, reeling in the fish, or any other aspect of fishing like that, what I refused to do was clean a fish. I had watched him, Walt, and my dad clean them before, but I knew I could never do it.
“My dad might handle it while we shower.”
“Okay. And you need one. You stink.” I held my nose for asecond, showing him how smelly he was. Truthfully, part of the smell could be coming from the fish, but that wasn’t as funny as this.
When we got back to the house, I could smell the familiar smells again. This place brought contentment that I hadn’t felt in a very long time. I missed that feeling. Walt was sitting in a rocking chair on the porch.
“How’d fishing go?” Colt held up the bucket so his dad could see inside. “Looks like you did good.”
“We caught plenty to eat.” Walt opened the door for us, both men letting me go in first.
“Here. Let me have that.” Walt took the bucket from Colt’s hands. “You two need to go shower. You smell. I’ll take this and clean them and get them frying for supper.”
“Thanks, dad.”
“Yes. Thank you, Walt. I appreciate it.”
“Still don’t like to clean a fish, Daisy?” I shook my head no.
I hurried to the bathroom, turning the shower on to heat a little bit. I watched the steam rise as I took my clothes off. I lifted my shirt to my nose, and Walt was right. It did smell. I guess that’s a perk for fishing. I hopped in the shower, letting the water run down my face as I wiped away the day. Something was loitering in my mind, though.
This summer has been amazing. It has been one of the best times I’ve had in years. It might just be one of my favorite times, ever. But the lingering words Colt asked me earlier stayed in my mind. What would happen once summer ended? I had no way of knowing. There were so many possibilities. I know I love being here. Except for the start of my arrival and that one disagreement between Colt and me, I was happy. Even with all the hard work to do around here, day in and day out, I have felt joy. That was something I hadn’t had in my life in a while, and I was starting to get that back. I knew that Colt liked me. Heshowed me that in so many ways.
He showed me he liked me every time I talked to him, and his attention was only on me.
He showed me he liked me when we kissed, and I could feel the passion.
He showed me he liked me when he made me smile.
And when he made me laugh.
And when he made plans for us to do things together.
But did he love me? Did Colt love me? That was the biggest question of all and I wasn’t sure he was there yet. I mean, we have not been together long, so how could he...right?
And did I love him?
