You're My Home (completed)

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

Collin hopped out of the truck and jogged to Rachel's side. She'd already half opened her door when he reached her. He opened it the rest of the way and offered his hand. She took it reluctantly, his large hand enveloping her thin fingers.

Rachel avoided his eyes. His gaze seemed to touch every inch of skin on her body and make heat prick her cheeks. "Stop looking at me like that," she insisted, moving a few feet away from him and removing her hand from his.

"Like what?" His voice was all innocence.

She hugged herself. "The way you look at me just bothers me. Don't ask me to explain."

His frown was palpable. She knew he was frowning without having to check.

Collin remained silent as Rachel took in their surroundings.

"I've been here before," she said, Deja vu hitting hard.

The long branches of autumn leaves meshed together, creating a canopy of color. Sun beams squeezed through the leaves in random places. Nothing but forest surrounded them. Rachel second guessed the permission she had given to let him lead her to this isolated, magnificent location.

"I thought we were getting dinner?" She met his gaze, her brow tense with suspicion.

Collin put his hands in his jean pockets. "I wanted to bring you here first."

"Why?" Her tone was sharper than she had intended.

"We've been here before. Me and you."

Rachel's lips parted, and she surveyed the scene before her, seeing it like a flashback of a distant memory. Her feet carried her without her mind's consent. She was hardly aware of Collin slowly following. A tree that seemed to belong in a fairytale loomed above her. Its branches dipped low, begging to be climbed and explored once more. She stared at it, as if time escaped her and got lost in memories.

Collin's hushed voice brought her back to the present. "The summer of 2009, you saw me. You saw me, I know you did."

Rachel blinked and turned around to face him. Her voice failed her when she tried to speak.

Collin was patient, his expression keen to see what she had to say.

Wind brushed through their hair and she saw that look again. The blues in his eyes appeared to melt with heartfelt affection. "That was you?" she asked unsteadily.

"It wasn't a dream," was all he had to say.

Rachel's mind whirled with the memory of a boy with eyes like a blue ocean.

***

Summer 2009 Flashback

As she opened her eyes and blinked away the blur, Rachel didn't recall dozing off. The sun had warmed her a bit too much. She wiped the sweat from her brow and stretched her arms. Then she paused, her ears suddenly alert to the sound of someone humming. She recognized the voice and peered around the massive tree trunk.

A boy sat on the other side, humming a familiar church hymn. He was seemingly unaware of Rachel. Rachel stood quietly, not wanting to disturb him. But moments after she began walking the faded trail that led to the road, she heard footsteps behind her. The boy continued humming his joyful song.