I stride up to Lucky, and her eyes widen as soon as she sees me – I know that she might not be my biggest fan, but she is the best shot I have of getting to that girl again.
"Do you know where Honey is?” I ask. She hesitates before she answers. Maybe Honey told her that I came on too strong and that she doesn’t want anything else to do with me. I have no idea.
"Yes," she murmurs, and she eyes me for a moment. "Why do you want to know?”
"Because I need to find her," I tell her. She frowns at me. I know what she is thinking. Why can’t I just let her go? But I am not willing to let that girl get away, not when I know there is something so profound between us. Just being with her last night, lying there with her in my arms as she slept, it was the most comfortable I have felt in months – since I have had this house to myself, that’s for sure – and I am not willing to pass up the chance to feel it again.
"She’s scared," Lucky warns me. "She likes you, but she’s scared. It’s been a long time since she’s actually really dated anyone, so you need to be careful–"
"Good thing I’m not thinking about dating," I reply, and she raises her eyebrows at me. But I can see the glimmer of hope in her face, and I know that I am getting through to her.
"There’s a festival over in Ordor this weekend too," she explains. "That’s where she’s headed. She’ll probably be there by now..."
"Thank you," I tell her. That’s all I need to hear. I check in with the staff that I have on site to make sure that they can handle everything, and then I take off after her. I know it’s the only chance that I have to find her again, and I am not going to let her get away.
I climb in my truck and drive – I don’t often leave this small town of mine, so it takes me a while to navigate my way down there, and I have to keep my eyes pinned to the road every step of the way to make sure I don’t miss a vital turn and accidentally skip over her. If I miss her down in Ordor, I might not be able to find her again...
But finally, I make it to the town, and I follow the signs that lead into the festival where she must be selling her wares. I haven’t even tried one of her pies yet – it's a silly thing, but suddenly, it strikes me as so important.
The festival is already bustling with people by the time that I get there, and it makes finding her all the harder. But I know she is here, I know she is close, and I know what I have to say to her. I know what I need her to hear...
I navigate my way through the crowds until I arrive at a section of stalls selling all kinds of food. The smell of baked dough wafts through the air, and I follow the familiar scent of cinnamon and vanilla until I reach a van that I have seen before.
And there she is. Behind the counter. She’s serving a mom and her daughter, a big smile on her face as she puts on a little extra caramel sauce and hands it to the youngster. I pause for a moment, just hold back and smile. She is so beautiful, so radiant with life and energy, that it almost hurts to look at her dead on.
But then, her gaze lifts, and she sees me standing there. I approach her counter, and the rest of the crowd holds back for a moment, as though they can tell that this is important – too important for them to interrupt.
"What are you doing here?" she murmurs, but there is a smile on her face as she speaks. I know she is glad to see me.
"I couldn’t let you just leave like that," I reply, looking up at her over the stack of fresh-baked pies in front of her.
"What are you saying to me, Hank?” she asks. I know what she needs to hear, and I am not willing to hold off on telling her.
"You said that you haven’t put down roots anywhere for a long time," I reply, not taking my eyes off of her. This woman – there is something about her that makes me feel safe. Like I’m doing the right thing, no matter what. I want to pull her into my arms and hold her tight and kiss her again, say all the things that need to be said without actually coming out with the words. But if she needs to hear them, I’ll give her everything that she’s asking for.