“Dang, what are you talking about?” he asked, mock dusting off his shoulders. “I always look this good.”
“No, Jonah, you look like a disheveled linebacker on a horse, that’s what you always look like.”
He dug his size five hundred shoe in the ground and ducked his head, his cheeks burning a bright red. He swung his head left then right and avoided my stare.
“You really are a massive goof, aren’t you? Come in, dude.”
He bounded up the steps like a five-year-old instead of the titan he was and ducked inside, removing his cap inside and smoothing his hair out with his hands. I followed behind him and noticed his face burned something close to the color of brick.
“Hey, Bridget,” he said with a lopsided grin.
I rolled my eyes and went to the sink to brush my teeth. I pretended to be distracted with the stars outside while they spoke.
“What’s up, Jonah?” Bridget coolly replied, though I could tell she was affected by how well he’d cleaned up.
“Nothin’ much. Whatcha doin’?” he asked, sitting on the banquette, a cushion between them.
“Oh, just watching a little TV. Same old, same old,” she offered with a smile, but her eyes lingered a little too long on his face.
“Great,” I mumbled around my toothbrush. I rinsed and spit. “I’ll be right out, Jonah,” I said.
I entered the bedroom, and I use that term loosely, of the trailer and shut the accordion doors separating me from the living area. I picked out a few casual things—a pair of worn jeans and a worn button-up. I shook my head at the choices I had. Thinking back on how I used to dress just made me depressed. I still had those things with me, but I couldn’t sport an Armani in this town or I’d call some serious attention to myself, which was the last thing I wanted to do. As I dressed, I listened to Jonah and Bridget talk.
“You look very nice, Jonah,” Bridget offered.
I rolled my eyes.
“Really?” he asked, and I could just imagine his face blowing up a bright red.
“Yes, very handsome.”
“Thank you, Bridget. You look very nice too.”
To this, Bridget laughed loudly. “How would you know, silly! I’m covered in this blanket.”
There was a slight pause before he answered as if he was working up the nerve to say something. Don’t do it. Don’t do it.
“I don’t have to see what you’re wearing to know you look nice, Bridget.”
A longer pause and my hands found my face then dragged painfully slowly down.
“Th-thank you, Jonah. I think that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
I couldn’t take it anymore, so I tucked the accordion doors back.
“Ready?” I asked him.
Jonah appeared startled by my sudden appearance and stood too quickly, bumping his head on the ceiling of the trailer, inciting a giggle from Bridget.
“Sorry,” Jonah said, his face bright red.
“Come on,” I said, practically shoving him out the door.
“Wait,” he said, turning around, “are you not coming, Bridge?”
“Uh, no,” she said, standing herself. “I,” she sighed, “well, I thought it would be weird if I went.”
“What?” he asked, outraged. “Why?”
“Because, well, you know,” she said glancing down at her belly.
“You can’t even tell, Bridget, and no one with us is gonna feel any differently about you,” he said to her quietly before pausing. Then he said, “Trust me,” and all the anxiety on her face melted.
“Oh, um, okay. I’d love to go then.”
She peered her head around Jonah. “Mind waiting just a second?” she asked.
“Of course not,” I said, leaning against the door and gesturing toward the bedroom.
She ran back, giddy, and closed the doors. I watched Jonah and he had a shit-eating grin on his face. He looked over at me and the grin dropped. He swallowed hard before turning to sit on the banquette. I sat across from him and only had to raise a single brow. Jonah eyes popped wide and he began to squirm, fiddling with the cap in his hand, wringing it over and over.
Fifteen minutes later, Bridget emerged in a simple pair of jeans and long sleeved t-shirt and I nodded my approval at her, to which she rolled her eyes. I did notice she had curled her hair, though, and applied makeup, but her choice in clothing, which had always left something to be desired in my opinion, impressed me to no end. Mostly because it covered every inch of her. Good girl, I thought.
Jonah helped her on with her jacket, even going so far as to playfully spin her around as he wrapped her scarf around her neck and making her giggle like a little girl. I got into the driver’s seat and Jonah opened her door for her. She got in the backseat then he slid in behind her.
“You’re not going to ride up front with me?” I asked, confounded.
He looked at me like I was crazy. “We’re taking Cricket and Ethan up with us,” he explained before looking at Bridge.
Bridget’s eyes crinkled. “Uh, oh yeah! Um, you’re taking Cricket and Ethan to Kalispell with Jonah and, well, now myself. I volunteered you. Is that okay?” she asked, shrinking into her seat a little.
“Fine,” I gritted, trying not to look as pissed as I sounded.
I turned and put the truck into drive. Jonah and Bridget giggled and I whipped my head around to look at them, which plastered them into their seats. Bridge cleared her throat to fight the laughter, which earned her a look that could kill.