What He Doesn't Know {Completed}

Can't You See

UNEDITED!

***

"Gonna take a freight train

Down at the station, Lord
I don't care where it goes
Gonna climb a mountain
The highest mountain
Jump off, nobody gonna know 

Can't you see, whoa, can't you see
What that woman, Lord, she been doin' to me
Can't you see, can't you see
What that woman, she been doin' to me"

- THE MARSHALL TUCKER BAND "Can't you see"

***

“Where have you been?” A concerned and worried voice asked.

 I closed the front door behind me and locked eyes with Garrett. 

 He stood in the entrance hallway with curiosity planted on his face. I’d no idea if he was just walking by here to the living room and happened to catch me come in or if he was waiting for me. The first seemed more realistic and less creepy, to be honest. Yet, as I looked at him, I knew he was burning with suspicion and wonder at where I had gone for the past day.

 “Out of town,” I told him as I let my bag, that was comprised of things we bought while at the beach, slip from my shoulder. The weight was killing me, and I just wanted to go to my room to rethink all that has transpired in the past 24 hours. 

 Garrett studied me for a long second. He wanted to know more, that much was evident in his eyes. However, he let it go without inquiring anymore about me being gone and nodded. “Hope you had fun - wherever you went ... Dinner will be ready in a few.”

 His voice gave off a defeated tone. It was then that I noticed Garrett looked a lot more tired than normal. His eyes didn’t hold their usual shine. Instead, they were dull and on the verge of looking lifeless. He’d been staying up late, and I wondered for a second if I had caused this. “Garrett, are you okay? Did my absence ... bother you?” I questioned. 

 He shook his head and gave an exhale, “No ... personal issues have been weighing me down ... I can see you want to get to your room, so will get MaryAnn to come and get you when dinner is officially ready.”

 “Honestly, I am not hungry. I ate on the way back here. So, I think I will just retire for the night if you don’t mind.” 

 Shrugging his shoulders Garrett respond, “Suit yourself.” With that being said Garrett walked into the living room. 

 I all but ran to my room for I was glad to finally have a moment to myself. When I entered, I immediately closed the door and let out a large exhale.

 “How did you like the dinner?” Colton asked me with a certain wonder twinkling in his brown eyes. 

 We stared at each other for a brief minute before I looked away and allowed my eyes to dance around the beach picnic laid out before us. 

 It was beautiful! 

Cole had definitely paid and invested way too much to make this happen. This was evident by the lit candles all around us, the woven basket placed in the corner of the checkered blanket, and a bottle of sparkling white grape juice, with two flutes, next to it. 

The basket held finger sandwiches of all sorts, my favorite kettle chips, grapes and for dessert chocolate covered strawberries. 

The sound of the waves and the calmness of the beach topped it all. “This is perfect.”

Cole smiled at my words, “So happy to hear that you liked it. It took a lot of secretive planning while we hung out today.”

“You did this behind my back? Today?”