A Heart of Gold

Chapter 22

Harry has given me frustratingly few details about my weekend surprise and even less time to prepare. He's acting especially cheeky because he knows how crazy that makes me. We slept separately last night. He said he had some things to get ready and that he'd pick me up at 9 this morning. That's it. I'm getting better, but there are certain details a girl needs to know. His texts are even worse:

Me: H - PLEASE tell me what clothes I need.

H: Wear your bathing suit.

Me: Ok, but what else?

H: Nothing, preferably.

Me: I mean what else should I PACK?

H: Nothing, preferably.

He picks me up in the jeep, doors off this time, as promised. He's got on ridiculously bright yellow swim trunks and an old t-shirt with stretched out arm holes, his favorite red bandana to hold his curls back and a wide smile. He lifts his sunglasses to give me a wink and nods for me to toss my bag into the back.

Besides the usual case of water bottles, there is little else back there to give me a clue as to where we are going. His small duffle bag, two grocery bags of fresh fruit, two bottles of Chardonnay and one of tequila, and his guitar. His flip flops sail past my nose and land with a clunk and he laughs when I squeal. I plop into the passenger seat and lean in for a kiss.

"So..." I start.

"So... curious?"

"Yes, it's killing me."

"Want to ask me some questions?"

"No, because I know you won't answer them. So let's just go."

"But... you don't know where to, the weather or the activities, and what if you don't have the correct clothing, what if you shouldn't have eaten... wait- did you eat?" he ticks through my worry list, goading me with that classic smirk and dimple in his cheek.

"Don't care." I surprise him with my calm. I weave my fingers in his thick hair. "Whatever it is, I love it."

My sincerity halts his teasing. He smiles.

"Because it will be just us," he offers quietly.

I laugh. "Just uzz," I mimic in his accent.

He scrunches his nose and pinches my thigh in retaliation for spoiling the moment and I slap at his hand. He stops, and when I look up into his eyes, his expression makes the smile fade from my face and the car suddenly quiet. My heartbeat slows.

"What?" I ask slowly.

He starts to say something, but stops. Instead, he cups my face with his hand and rubs his thumb gently over my cheek. A smile creeps over his face and he blinks and shakes his head.

"I just hope you've brought the proper footwear." he whispers.

"Ugh!" I elbow his ribs. "Now we're even, ok? Let's just go. It's gonna be super fun."

He shifts into reverse and chuckles. "Obverishly."

"Seriously though, do you not hear it?" I giggle as we take off a little too fast and zip down my narrow street, wind filling the open jeep.

*

We drive along the curvy PCH, my bathing suit ties that were trapped under my t-shirt now whip against my neck. It's the same route we traveled on our first date. I was full of worry then. The mist, the turns in the road, the vast ocean and the unforgiving rock all seemed symbolic taunts that fed my anxiety about our relationship.