Cabin Fever

Chapter 8

My cell phone had been oddly quiet, which I was okay with. But it kind of stunk that even Nora was ignoring me at the moment. Although if I was being fair she was probably with her fiancé, not just ignoring me for the sake of it.

I sighed and glanced at my booted and aching foot. What I wouldn't give to be able to spend the day in the woods, or just do something other than sitting here. Right then Curt's number lit up my screen with a text.

Apparently it was karaoke night at a coffeehouse downtown. Would I like to go? I could have sworn my heart skipped a beat and I blinked trying to think clearly. Was there any reason I shouldn't? I couldn't come up with any excuses. So I texted back a quick 'sure.'

Curt's response came almost instantly. 'I'll pick you up at six.' I had a little over two hours to get ready. What was I even going to wear? After a few minutes of my stomach tumbling around nervous energy, I pushed myself up and headed to get a quick shower.

A while later, I stood in front of the full length mirror, not convinced I was really ready for this. Not sure my heart was ready. But I wanted to give this a chance. My heart had done its fair share of healing over the past couple of years. Although through that time I wasn't sure whether it had healed or whether I had simply built walls around it.

A knock at the door shook me out of my thoughts. I half limped over to unlock it and let Curt in. He met my eyes, then subconsciously gave me a quick, but thorough once over. The dress had evidently done the trick. It wasn't that I was trying to evoke any kind of connection, I just figured I may as well wear it since it had come along for the ride. "Hey." He whispered, a bit breathlessly.

I blinked and just stood there, seemingly in a trance taking him in as well. He was dressed in a nice pair of jeans, casual yet still classy button down shirt with just a hint of a very understated plaid pattern. "Joy?" I inhaled a sharp breath and blinked rapidly to clear my mind. "Hi." He smiled. Boy was he gorgeous. In an attempt to get my attention, Curt cleared his throat. I shook my head, eyes suddenly dropping to the floor. "Sorry. Don't know where I lost myself." My cheeks heated as I turned. "Let me grab my things and we can go."

I ducked into the bedroom, all the while having a silent conversation with myself. I needed to cool it or Curt would know exactly what I was thinking and I wasn't sure I was quite ready to play those cards tonight.

Curt stepped into the cabin, his eyes trailing Joy's footsteps as she stepped into the bedroom. She was a vision tonight, wearing a knee length a line black dress which graced her curves, it was topped with a beautiful floral scarf and a toms flat on her left foot. She'd even curled her hair, which in turn bounced off her shoulders. He should write himself off tonight, he was through.

He glanced around the large room. Joy had a gift of unknowingly making a place feel warm and homey. Even without the ability to drive herself into town, Joy had amassed all the blankets and pillows she could find and turned the large room into somewhat of a haven. Once again Curt's mind was filled with the sweet memories of the times when the cabin was lived in. 

"Okay, I'm ready." Joy emerged from the bedroom, purse clinging crossways on her body, from shoulder to hip, and clutching a sweater in her right hand while somehow still managing to keep a grip on the crutches. A smile emanating more from Curt's sparkling eyes than mouth enveloped his face. "What?" Joy asked, suddenly self conscious. "Oh, nothing. You're beautiful, Joy." He swallowed as he spoke the last words. He hadn't found anyone to be quite so stunning. Ever. Amy was pretty and emitted a warmth. But the fact that they hadn't ever truly clicked left a longing in him, a longing that he desired to fill. One that he desperately prayed God would fill.

Joy somehow possessed a similar warmth, but with her it came from the inside out, not only from her simple, yet gorgeous, outer beauty. She was just that. Stunning. It glowed from every pore. From all the places it could. He would do anything necessary to protect her and her heart from further pain.