astronaut, so close to home.” Pushing away the painful memory, Marisa contemplated on the sensation she felt while at Josh’s ranch. She had the overwhelming feeling of having arrived home. When you’ve experienced not having a home, it means more to you than anything in the world. She decided not to voice that thought.
“Tell me more about you, Marisa. What are your likes and dislikes?” Josh inquired.
“I don’t think anyone’s ever asked me that.” She thought about her weird little idiosyncrasies and decided to share them. After all, if this was headed where she hoped, he may as well know everything about her. “In case you haven’t noticed, I love to eat and I hate when people tell me I’ll get fat.”
“Really?” he said a little too casually.
He started to laugh and she hit at his leg playfully. “No laughing, it’s your turn next.”
That sobered him. “In that case, my lips are sealed and I’m all ears.”
“I love to eat potato salad with chocolate cake, that is, together on the same bite, a scoop of potato salad and a scoop of chocolate cake, the perfect bite. I also love to eat peanut butter and cheese sandwiches. I’ve been told I’m a quirky eater and even though I’m aware it’s weird, it doesn’t seem weird to me.”
Josh visibly flinched, but didn’t comment. She decided to take his silence as active acceptance of her quirkiness. Either that or he was trying to resist the urge to upchuck.
“I love to get up in the middle of the night and drink hot chocolate. It helps me sleep. It used to drive Mary nuts.”
“Sounds good to me.”
“I sleep with a nightlight on and I even brought one with me in my luggage,” she admitted a little sheepishly. “I don’t like pitch black darkness. It’s creepy.”
He turned the interior car light on and said, “Is that better?” Bethany turned in her seat and he quickly turned it off as they muffled their laughter. “Anything else I need to know?” he asked.
“I love to debate.”
“That one, I know. From firsthand experience.”
“Mary says I could be locked in a padded room and never get bored. I have an active imagination.” Mostly about you.
Josh laughed at the humorous turn she’d taken on his original question.
“Oh and I love to run. I love the feel of the wind in my face. Mary and I used to run every morning. I need to take it up again. I’m getting out of shape.”
“Why don’t we start running every morning together? I used to, but got out of the habit. We can keep each other goin’. The Folly’s the perfect place for a morning jog.”
“Deal. So tell me about you?”
“Me?”
“Yes. Tell me everything.”
He was quiet for several moments, thinking. “I’m pretty simple, really. I like an easy, relaxed lifestyle without the hustle and bustle of city life. I love my ranch and I love fast horses that are just a little bit dangerous to ride. I love the brilliant colors of a Texas sunset. I look forward to the quiet house at the midnight hour. If you have somethin’ that needs to be thought out, it’s the best time for thinkin’. When it comes to food, I’m a walkin’ contradiction. I hate avocados, but I love guacamole dip. I hate egg salad sandwiches, but I love deviled eggs and I hate onions, but love onion rings. Go figure. I can’t explain it. And I’m anything but indecisive. Once I make a decision, I’m hard pressed to change my mind. I know what I want, I know what I like and it’s as simple as that. I don’t apologize for it.”
Marisa smiled. That did describe him to a T.
“And I love,” he added softly, “a California girl sittin’ next to me late at night in a dark truck on a moonlit night with a two hour drive ahead of us.” He gave her knee a squeeze and she responded in kind. “Well, what do you think? Am I scaring you away?” he asked.
“On the contrary, you may never get rid of me. I might just stay forever.”
“Hmmmmm…a beautiful girl who wants to stay at
“Tell me more about you, Marisa. What are your likes and dislikes?” Josh inquired.
“I don’t think anyone’s ever asked me that.” She thought about her weird little idiosyncrasies and decided to share them. After all, if this was headed where she hoped, he may as well know everything about her. “In case you haven’t noticed, I love to eat and I hate when people tell me I’ll get fat.”
“Really?” he said a little too casually.
He started to laugh and she hit at his leg playfully. “No laughing, it’s your turn next.”
That sobered him. “In that case, my lips are sealed and I’m all ears.”
“I love to eat potato salad with chocolate cake, that is, together on the same bite, a scoop of potato salad and a scoop of chocolate cake, the perfect bite. I also love to eat peanut butter and cheese sandwiches. I’ve been told I’m a quirky eater and even though I’m aware it’s weird, it doesn’t seem weird to me.”
Josh visibly flinched, but didn’t comment. She decided to take his silence as active acceptance of her quirkiness. Either that or he was trying to resist the urge to upchuck.
“I love to get up in the middle of the night and drink hot chocolate. It helps me sleep. It used to drive Mary nuts.”
“Sounds good to me.”
“I sleep with a nightlight on and I even brought one with me in my luggage,” she admitted a little sheepishly. “I don’t like pitch black darkness. It’s creepy.”
He turned the interior car light on and said, “Is that better?” Bethany turned in her seat and he quickly turned it off as they muffled their laughter. “Anything else I need to know?” he asked.
“I love to debate.”
“That one, I know. From firsthand experience.”
“Mary says I could be locked in a padded room and never get bored. I have an active imagination.” Mostly about you.
Josh laughed at the humorous turn she’d taken on his original question.
“Oh and I love to run. I love the feel of the wind in my face. Mary and I used to run every morning. I need to take it up again. I’m getting out of shape.”
“Why don’t we start running every morning together? I used to, but got out of the habit. We can keep each other goin’. The Folly’s the perfect place for a morning jog.”
“Deal. So tell me about you?”
“Me?”
“Yes. Tell me everything.”
He was quiet for several moments, thinking. “I’m pretty simple, really. I like an easy, relaxed lifestyle without the hustle and bustle of city life. I love my ranch and I love fast horses that are just a little bit dangerous to ride. I love the brilliant colors of a Texas sunset. I look forward to the quiet house at the midnight hour. If you have somethin’ that needs to be thought out, it’s the best time for thinkin’. When it comes to food, I’m a walkin’ contradiction. I hate avocados, but I love guacamole dip. I hate egg salad sandwiches, but I love deviled eggs and I hate onions, but love onion rings. Go figure. I can’t explain it. And I’m anything but indecisive. Once I make a decision, I’m hard pressed to change my mind. I know what I want, I know what I like and it’s as simple as that. I don’t apologize for it.”
Marisa smiled. That did describe him to a T.
“And I love,” he added softly, “a California girl sittin’ next to me late at night in a dark truck on a moonlit night with a two hour drive ahead of us.” He gave her knee a squeeze and she responded in kind. “Well, what do you think? Am I scaring you away?” he asked.
“On the contrary, you may never get rid of me. I might just stay forever.”
“Hmmmmm…a beautiful girl who wants to stay at
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