The Visit

He snorted again. "You are somethin', girl. I coulda let Joel take you outta here ya know."

"Am I supposed to thank you for not letting someone murder me after you kidnapped me?"

"Stop twisting it up! I didn't really mean to kidnap you for real!"

"You know who pops used to be after the war, right?" I asked with a scowl. "Why he has so many friends on the police force?"

"Yeah, we all know he was the chief for so long until the accident and he got all that insurance money. Started up the company. So?"

"So you are crazy if you think he won't be looking for me. My purse and phone are still in his truck. Did your friend call him Pops? That is all I have ever called him, ever. If she didn't, he will know it wasn't me. He will see my things, find my book out back and my blood, and know I was taken. When I am not at the hospital, he will look to the one person who was there and then left all the sudden at the same time I disappeared. And even if he doesn't see all of that right away? My work will call first thing Monday if I am not there, I am under contract and my new boss treats me like one of his daughters. He even checks my oil for me and installed a security system in my apartment. So good luck. Pops will find out real quick. Your ONLY chance is if you have my help on this. Killing me won't help, he will track you down. But if I left with you? If you helped me and took me to get it fixed up when I hurt my foot? Then we hung out and I went to your party with you, had a few drinks and didn't have a way to call after leaving my phone in his truck? Then you take me in the morning and drop me off, and I explain to Pops how you helped me and took care of me and how much I liked you? Not only would you be off the hook, but Pops would be indebted to you. He'd like you for taking care of me. If you are good at your job, he might even make you a foreman early. Give you your own crew. You'll surely be next in line for it."

Nick was staring at me, wide eyed and nervous as hell. I could see his wheels turning. He had to know I was right. Pops would never let it go and he was a ridiculously smart man. Apparently a ruthless man as well.

"So how about it, Nick," I asked softly, leaning up to put my hand on his. "You and I get to know each other, hang out. I would try to go to your party if you wanted, but I won't be very mobile. Have fun, cut loose. Come back here and sleep it off. In the morning you take me back to Pops and I play you up as the hero. Tell him how gallant you were, how you fixed me up and talked me down from panicking. How you took me to get a tetanus shot. I'll tell him you didn't know I was with him and I was in no shape to tell you. He knows blood makes me queasy and I pass out. I'll tell him how much I liked you and wanted to spend a little time with you before coming home and how we hung out and how much of a gentleman you were. How I want to come back more often and maybe see you again. He'd ask you to stay for lunch, take us out. Pops doesn't cook, he eats every meal out. He'd talk to you, tell you stories, I'm sure you've heard him talk. He's an amazing storyteller, he commands the room when he talks. Have you ever had his full attention focused on you? It's a pretty amazing thing.

Do you like your job? Is this something you want to do? You'd be foreman in a year once he takes you under his wing. And if he thought you and I would end up together? His favorite granddaughter with a construction man like him? He would love that. You would be his new favorite person."

Nick was looking at me with wide eyes and I could see that he wanted to believe me.

I sat back. "You don't have to decide now. Let's just hang out and get to know each other. We have time, right? I guess you are from here, you told me about the bully. How long have you been working for Pops?"

"Two years now, worked for another company before Joel got me on."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty three."

"You look older."

"It comes with height. For some reason people think tall means older. I could buy beer at seventeen. How old are you?"

"Twenty one."

"You look younger."

I smiled. "The opposite is also true. People think short is younger."

He smiled also and rubbed my foot gently. "The Old Man never talked about a granddaughter. Four grandsons, but never a girl."

"I am the oldest, an only child to his oldest son. My dad was a sort of black sheep, took off when I was little. When pops remarried to a younger woman and had more kids, it was a while before he had more grandkids. So he has four grandsons right now that are young and they all live close. I don't. I didn't. My mom moved back home to her family when my dad took off. But I got to come up two weeks every summer and see my dad's family, stay with Pops. I looked forward to it every year."

"You really thought I was handsome when you looked at me?" he asked, almost shyly.

"You know you are cute," I accused, rolling my eyes.

He blinked then and I realized he didn't. "You don't think I'm too skinny or goofy looking?"

I cocked my head slightly, looking at him. "You are skinny, and tall, but it works for you. You can see defined muscle, it's not like you are some weakling. Looking at you, I can see you were probably awkward once, but you grew into yourself, didn't you? No, you are handsome. Very handsome. The girls who looked past you once are probably kicking themselves now when they see you. You had a definite glow-up."

"Glow up?"

"Grew up to be hotter than you were when you were younger."

He smiled slightly at that, looking a little pleased. "I guess you were always hot?" he asked.

I laughed. "I am not hot! In highschool I was picked on a lot, not just because I was short, but because I am a nerd too. A geek. Whatever. I always have a book in my hand, always have. I didn't dress like other kids, I didn't care what was in style, I wore what was comfortable. I never fixed my hair, most days I forgot to brush it after I got out of the shower. I just didn't care. I didn't even start trying until it came time to get a job and I had to find professional clothes and learn to fix my hair. I still don't wear makeup. It's just not my thing."

"But you are beautiful. Stunning even. You know that, right? You may be short, but you are cute as well."

I felt my face heat and I looked away, trying to think of a way to change the subject. As I looked around at the empty shell of a house, an idea struck me. An easier way to make him anxious to take me home.

"When I was younger, Pops would take me to homes his company had finished building, signing off on this and that sort of paperwork, I never really knew what, but I loved to explore the big, nice houses like this. I always thought I would like to move back and live in one someday."

"Yeah, after building a few, I knew I wanted one too," he said, looking around.

I sat up a little more, looking around excitedly. "I love how it's all open like this and so huge. I like being able to see into the giant open kitchen over the island and into the dining room. A huge dining room like that with lots of room for a huge table. I think farmhouse style would be super cute in there, and themed through the kitchen too. Some nice stools at the island there where the raised counter is that go with the theme. Like some tractor seats or something. All red in the kitchen of course, I love red. And in here! Get rid of this stinky old couch and get a nice sectional or matching furniture set with a nice accent piece and lamps. Tables. Art. And curtains! The whole place needs curtains, anyone and everyone can just see in."

"Not many neighbors out here, babe."

"Yeah, but still. How many bedrooms?"

"Three and the basement is ready to be finished any way I want."

"Nice, so a nice office space and a craft room. The bedroom wouldn't have to be as bright and airy as out here, I can let my geek flag fly a little more and go full on Lord of the Rings fantasy style. That would be amazing. And the office could be completely boho and colorful!"

I looked at him then, to see if he was spooked or terrified yet, but he was just smiling as he looked down at me. Did he know I wasn't serious?

He gave me a small shrug, then spoke since it seemed like I was looking to him for his input. "The garage is my woodshop for now, but I can finish the basement for you to put your office and craft room in. It's stubbed. The rooms, I hope to have a couple kids in soon," he said, grinning.

He was either crazy or he was playing my game better than I was.

"Oh, once kids come into the picture, I think a bigger house would be needed! I have always wanted a lot of kids! My ex used to joke that I sounded like I should become mormon with as many kids as I wanted to have."

"I want a lot of kids too. We'd have to get married first though, I'm pretty firm on that. I want lots of boys, of course, but I can't wait to spoil my first girl. She'd have her own princess room with a castle bed."

"And the boys could have pirate ships!"

"Oh, I have a sailboat theme all picked out and I have the plans drawn up for the bed."

I laughed then, I couldn't help it. He was playing along too well.

"I have a lot of plans drawn up to work on in my woodshop," he said, grinning down at me. "Not just that one. I love building houses and all, but I love woodworking too and I like making things. Wanna see it? My woodshop?"

Was he serious? My plan wasn't just falling on its face, it was about to bite me in the ass.

My mind raced with how to play it off, but I decided it was best to go with it for now. Maybe he was just calling my bluff. "Sure! I'd love to! Your plans too. You'll have to help me wal...OHH!"

He jumped up, scooping me up and taking me through the kitchen and through a pantry that turned into a mudroom and laundry room to a huge 3 car garage. It was a giant woodshop filled with wood, saws, tables, tools. He took me to a drafting table with a tall stool and sat down, adjusting me on his lap as he did, then pulled a huge book onto the table. He opened it and it was full of hand drawn plans.

I gaped.

He was not joking at all.

There were at least a hundred different hand drawn plans of all kinds of furniture, INCLUDING a sailboat kids bed and a castle bed. There was also a pumpkin crib bed that looked like a pumpkin carriage and a tractor bed among others. He had a dozen kids style rooms all planned out, as well as playroom toys and even a mini village in the basement with little shops and businesses. He had other things too, adult things like tables and beds and dozens of things, but I was just stupefied.

"These are amazingly detailed," I said softly, turning the pages. "DId you go to school to learn to draft these?"

"Oh, no. I just sort of learned from plans I had already seen drawn up, you know? Putting down what I knew I would need to know. And I have always been able to draw. Look at that over there. That's the bed I am making for my room. I have the mattress and everything, but I wanted to make my own bed."

"Wow! That is actually really beautiful!"

"Show me what kind of stools you were wanting and I can start them next," he said, picking me up and walking me around the huge garage.

I was actually a little impressed. And a little afraid too.

"You don't even know me," I said softly.

He shrugged. "Enough to know you were trying to scare me."

"So you were messing with me?" I asked, almost relieved.

"Not even a little. I want a lot of kids, a family," he said, passing back through the laundry room and pantry. He took me back to the couch. "I think maybe you don't understand something about me," he said, sitting me down and propping my foot back up. "I had a girlfriend for a while in highschool, but that's it. She had asked me out. I have always been awkward and shy and goofy looking."

"Shut up, you know you are hot."

"I was made fun of for years. Years. The two times I asked a girl out, I was shot down hard. After school, I got on with a friend's dad's crew, then with my cousin Joel's company. Your grampas company. I haven't dated, like, at all. A friend tried to set me up, and that bombed. She was a girl I had gone to school with who was a complete bitch and she spent the night of the double date telling everyone how much of a loser I had been. Joel's girlfriend tried to set me up, but she was this super loud girl who spent more time looking at her phone and taking pics than she did trying to communicate. I'm not the kind of guy who can just go to a bar and pull trim like my coworkers. I come home and make things.

When I saw you sitting there today, never looking at a phone, so quiet, beautiful and sad looking... I did something I have never done in my life. It took me half an hour, but I got up the nerve to talk to you and ask you out. Because a girl like you, you are exactly what I have been waiting for. I saw you and I knew. Then you shot me down so hard and I was so upset... I just went out to my truck to sit and try and get my mind off of my perfect girl shooting me down. Then I saw you come out... and I thought maybe I was being offered a second chance, a second opportunity to win you over. Then you got hurt and... I don't even really know what I was thinking. I was still angry I guess.

But babe, you try and make me nervous about committing, that isn't going to work for you," he said with a sad smile. "I was all in when I laid eyes on you today."

I felt myself blushing again and I felt a warm sort of giddiness wash over me. I forced myself to be reasonable. "That's just insane," I said, shaking my head. "You don't know me at all. Not only that, but what about your work? Don't you want to focus on your job and get settled in before you think about tying yourself down?"

"Babe, I am as settled in as I will ever get. I was ready to commit and settle down years ago, it's just who I am."

"To a stranger?!?"

"I have seen other girls before and never felt what I felt when I looked at you. When I dated in highschool, I didn't see myself with her. I stopped dating her when I knew she wasn't the one because I didn't want to waste my time. I have seen beautiful girls who I looked past because I knew they weren't the ones. Didn't even want to meet them or try. With you it was different. I just knew. One look and I thought, 'Her. That is the girl I am going to marry, right there.'"

"You can't really think that! And anyway, what about what I want? You don't just get to toss a girl in your truck, bring her home and say 'you belong to me now'."

He smiled and leaned up enough to pull my loose hair thing out of my falling hair. He didn't speak for so long as he combed through my hair with his fingers that I thought maybe he wasn't going to. When he finally did, it surprised me. "I like Lord of the Rings too. I bet I can change up the headboard on the bed and either do a White Tree of Gondor or maybe the door to Moria, if you really wanted a bedroom like that?"

At first I was outraged at the change of subject and lack of response to my statement, then I was sidetracked and intrigued. "You could do that? I mean, probably the White Tree on the headboard and the door to Moria on the door itself?"

"Or maybe a whole Rivendell theme on the actual bed with natural wood posts and sheer white panels trailing down, with dark green blankets and white sheets."

I smiled, thinking about it. "That would be perfect!"

"Do some wainscotting on the walls, use natural wood and make it more forest- like with a nice lighter green on the walls to open it up. Make the dressers and nightstands the same would, blend it and use lots of greenery to make it feel more real. Maybe make a hobbiton village in the basement for the kids."

I laughed, then realized I was getting sucked in. "Hey! No far using my fandoms against me! We need to talk about what we are going to do right now. You need to take me back to Pops!"

"I thought we were going to the party first and I was taking you back in the morning?" he said, his eyebrows high.

"If that's what you want, but you have to promise to take me back to Pops in the morning. I don't have a costume... but I know who you can be."

"Who?"

"Longshanks," I said with a smile.

He laughed. "You may be too short to be my Arwen. No, babe, it's not that kind of Halloween party. No one dresses up, it's more, get wasted and dance around the bonfire naked kind of party."

"You invited me to a party where you intended to get me naked?" I asked incredulously.

"Well, to be fair, I wasn't intending to stay that long if you had said yes. I wouldn't have drank and we would have left long before anyone was drunk enough to get that wild with the bonfire. It is a bonfire party though and there will be alcohol. No costumes unless someoenes girlfriend dresses up like a slutty something. You really want to go to this party? We could stay here and watch scary movies. I mean, I was invited to go, but I was never planning on going to the party. We can go if you want to?"

"You said party and take me home in the morning..."

"You said that, not me, first of all. If you want to go, I will take you, but be warned... Joel will be there and you won't gain any headway by trying to say something to the people there. They will agree with Joel on what to do with you if you speak out. This is my family I am talking about, not one of them is going to want to see me buried under the next foundation of the next house being built. I feel like you only want to go in the hopes that someone will help you or you can get away."

I looked away from him, scowling.

"That's what I thought. So, pizza and a scary movie? I can get some candy and turn on the light, we can pass out candy?"

I blinked. "I've never passed out candy before?" I said and I realized how dorkily excited I sounded. "I grew up in the country and I live in an apartment now. Is it like it is on TV?"

He chuckled. "I don't get a ton out here, but some. The ones that do come get real candy bars. You like scary movies?"

"Love them. The cheesier the better."

He grinned again and looked me over.

I stared back, then tried to tamp down my excitement. He was sucking me in again! I was here against my will! I wanted to go home!

"Babe..."

"I have a name."

He grinned. "Cass... I really want to kiss you. God your lips look perfect for kissing."

I blushed and decided to ignore the comment. "I want your word," I said, looking away. "We watch movies, hand out candy, and in the morning you take me back to Pops."

"You forgot the pizza."

"And pizza," I said, trying to stifle a smile.

"We'll see what kind of vibe I am getting from you. I want to trust you, but you understand it's my life, right? Not just my job and the house, he will literally kill me."

"I understand and I told you. I will tell him how you helped me."

"What if I want more?" he asked, his cheeks turning pink as he eyed me through his lashes.

"More than telling him you helped me?"

"More than pizza and movies."

"You forgot handing out candy," I teased.

He smiled, but he was blushing harder now. He swallowed hard. "I want to kiss you... and maybe more."

I turned to the wall, feeling my own face heating even more, all the way to my ears. "Nick... you can't ask for something like that..."

He moved closer, pulling me down on the couch under him and leaning over me, his face in mine. "I know, you don't ask for a kiss, you go for it, but..." His eyes were searching my face as he spoke, then he cut off and leaned in, holding my face as he pressed his lips to mine.

I had every intention of turning away and telling him no, but my body reacted completely differently. His kiss was sweet and tender and... my entire body seemed to react, wake up, feel the electric feel of his lips on mine. My shocked reaction to the amazing feeling was to pull him closer instead of pushing him away and to kiss him back.