My Ranger Weekend (15 page)

“
Definitely a good way,
”
he said as he placed a kiss on my forehead. Flint turned off
the music before going into the bathroom. I must have closed my eyes because
the next thing I felt was him rolling me to my back as a cool cloth found its
way between my legs, cleaning me.

“
Thank you,
”
I breathed as I opened to him.

“
You
’
re very welcome.
”
Flint joined me in the bed when he finished, rolling me to my
side, positioning me how me wanted me. My back to his front and our legs
intertwined.

“
Sleep lovely.
”
I heard him say as I drifted off to sleep.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Ryan

I can even feel his kisses in my dream; a soft one to my lips
then my forehead. I never want to wake up
.

I rarely ever dreamed but tonight I did. I knew it was a
dream from the mist rising off the ocean and the blurring edges of everything
around me, but I did not care. Before me was the best dream I ever had. I met
the perfect guy for me, who rocked my world and made me so happy that I was
delirious with giddiness. He was gorgeous with a capital G.
 
All blue eyed and surfer boy good looks with a body to match.
But his smile was his best feature. He had a smile for each occasion and a
special one just for me. He was giving me that smile right now as he walked up
the beach towards me. I started to run towards him, dying to jump into his arms
and never let go. I raced and raced down the beach pushing my feet to go
faster. My lungs burned like they were on fire but still I pushed trying to
close the distance. But no matter how hard I ran he still stayed out of reach.
I called out to him but the waves were too loud and he turned to go as if he
could no longer see or hear me. I screamed, hoping he would come back to me but
the mist grew thicker. A severe feeling of loss tore through my soul as his
faint outline disappeared.

I forced myself from my dream turned nightmare knowing that
if I just opened my eyes I could see that smile in person. I rolled over
waiting for his warmth to fill those cold places my dream had left within me,
but instead was met with empty space. My eyes snapped open to find the room
bathed in the early morning sun, not too bright but light enough to see the
entire room. It was empty except for me and my harsh breathing. The spot next
to me was as empty and cold as I felt inside. Any evidence of him in the room,
in my life, had vanished except for the indent in the pillow that lay beside
me. Tears filled my eyes as I buried my face in the pillow. It smelled of him
so I curled around it hugging it as I willed the tears away.

I was being stupid and I knew it. It was just for the weekend
but not seeing him now was more painful than I ever thought possible.
Flint!
My mind cried out for him, but he was gone.

That kiss last night that I felt in my dream, was not in my
dream at all. It was him saying good-bye.
  

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Ryan

Of all the low-down dirty things to do. He fucking sends me a
CD of the songs we listened to when we were together. Each song replayed a
different memory of our short time together.
What an ass!
 
He leaves without so
much as a good-bye but sent this CD to my parents
’
address.

“
So this was the mystery
package?
”
Reggie asked. My parents had called saying I had a package
delivered to their address, which was weird since I had not had anything
delivered there in over four years. Reggie and I lived almost an hour away and
we just used that as our permanent address. I had not been back to Newport
Beach since my ranger weekend but curiosity indeed killed my cat so here I was
back for the weekend. And boy was I pissed at myself for coming. Bad enough I
had to sit through dinner with my parents and Garrett last night. But when I
finally opened the package I found this CD from Flint. No note, no nothing.
Just a cryptic message in the form of a CD reminding me of the best weekend of
my life and the worst case of what if
’
s I have ever had.
 

“
Hello, earth to Ryan,
”
teased Reggie.

“
Last night when I got
home, my parents ambushed me with dinner
 
. . . and Garrett.
”
I turned to see her
reaction.

“
Ohhhhhh god. They are
still pushing him, huh?
”

My eyes back on the road.
“
Always,
”
was my response. I was
finally escaping to take Reggie to lunch.

“
Where is it?
”
she asked. I tilted my head towards the console between us as
Reggie reached for it and looked it over.

“
Well it
’
s a good play list,
”
Reggie said.

“
I don
’
t want to hear it.
”
I was pissed.

“
Come on. I can already
tell you read the list or you would not be this mad.
”
Her simple observation had me slamming my palm against the
steering wheel.

“
That ass slips out at
the break of dawn. No word at all. And then this.
”

“
I told you that both of
the guys got called back early. Romeo
’
s phone rang at like five in the morning. He went to wake
Flint and came back a few minutes later saying Flint was already packing when
he slipped into your room.
”

“
It
’
s bullshit. Romeo woke
you. Why didn
’
t
Flint wake me?
”
My hurt and anger from Flint slipping out right before dawn
still ate away at me.

“
The phone woke me. I
have no idea what Romeo would have done if I would have been asleep.
”
She patted my shoulder, trying to be reassuring.

“
Bullshit,
”
I yelled.
“
You two had already decided to keep in touch. I thought I had
time to talk with Flint about it in the morning but our morning together never
came.
”

“
I know honey. I wish I
could say something to help because I see how much it still hurts you.
”

“
Well that certainly
doesn
’
t help,
”
I said pointing to the case in her hand.

“
It seems kind of
romantic.
”

“
What a CD? Come on!
”
I could not believe she was somewhat siding with Flint.

“
Is it every song you
guys listened to that weekend? I recognize some of them.
”

“
He remembered every
song in order,
”
I exclaimed.
 

“
In order,
”
she paused.
“
Wow! You are obviously on his mind for him to send this.
”

“
Why now? Why one month
later? I was starting to move past it; to get over the fact that it meant more
to me than it meant to him and now this.
”

“
Maybe this is the first
time he could reach out. Maybe they are really busy.
”

“
Have you heard from
Romeo?
”
I turned to look at her as we stopped at a red light.

“
Yes.
”
She shrugged her shoulders trying to downplay how excited she
was. I could tell by the smile she was trying to hide. I frowned as this was
the first time she shared this with me.
“
I think he wrote them before he left and has someone send
them to me. I have gotten two of them spaced about two weeks apart.
”

The idea that Flint did this before he left never crossed my
mind. I reached between the seats to grab the padded envelope it came in.
Sure
enough!
The return address was from South Dakota where his dad still lived.

“
I think his dad made
this for him. I mean for me from Flint.
”
Why does it have to be
so hard?
“
What am I going to do?
”

“
What you think is best.
”
A horn behind us had us both looking up to find a green
light.
“
Will you tell me?
”
she asked cautiously.

“
Tell you what?
”

“
About the best weekend
of your life?
”
I could hear the smile in her voice.

“
Don
’
t be a cheese ball,
”
I answered back.

“
What?
”
she teased.
“
That is what he named the CD not me.
”

“
Wait until we are
seated,
”
I said as I pulled into the restaurant
’
s parking lot. I found
a spot and we both got out and walked into the nose dive Mexican place. Once we
were seated and had two waters and a basket of chips with salsa, I said,
“
Fine, ask away.
”
Reggie was like a dog with a bone.

“
OK. One Republic
’
s
“
Counting Stars
”
.
”

“
I think it must have been
playing at the bar when either he first saw me or first talked to me. I kind of
remember it playing but not really.
”

“
I remember Mike Posner
’
s
“
Cooler than Me.
”
We sang that together.
”

“
Yep,
”
I responded as I dipped a chip in the salsa and then ate it.

“
I don
’
t remember this one;
Neil Diamond
’
s
“
Sweet Caroline,
”
Reggie said.

I smiled at the memory.
“
We alternated singing this to one another right before he
kissed me for the first time. And then he sang to me the next one on the list.
”

“
Oh. American Authors
’
“
Best Day of My Life.
”
I love that song. I
remember Big & Rich
’
s
“
Ride a Horse.
”
We danced to that when
the Barbie twins were trying to win over Romeo.
”

“
Which did not work at
all.
”
I pointed out as I sipped from the water glass.

“
You are correct. Maybe
I am the one with the golden va-jay-jay.
”
Reggie said
nonchalantly as she dipped a chip in the salsa. I burst out laughing.
“
Yeah, maybe,
”
I said as I grabbed the case from her wanting to see his
thoughtfulness again but wanting this conversation, this walk through my
memories, to be over at the same time.

“
AWOLNATION
’
s
“
Sail
”
and Miley Cyrus
’
“
Wrecking Ball,
”
we listened to in the
car ride from the bar to your parents
’
house. Bruno Mars
’
“
Locked
Out
of Heaven
”
was probably playing when we were outside and I jumped in the
pool. No. I jumped in to Katy Perry
’
s
“
Roar,
”
so Bruno probably
played before that.
”

“
Can I get you ladies
something to drink?
”
Our waiter asked,
interrupting my memories and tirade.

“
Dos
grande margaritas con sal en las rocas.
”
Reggie
’
s Spanish was flawless.

“
Si senorita,
”
responded the waiter as he walked away.

“
Continue
mama-sita,
”
directed Reggie as she ate another salsa filled chip.

“
Did you order frozen or
on the rocks?
”

“
On the rocks,
”
she answered like she wanted to say DUH instead.
“
So . . .
”
she drifted off as she gestured for me to continue.

I took a deep breath and spat out the rest.
“
Katy Perry
’
s
“
Dark Horse
”
and Aloe Blacc
’
s
“
The Man
”
were on the beach. I sang along with Pitbull
’
s
“
Timber
”
after our great shower
sex and we danced and made out to John Legend
’
s
“
All of Me.
”
I hate that song now.
“
Caged In
’
s
“
Green-eyed Monster
”
and Mumford & Sons
’
“
I Will Wait
”
were not songs we listened to together.
”
I threw the case back on the table and looked out over the
restaurant to find the waiter coming towards us with our drinks. I chugged half
of mine the moment he set in on the table.

“
Are you ready to order?
”

“
Si, senor.
 
Queremos un numero cinco y un numero ocho.
”

“
Gracias,
”
he responded as he wrote down our order.

“
You wanted the steak
fajitas?
”
Reggie always got a taco salad here.

“
I got us one taco salad
and the fajitas. I figured we would split them.
”

“
Sounds good.
”
Reggie reached across
and picked the case back up. I watched as she read through the playlist hoping
she missed the one song.

“
You forgot one.
”
She is like a dog with a bone.

“
Yep,
”
I said turning my head to hide my blush while I finished off
my drink.
“
I
need another one.
”

“
This is going to be so
good.
”
I looked back to find her on the edge of her seat, eyes wide
with anticipation.
“
I thought you told me everything about that weekend but
obviously you missed a few details. Let
’
s have
‘
um.
”