The Rescue - Nicholas Sparks [105]
“It’s just for a few days,” Taylor said, shrugging.
They were sitting on the couch in the living room while Kyle watched a cartoon on television.
Another week had gone by and nothing had changed. Or rather, everything had changed. It all depended on her perspective, and right now Denise was leaning heavily toward the latter. It was Tuesday and he’d just come by to take her into work. Her pleasure at his earlier arrival had evaporated almost immediately when he’d informed her that he was leaving for a few days.
“When did you decide this?” Denise asked.
“Just this morning. A couple of the guys are going down and asked if I wanted to go along. South Carolina opens the hunting season two weeks earlier than we do around here, so I figured I’d head down with them. I feel like I need a break.”
Are you talking about me or work?
“So you’re leaving tomorrow?”
Taylor shifted slightly. “Actually, it’s more like the middle of the night. We’ll be leaving around three.”
“You’ll be exhausted.”
“Nothing that a thermos of coffee can’t fix.”
“You probably shouldn’t pick me up tonight,” Denise offered. “You need a little sleep.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll be there.”
Denise shook her head. “No, I’ll talk to Rhonda. She’ll bring me home.”
“Are you sure she won’t mind?”
“She doesn’t live that far from here. And it’s not like she’s been doing it very much lately.”
Taylor slipped his arm around Denise, surprising her. He pulled her close. “I’ll miss you.”
“You will?” she said, hating the plaintive note in her voice.
“Of course. Especially around midnight. I’ll probably wander out to my truck through force of habit.”
Denise smiled, thinking he’d kiss her. Instead he turned away, motioning with his chin toward Kyle.
“And I’ll miss you, too, little man.”
“Yes,” Kyle said, eyes glued to the television.
“Hey, Kyle,” Denise said, “Taylor’s leaving for a few days.”
“Yes,” Kyle said again, obviously not listening.
Taylor crawled down from the couch, creeping on all fours toward Kyle.
“Are you ignoring me, Kyle?” he growled.
Once Taylor was close, Kyle realized his intent and squealed as he tried to get away. Taylor grabbed him easily, and they began to wrestle on the floor.
“Are you listening to me?” Taylor asked.
“He’s wrestling!” Kyle shrieked, his arms and legs flailing. (Ees wesswing!)
“I’m gonna get you!” Taylor bellowed, and for the next few minutes there was pandemonium on the living room floor. When Kyle finally tired, Taylor let him pull away.
“Hey, when I get back, I’m going to take you to a baseball game. If that’s okay with your mom, of course.”
“Bessbaw game,” Kyle repeated wonderingly.
“It’s fine with me.”
Taylor winked, first at Denise, then at Kyle.
“Did you hear that? Your mom said we can go.”
“Bessbaw game!” Kyle cried, louder this time.
At least with Kyle he hasn’t changed.
Denise glanced at the clock.
“It’s about that time,” she said, sighing.
“Already?”
Denise nodded, then rose from the couch to collect her things. A couple of minutes later they were on their way to the diner. When they arrived Taylor walked with Denise to the front door.
“Call me?” she said.
“I’ll try,” Taylor promised.
They stood gazing at each other for a moment before Taylor kissed her good-bye. Denise went in, hoping that the trip would help clear his mind of whatever had been bothering him.
Perhaps it did, but Denise had no way of knowing.
For the next four days she didn’t hear from him at all.
She hated waiting for the phone to ring.
It wasn’t like her to be this way; the experience a new one. In college her roommate sometimes refused to go out in the evenings because she thought her boyfriend might call. Denise always did her best to convince her roommate to come with her, usually to no avail, and then would head out to meet with different friends. When she explained why her roommate wasn’t with them, each of them swore up and down that they’d never do something like that.
But here she was, and suddenly it didn’t seem so easy to follow her own advice.
Not that she stopped living her life, as her roommate