I wonder why he’s back. The curiosity has been swimming in my head since last night. The million-dollar question—did he hope to see me?
Sighing, I turn off the video footage of the Allies fighting the Nazis and get dressed. It’s freezing and the dead of winter, but there’s only one place where I’ll be able to clear my mind.
…
Easton
I had forgotten exactly how small Everton is. At church this morning, people stared at me with curious eyes as they whispered amongst themselves. It was awkward as hell, sitting there knowing they were talking about me and not doing anything about it.
It was great to see Gavin and meet his wife and daughter. I promised him we’d catch up this week. A lot has changed over the years since I left, and, in a way, it seems like a totally different place than where I grew up.
I stop for coffee at Cup-O-Joe, the same coffee shop that’s been in the same location since I was a kid, and random people greet me. Some look familiar, others I had forgotten about, but they hadn’t forgotten about my family or me.
I am surprised by how many people have called me by name and asked about my parents and sister. I should’ve known. When you’re from Everton, you’re a member for life.
In the sea of familiar faces, the one I didn’t see is the person I haven’t been able to stop thinking about. I thought I’d see Faith at church, but it seems like she skipped today’s service.
Once I have my cup of black coffee in hand, I step out into the frigid cold with only one destination in mind. Camden is still sleeping, and I have a feeling he’ll be passed out for a while despite the time change working in our favor coming from the east coast.
I shiver and take a drink of my hot coffee. You forget how cold a place can be when you haven’t lived there for years. Hopping in my car, I make a mental note to check out some car dealerships this week. It’s time to trade in this sedan for a pickup truck.
Fuck, I missed this place.
I drive through the curvy roads, taking in the snow piled on each side of it. It snows in Virginia, but it’s nothing like this. When I first moved, people were amazed at how thirty degrees felt like fifty to me. Here, in Wyoming, thirty degrees is almost a spring day.
A slow smile tilts up my lips as I see the old, familiar structure in the distance. I can’t believe it’s still standing after all these years. My heart stops when I see another car parked near the barn. When I look up at it, I see someone standing by it. She’s here. I hoped she would be—this was always our place.
At the echo of my door closing, Faith turns around, and her eyes widen in surprise. She takes her bottom lip between her teeth as she stares at me approaching her.
“Hey,” I smile, standing in front of her now.
“Hi.” She offers a sheepish grin, all tight-lipped and tense.
“I see this place is still standing.” I slap it once, and the wood creaks.
“Careful,” she warns.
“Barely standing…” I trail off as I look at it.
“Yeah. It’s endured some harsh winters.” Her lips are set in a straight line. Something about her tone tells me there’s more meaning to her words.
“I bet.” I run a hand through my hair. Are we seriously talking about the weather and this barn? After not seeing each other for thirteen years, I expected our conversation to go a little differently.
“How are you?” I stick my hands in my pockets, needing more warmth than the gloves can provide.
“I’m good. How about you? Moving back, huh?” Faith wipes away strands of hair that whip in the wind, the tip of her nose red.
I smile at the memory of teasing her when we were young, calling her Rudolph since her nose would always turn red when the temperature dropped.
She looks beautiful. Her tousled hair adds to her beauty as she stands before me—a woman instead of a girl—with the same shiny blue eyes.
“Yeah,” I nod. “The time was right. I had heard about a position for a lawyer that opened up at Town Hall, and next thing I knew, the ranch was for sale.”
“I didn’t hear about any properties going up for sale,” Faith states with bunched eyebrows.
“Do you work in real estate?” I lift my eyebrows.
“No,” she shakes her head. “I don’t know why I said that. I guess I thought the Prewitts were happy living there.”
“Their kids went off to college, Mr. Prewitt is ready to retire, and they had no future for the ranch. I think they bought a vacation home in Florida and a small apartment here,” I explain, shivering as the wind kicks up.
“I forgot how cold it got here,” I comment, staring out at the white mountains. Actually, everything is covered in snow. Not one inch of the surrounding area is clear of the white powder.
“Yeah…” Faith’s teeth clatter, but she doesn’t move.
“This is still here…” I find the carving, smiling widely.
“Yup, it’s withstood it all, like the barn.” Faith’s voice is clipped.
I look at her again, my fingers still tracing our names. “Well…” I stare into her eyes. “It was meant to. It’s why I put it there.” I take a step closer to her, wishing I could hold her. I’m having deja vu of the day I met her here to tell her we were moving. The sadness swimming in her eyes that day is almost identical to what I see now staring back at me.
“We were just kids, Easton,” Faith says defensively.
“Yeah, just kids…” I look at the carving again, flattening my palm over it. “Do you ever wonder what would’ve happened if I had never moved?” The million-dollar question. Actually, it's the trillion-dollar question. I’d give everything I owned for a glass ball that would show me an alternate world, one where Faith and I stayed together, went to college, did everything we talked about. I’d love to see how we would’ve turned out.
She shrugs but remains silent.
“You look good, Faith.” I nod, taking her in. I could look at her for hours and not believe she was standing in front of me.
“Thanks.” She relaxes a bit. I wonder what’s going through her mind.
“Aren’t you going to say I look good, too?” I raise my eyebrows and cross my arms.
“You actually look terrible,” she deadpans, the ghost of a smile attempting to make itself seen.
“Ouch.” My hands fall to my chest. “Just like that, huh?”
Faith giggles, and it’s the best sound in the world. “It’s good to see you, Easton.”
Right here, in this very moment, I stand before my first love, the first woman I gave every piece of myself to, wondering how I could make her my last.
Faith
“How about we grab a cup of coffee and catch up?” Easton asks once he drops his hands from his chest, his eyes alight with humor and peace.
I was surprised to see him here, but it makes sense. This old barn was a comfort for us, a familiar place where we’d come to get away from the world. It makes sense that after being away for years, he’d feel at home here.
Now that I’m over my shock of seeing him, it’s familiar being around him. Him showing up here feels like no time has passed, except when I look at him, standing before me, taller than he used to be, strong thighs outlining his jeans, and a defined jaw peppered with scruff.