“Around here it’s a crick.” He rapidly snaps his fingers at me. “Let’s go, Hadders!”
Looking over to the water again, I mumble, “I might drown.”
“You won’t drown. I promise.”
Still searching for a way out, I say, “Someone might take our shoes.”
“No one will take our shoes.”
“I might get bitten by a fish.”
He gestures to the creek. “In here? Maybe a snake, but not a fish.”
I jump back and maniacally dance in place while crazily shaking my hands. “Oh, holy shit! There’s no way!”
Between his snorting, he tries to soothe me. “I’m kiddin’! Sort of. There ain’t any snakes here. The water’s too fast and they don’t like the waterfall. I’m stupid for teasin’ you. Come on!”
I point at him. “If I drown, watch out.” I steal his sister’s words, “I will fucking haunt your ass.”
He raises a baffled eyebrow at me with an unsure smile. “Um, okay.”
“What’s the purpose of this?” I petulantly yank my shoes and socks off, stuffing my socks into my shoes so no small rodent or reptile can crawl into them.
Rod impatiently hops in place. “It’s good, clean fun!” I roll my eyes at his repetitive and preposterous statement.
I dubiously say, “Walking across a rocky waterfall is fun?”
“Shit, Hadders. It’s not Niagara Falls. It’s a five-foot drop. Get a grip.” Rod holds out his hand and I aversely take it. He grins at me and I have no choice but to follow him onto the rocky cliff. It’s not quite that big of a drop, yet it’s still would not be good if I fell in and hit my head on one of the boulders jutting out of the water.
He holds my hand, leading me in a tightrope walk out to the middle of the creek through the moderately fast water rushing into our ankles before pouring over the ledge, bubbling and foaming at the bottom. It’s not raging rapids, but the water is faster than I’ve seen in a creek.
Rod cautiously guides me to one of the large boulders. “Have a seat.” I climb up onto the bulky, hot rock, careful not to lose my hold and tumble into the water. Once I’m situated, Rod walks a few feet to the boulder on the other side of the drop off between the two rocks. He leans against the boulder, spreads his arms out wide and shouts, “Isn’t this fucking cool?”
I glower. “I guess.” Glancing down, I twist my ring, observing the sunlight changing it from blue to silver.
Rod says, “I used to come here a lot to think. It’s peaceful and nobody bothers you.”
“Like a cemetery?”
He grins as he watches the waterfall. “Yeah, but better.”
“As long as I don’t fall in and end up in a cemetery.”
He briefly looks at me as I realize what I said was in poor taste under the circumstances.
I sheepishly say, “I’m sorry.”
Rod smiles and shakes his head, but we’re quiet for a few minutes as we watch the water flow towards us and then below us. He finally says, “You can cry, you know. You’ve seen me do it enough lately.”
“You just did see me cry.”
“I know, but if you need to cry some more. It’s okay.”
I shrug. “What’s the point?” All I do is cry anymore.
“How do you feel? I mean, I know you’re mad and all, but what else are you thinkin’?”
I sigh. “Betrayed. I don’t want him jumping out of planes or skyscrapers, but I feel like he betrayed me and put it on public display by announcing his plan like that. He knows that fucking bridge is big between us, more so than it is physically. It’s as if I’m on one side and he’s on the other, and we’ll never meet in the middle. That damn thing represents what he gave up for me. He chose me over that bridge. Now, he’s changed his mind.”
“No, he hasn’t. Wilder still loves you. You’re his life, but so are these stunts. He shouldn’t have done them behind your back, but this is a part of him. It’s who he is. Like you said, he’s all about that rush, the thrill. If he can’t do it anymore, it’s probably like taking a piece of him away.” I let that sink in, knowing there’s truth in it, but not wanting to face it.
“But I don’t want to see his life taken away.”
“He can die in a car accident, an overhead light falling on him, getting struck by lightning or from a lung infection, Hadley.”
I gape at him as he gazes at the calmer water past the ledge. Am I being that insensitive to Rod and Finn? I’m denying Finn from enjoying his life, while Eden lies in a hospital bed wishing she could enjoy hers. How is that fair?
“I know he can. I just don’t want to stand by and watch him get killed.”
“Yeah, but isn’t that the chance you take by being with him? Wilder knows how you feel about his stunts. If he continues to do them, then it’s his choice. If something happens to him, he knew the dangers. He knew what could happen. He knew what he had to lose.”
I dip my toes into the flowing, cold water and say, “I just want to keep Finn alive as long as possible. If he would be killed, I’d blame myself for not trying to stop him.” I sniff as I brush tears away. “I don’t want to lose him. It would kill me, Greg. A big part of me would die: my heart.”
Rod drapes his wrist over his knee. “I know you don’t want to lose him, but he’s done all the daring shit for so long that I’m pretty sure he knows what he’s doing.”
“Accidents happen. He gets hurt all the time, but I know you’re right. I don’t want to deny Finn a part of himself. He seems to resent me for it, and I hate myself for that.”
“Wilder does not hate you. He’s so fucking in love with you that he’s worried about you breaking his heart.”
“I find that hard to believe. Anyway, I still feel like he’s picking the bridge.”
He contritely smiles as he warily shrugs. “Wasn’t that bridge in his life before you?”
“Yes.”
“So, you’re kind of like the bridge’s mistress.”
I put my hand over my face, groaning, “Shut up.”
He laughs. “Sorry.” Rod plunges his foot into the water, swirling it around. Watching him, I lay the side of my head on my bent knee and he asks, “Why didn’t you go to the cabin?”
“We would’ve missed our check-in.”
“That can’t be the reason. He could’ve rearranged it.”
I roll my head to put my chin on my fist. “Yeah. I told him that, but he said he took an assignment at work instead. In all honestly, I didn’t want to go. He hurt me with his lie and how his jealousy is getting in the way again. So, I wasn’t too keen about being alone with him for days, being pissed at him and not enjoying our time alone.”
“Maybe that’s what you need, though. Time alone. To talk, I mean.” A mischievous grin graces his mouth. “You know, in between the baby makin’.”
I laugh. “That is the most ridiculous thing I think you’ve ever said, and you’ve said a lot of crazy shit.”
“I speak the truth. Wilder wants to knock you up.”
I reply sadly, “If he did for a second, he won’t anymore.”
“A second? Is that how long he lasts? I can last all night, baby.” He licks his lip, but giggles midway, and I roll my eyes. He says, “Ask him. How much do you want to bet he confirms that he is trying to put a wild bun in your oven?”
I giggle at his assertion, but then sadly shake my head. “I’m not betting on that, Rod.”
“Yeah, because you’ll lose. Talk to him. Make him tell you the truth.”
“We do need to talk. I thought we did talk, though. A lot. How do I know he’s telling me the damn truth? I thought he had been.”
Rod’s smile dissolves. “I don’t know, Hadley.”
“I want to believe him. Maybe I should’ve left Wednesday morning to meet him, but I don’t want to be that girl all the time, the one who drops everything and runs to her man because he snaps his fingers, or to change the way I am because he wants me to live his life a certain way without my input. I
have wants, too. I was on the Pill when we met and I stopped taking it because of his beliefs. I stood in the shadows as he kept me a secret for three years. He said he doesn’t want to get married or have kids with me. On top of all this, the one thing I begged him not to do—the thing he promised he wouldn’t do— he’s now doing covertly. I’ve given up so much for him and I trusted him, but he’s been lying to me. I don’t know what to do, Rod.”
“I wish I could tell you.” We both stare into the water in silence, not sure what else to say.
I didn’t talk to Finn Thursday night, neither of us even trying to reach each other, which only gave me another night of restless sleep.
Friday afternoon, we visit Eden. Josie wanted to go with us, but today is her last day of her senior year of high school. Her parents and Eden didn’t want her to miss it.
“Check this out, sis.” Rod stands next to Eden’s bed and hands her his phone.
“What? Did you come out of the closet on YouTube?” Her lips twitch, which makes me smile.
“Zip your damn mouth and watch the video, bitch.”
The music blares and her eyes widen as an involuntary smile stretches across her burgundy lips. Lifting her eyes only briefly to me and then to her brother, she watches the video intently.
I look at Rod, who is smiling at his sister. He must know I’m staring because he shoots me a side glance and I instantly grin, matching the one on his face.
When the video is finished, she asks, “What the hell was that shit?”
“That was your stud of a brother showin’ off his hot moves. Cool huh?”
“I’m actually speechless. I always knew you were a cross between Fred Astaire and Richard Simmons just wanting to bust out onto a rainbow float.”
Rod argues, “You loved it.”
Disregarding him, Eden says, “Hadley, nice moves. Do you actually rehearse with this jackass?”
“Nope. We always make up our dances on the fly. We just go with the flow.”
She tries to sound casual when she asks, “Is this the only video you have dancing?”
I answer, “Yeah. We didn’t think to ever record them.”
She hands the phone back to Rod. “Hadley’s good. Greg, you need work. Stop shakin’ your lame ass so much and get with the damn program.”
He thrusts his phone into his pocket. “I’m glad you liked it.”
Eden purses her lips. “I suffered through it somehow.” She rolls her eyes and stops fighting her smile.
I ask her, “How are you feeling, by the way?”
“Better. I might get to go home Monday.”
I grin. “That’s great!”
“Yeah. I’m sick of the food here. I’d rather Greg kill me with his cooking.”
“Hey now. My mac and cheese potpies are spectacular.”
Eden wheezes, “Too bad you use Clorox to add that special zing.”
“That was a damned secret, you canoe!”
“The only secret here is how in the hell you can move like that, yet still be single? You have to be moving your hips wrong elsewhere.”
“Bite me, Elvira.”
Poor Rod. He can’t catch a break from any of the women in his life.
We spend the rest of Friday at the bar, cleaning, and dancing some more for Eden, much to everyone’s delight, aside from Colt, but he only showed up for an hour before Amy kicked him out. Even Lizette, Tab and Sherry came down to watch us. Lizette was the most surprised about her son’s excellent dancing skills.
Amy claps her hands together excitedly. “You two have to come down here once a month and dance! It’ll draw in the crowd! I’ll take pictures, blow them up and hang them on the walls in here!”
“I don’t know about that. Jeez. We’re not that good.” I say as I feel the embarrassment spreading across my cheeks. I tug on my ponytail and nervously wrap it around my hand.
Rod states, “We’ll see. We’re both busy. We have our first softball game tomorrow in Richmond.”
Josie says, “Eden texted me about seeing you dance. She loved it!”
Rod snorts. “She acted like she’d rather have a root canal than watch us again.”
Josie shakes her head. “Not true. You know her. She loves to tease you.”
“I know. I’ll miss it.”
Lizette puts her arm around Rod’s waist. “Greg, she’s okay.”
He whispers, “One day she won’t be.” We all stand in silence contemplating that.
That evening, Rod takes me back to the creek where we sit in the middle of the waterfall again. This time, we stopped for milkshakes beforehand.
“Thanks again for the shake.”
“Well, you know what they say. Ice cream makes the whole fucking world a better place to be.”
I giggle around my straw. “I’ve never heard of that before.”
He says as he nods, “I think that’s the National Dairy Council’s campaign slogan.” We both giggle and slurp on our shakes, Rod doing it louder than the sound of the splashing water.
I ask him, “You know what the ironic thing is?”
“That cows eating ice cream is like women drinking their own breast milk?”
I never knew you could choke on melted ice cream before. I cough and snort, which makes him snort. I gasp, “Where do you come up with this shit?”
“I don’t know. It’s just there in my brain.” He shifts on his boulder and asks, “What’s ironic, Alanis?”
“This is Fayetteville.”
“Yep. Named for General Marquis de Lafayette. It’s funny how Lafayette was in Richmond at one point and then down here in Fayetteville, kind of like us. Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base are here, but we also have one of the highest property crime rates in the country. I still think of it as home. I just have to remember to fucking lock my damn truck, like that’ll really help.”
“Fayetteville,” I repeat. “That’s where Finn’s bridge is in West Virginia. Fayetteville.”
Rod’s eyes expand. “Oh. Well now, that’s disturbing.”
I nod in agreement. “A little.”
He squints as he looks at me. “Have you called him?”
“Not last night. He didn’t call me, either. I’m going to leave in the morning.”
“I’ll follow you up since E is doing better. Our game is at 3:00.”
“That’ll be interesting,” I mutter.
“Very.”
Finn had better not fight with Rod. I don’t want to argue with him as soon as he sees me, but I know that’ll be unavoidable. I’ll definitely have to talk to him before the game.
As if he’s reading my mind, he says, “Wilder won’t start a fight with you in front of people.”
“Just when he gets me alone.”
“I’ll talk to him.”
“No. I need to get to him first. I doubt he even lets me play. He’ll bench me to show how mad he is.”
“I’ll be right there with you, probably.”
“No. He won’t let us sit near each other. He threatened to kick me off the team if I keep bringing up shortstop. He can’t really kick me off the team, can he?”
“No. I asked him to coach. If he wants to leave, he can.”
“He gave me an ultimatum, Greg. Shortstop or him.”
“Are you fucking serious?”
“Yeah, but I can’t fault him too much. I told him it was the fucking bridge or me.”
“I doubt he’d really see that threat to the end, though. He wouldn’t give you up even if you punched out Brandon and took shortstop. He’d be pissed off and pout, but he’d eventually let it go. You really do have him whipped, so don’t worry about him leaving you.”
I apologetically shake my head. “I know you’re going through a rough time. I shouldn’t be bothering you with all of this shit.”
“You’re going through a rough time, too. Go home and make up with Wilder. I’m sure he’ll be open to that…multiple times.”
“Finn can wait. I’m still pissed that he lied and the
n announced on TV that he’s flinging himself off that fucker. I dare him to miss me and sweat it out.”
Rod stupidly grins. “That’s my fake girlfriend.” I laugh and he asks, “Are you still gonna propose to him after Morgasm’s wedding?”
I shrug. “Right now I want to put a noose around his neck and push him off his bridge.” I irritably sigh. “I still want to ask him. What the hell is wrong with me?”
“He made some mistakes, but he loves you. Talk it out.” He pulls his leg up from the water, props his wrist on his knee and peers over at me. “The wedding is a week away. Are you nervous about askin’ him?”
“Yeah, I am. If he can’t make it, I don’t know when and where I’ll do it. I guess I’ll have to plan something else.”
He snaps his fingers and bounces excitedly on the rock. “I know! Take him to Fayetteville, West Virginia. I hear there’s a gigantic bridge there that he’ll like. Propose to him on it and if he hesitates even for a second, push the bastard off. He’d go out doin’ exactly what he loved to do.”
I grin at his wickedness. “You are so evil and twisted. I love how you think, Greg Rodwell.”
His brown eyes twinkling in the sun, he shrugs as his stupid grin returns. “I hang out with some real bitches. I’ve learned from the best.”
CHAPTER 18
FINN
I turn from Rory Talbot to look into the camera. Smile, Wilder. People are watching.
“I want to remind everyone planning on attending the Fayetteville Bridge Day Festival on the New River Gorge Bridge that registration for BASE jumps begins July 3rd. So, don’t forget to get registered prior to the festival.”
In my earpiece, Drake asks, “Hey, Finn. You haven’t jumped in the past few years. Are we ever going to get to see you do it again?”
Breaking from my news-mode consciousness, I remove my attention from the camera and freeze as I consider his question. Do I want to jump? Hell, yes. It’s only legal once a year, so I’ve missed out on my only opportunities—repeatedly, since you can jump all you want that one day. Instead, I’ve had to cover the event standing on the sidelines like an average, fucking spectator, watching everyone else BASE jump, while fielding nonstop questions about why Richmond’s Finn Wilder is abstaining yet again this year. It’s a good thing Hank is leery of me jumping off anything because he’d be suspicious, if he isn’t already, by chance. I’ve had to make up excuses to fans who asked why I couldn’t jump: back spasms and sinus cold. The first year Becks and I were together, I jumped and nearly ended our relationship.
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