“Nothing, I’m sorry. Did you want me to take you home so you can change?” His laughing subsided, and his hand went back to my knee with a gentle tickle of his fingers.

“No.” I softened. “It’s not a big deal.” I sighed. “Where are we going today anyway?”

“We need to get some more supplies to finish up the mural, but I have to run by Blue’s first if that’s okay?” His eyebrows pulled in when he peered over at me.

“Of course.” I smiled and leaned back into my seat. “Where does he live?”

“In the trailer park off Balboa,” he said looking away from me. “It’s okay if you aren’t comfortable going. I can go by later.” He rushed out the last part.

“Why wouldn’t I be comfortable with going to Blue’s? It’s fine, Wes. Really.” It was my turn now to reach over and squeeze his knee.

“It’s not the best area. I promise you, though; you are completely safe with me. I won’t let anything happen to you.” Wes grabbed my hand in his and held it tightly.

“I know you will.” I nodded and squeezed his hand in return. “And I’m not worried. Let’s go visit Blue.” I ended with a grin looking forward to seeing his boss again.

Wes smiled back, but it wasn’t his usual full-scale grin. This one was soft, touching just the tips of his eyes and leaving a thoughtful shadow cast over them. Then he blinked, and they popped back open with their usual sparkle. “Gas first.”

While Wes was inside to pay to pump, I pulled my bag onto my lap to see if I could find my stain remover. I always carried it with me, seeing as I almost always exclusively wore white. When I couldn’t find it, I tossed the bag back onto the ground and reached for my coffee. This time, something caught my attention.

I held up the cup and read the writing scratched down the side.

Good morning. Can I kiss you?

A flash of a squeal escaped me. I whipped my head around quickly to make sure no one had heard. Then I dove back into my purse hunting for mints because, hell yeah, he could kiss me, and no way did I want coffee breath.

Wes opened his door just as I sat up. My mouth fell open and I covered my hands with it. “What are you wearing?” I muffled through them with puffs of a laugh.

“A shirt. Here’s yours.” He tossed me a white T-shirt. I unfolded it and read: I’m with sexy. Then I raised my eyebrows at him grinning like an idiot.

“I’m sexy,” he said pointing his thumbs toward his shirt that read exactly that.

“What are these for?” I asked having a hard time controlling my laughter.

“I wanted to get you a new shirt to wear. I saw these by the souvenir cups. Perfect, right?” He lifted one shoulder and half grinned at me.

“Perfect,” I said unbuckling my seat belt.

“Yeah?” he asked eyeing my motions.

“Yeah,” I whispered crawling out of my seat and into his lap. I straddled my legs on either side of him and grabbed his face in my hands, landing my lips right onto his.

He grabbed on to my hips immediately and pulled my body into his while deepening our kiss. It was fast, and it was hard, and it was over just as quickly as it started.

I forced myself to push away and climbed back into my seat. Wes sat slack-jawed and hands still up where my hips just were, reflexively squeezing his fingers. “Where’d you go?”

“Let’s go see Blue,” I said breathless half cursing myself for pulling away but applauding myself for it, too.

Wes’ head swung in my direction. “That wasn’t nice, Capri.”

I grinned and sat up in the seat. “Oh, it was nice. Very, very nice.”

“You’re evil,” he said turning the key in the ignition.

“And you’re really sweet.” I ripped my shirt off and tossed it behind me.

“What the?” Wes’ head darted back and forth between my laced covered chest and the windshield. “What are you doing?” His words were panicked.

“Putting my new shirt on.” I slipped the other shirt on over my head and tugged on the hem to pull it down.

“What has gotten into you, woman?” Wes bellowed.

“You.” I blew him a kiss.

“Oh no, C.” He moved the stick shift into drive and leered lazily at me.

“You’ll know when I’ve gotten into you.”

Well, crap. There went my upper hand.

“This is the place.” Wes held open my door.

“It’s very… Blue.” I took in the small single-wide trailer with a Harley parked in the grass. The carport housed an old rusted truck and a wall of well, junk? There was nothing fancy decorating the outside. No flowers or flagpoles, but the lawn was mowed, and the entryway was clear of any clutter.

“It is.” Wes took my hand in his and led me toward the front door. “You should see the inside. It hasn’t changed at all since I met him fourteen years ago, a lot like Blue’s hairstyle.”

“Weston? That you?” Wes’ steps stalled. He turned stiffly, and I swore I heard him curse under his breath.

“It’s me,” he said flatly.

A woman, who looked to be in her mid-sixties, walked up to us. She had on a worn T-shirt with a pair of sweatpants and bare feet. Her hair was shoulder length and under-colored, same as her skin. Something about her seemed familiar to me though I couldn’t tell what. That feeling grew with each step she took toward us, the memory of her seeping in.

“How ya doing, boy?” she asked, and with that one word. Boy. I remembered exactly who she was.

“Good. You remember Capri. My friend August’s sister.” Wes motioned toward me in an introduction, but he took a careful step in front of me.

“Can’t say I do. She sure is a pretty thing though, isn’t she?” Wes’ mom smiled at me, but I didn’t say anything, just gave a single nod.

I didn’t have many memories of her growing up. Not much more than the few times she would drop Wes off or pick him up. I did remember, though, that every single time she referred to him as boy. Each time I heard it, the word splintered into me and slithered down my spine.

“The prettiest,” Wes said placing his hand on my lower back.

“Don’t be a stranger,” she said and turned away. Wes shook his head and scoffed, guiding me toward the garage from the point where his hand fit perfectly across me. I dug my heels into the pavement and threw my hand up in the air gesturing toward him and his mom.

“What the crap was that?” I squeaked earning myself a small smile from him.

“Not much.” Wes looked over at the trailer and shrugged. “I lived there until I was eighteen. I moved out.”

“But she was so, you two were very, I mean, ugh—” I threw my arms to the side trying to find the right words.

Wes’ hand left my back and grabbed hold of my hand, effectively pulling me along with him. “We’ve never been close, C. I come back only to see Blue,” he whispered into my hair and kissed my temple.

“Well, I’ll be damned. Look at you, boy. Pussy whipped looks good on you.” Blue hacked his way down the steps. “Didn’t wanna ruin that little moment, but I’ve gotta get to the shop. Ya got my shader?”

“Yeah, I got it, Bluebell. Hang on.” Wes jogged back to the car.

“How ya doin’, sweetheart?” Blue tossed his cigarette and scuffed it into the ground.

“Good.” I smiled at him.

“You taking care of Marilyn?” He tossed his chin toward Wes.

“As much as he’ll let me,” I said honestly. I didn’t know if Wes and I were at a point where we could claim one another as someone to take care of, or that we’d ever be there. I did know that I cared for him though, and I always had, and I didn’t doubt that I always would.

“Good.” Blue smiled back at me, and Wes jogged back up.

“Here it is. Thanks for letting me borrow it. I should have a new one by the end of the week.”

“Anytime, Marilyn. You know that. Anytime. In fact, I think I’ve got the one you used to practice on in the garage over there.” He pointed to the carport with a box of cigarettes in his hand. “You find it, you can have it.”