We hadn’t been driving long when Billy turned down an old gravel road. It was lined with beautiful oak trees that created a tunnel of leaves and branches, shading us from the blaring sun. The road ended right next to a small creek bed that was hidden beneath the trees. The water rolled and babbled through the moss-covered rocks, beckoning anyone in its path to come to take a dip. I was in complete awe of its beauty as I muttered, “Oh, Billy. It’s beautiful.”
“I thought you might like it.”
“I love it!” I could feel my smile growing wider as I told him, “I haven’t been to a creek since I was a kid, and even then, it wasn’t nearly as amazing as this.”
“This has always been one of my favorite spots.”
“I can see why.”
The tomboy in me was itching to get my feet in the water, so I jumped out of the truck and raced over to the creek. I kicked off my shoes and socks, then stepped into the clearest water I’d ever seen. I looked back over at Billy as I smiled and said, “It’s freezing!”
“It stays cold all year long.” He motioned his hand above us as he explained, “I’m sure it has something to do with all the shade.”
“Probably so.”
“You ready for a bite to eat?”
“Sure.”
Billy grabbed our stuff from the back seat, then brought it over to the creek’s bank. I’d hoped he might come and join me, but instead, he laid out the blanket and started unpacking the cooler. I waded in the water a moment longer, then got out and made my way over to the blanket. As I sat down, I asked, “Do you come out here often?”
“Not since Kiersten moved out.” He offered me a sandwich as he added, “She used to love to spend the day out here. She’d wade out in the water for hours trying to catch little blue gill with her bare hands, but as she got older, she wanted to spend time with her friends and lost interest in hanging out with her ol’ man.”
“That tends to happen with girls.”
“Yeah, I know and I get it that she had to grow up, but it was tough to let go.” He chuckled as he admitted, “She’s graduated from college and has a career of her own, and it’s still tough.”
“Sounds like you two were pretty close.”
“We were when she was younger, but things changed after her mother died.” His expression grew somber as he explained, “I made some mistakes, and it really affected our relationship. I’ve been trying everything I can to make it up to her.”
“I’m sure it means a lot to her that you’re trying.”
“I think so. I still hate that I made such a mess of things.” He took a bite of his PB&J, then decided to completely change the subject by asking, “How about you? Have you thought about having kids?”
“Me?” His question caught me off guard, so I took a quick sip of my soda before answering, “Yeah, I’ve thought about it, and I want them. I just haven’t really had the opportunity.”
“No, you certainly haven’t.”
“I still have time... I just have to find a way to survive this whole thing with DeLuca first.”
“You will.” Billy’s expression grew intense as he assured me, “I’ll make sure of it.”
I don’t know what it was—the look in his eyes or the tone of his voice, but I believed him, and it was impossible not to feel grateful for all he was doing for me. I leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “You’re pretty great. You know that?”
“You’re not so bad yourself.”
Billy was just being kind, but the way he spoke to me—the way he looked at me and encouraged me, lifted me up in ways I couldn’t describe. He had a way of making me feel more confident—like I was worth his time, and it meant more to me than he’d ever know.
BILLY
After we finished eating,Everleigh headed back over to the creek and started wading around in the water. She looked so beautiful, so young and innocent, dancing around in that creek. I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. I might’ve been a little jealous of the fact that she seemed so carefree as if she didn’t have a single worry or an ounce of trouble weighing on her, but I knew better.
She was just as worried as I was about DeLuca and what he might do next, but our little outing had given her a much-needed reprieve from the all-consuming dread we’d both been feeling. It was the reason I’d suggested it. I knew she was terrified, and rightly so. Now that he knew she was alive, Antonio wouldn’t stop until he found her, so he could finish the job he’d started the night he’d shot her.
But I was going to do everything in my power to make sure that didn’t happen.
I was thinking of all the ways I’d like to wipe DeLuca from the face of the earth when I heard Everleigh ask, “If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?”