Leave Me Breathless

I eye the stepladder suspiciously. ‘You’ve been up and down this thing without any help?’ I ask, not liking the thought of that at all.

‘Well, yeah.’

‘Hannah,’ I admonish her, annoyed, carrying the ladder to the pub and setting it down below the sign, giving it a little shake to check it’s level and stable. ‘Pass it here, I’ll do it.’ I take the first step and hold my hand out for the end of the bunting. ‘Just tell me where to stick it?’

Her eyes expand. ‘Stick what?’

Naturally, my eyes drop to my groin on a laugh. She needs to stop that nonsense right now. I will not be held accountable if this bunting doesn’t make it onto the side of the town pub. I thrust my hand forward. ‘Give.’

On a demure smile, she passes the goods and feeds the length through her hand as I climb the stepladder, having to go to the last but one step in order to reach the sign. I look down. ‘You stood on the very top of this thing, didn’t you?’ I ask accusingly. She’s nearly a foot shorter than me. Needs at least another step or two.

She doesn’t answer, just pouts her guilt, and I shake my head, annoyed, as I fix the end to the edge of the sign. I make my way down and pick up the ladder, claiming Hannah with my spare hand and taking us across the road as she lets the bunting unravel behind us.

‘Hey, Ryan,’ Molly calls from her own ladder outside the post office. Seriously, has no one any care for health and safety around here?

I stop and set the ladder down, making my way over. ‘Get down,’ I order, taking hold of both sides to keep it steady. I watch as she throws Hannah a look, like should she listen? Hannah nods, and Molly starts shifting on the ladder to find the right angle to descend. As soon as she’s down, I claim the bunting she was struggling to fix and climb the steps, reaching and attaching it easily. ‘Is that it?’ I ask, looking down at her.

‘That’s it,’ Molly chirps, making her way over to Hannah and whispering something in her ear. What? I don’t know, but Hannah gives Molly a sharp jab with her elbow and Molly laughs. I descend and eye them both suspiciously as I claim the ladder and carry on to Mr Chaps. ‘What are you two smirking at?’ I ask, slamming the ladder down on the pavement.

‘Nothing,’ Molly sings, walking off to the crowd of kids who are decorating the ice cream stand. ‘Mr Ryan all-hot- and-outdoorsy-and-without-doubt-an-incredible-lay,’ she calls back.

Hannah spins toward her friend. ‘Molly!’

She turns and starts walking backward, looking all innocent. ‘What?’

‘Yeah, what?’ I ask as I climb and fix the final piece, my grin private.

‘Nothing,’ Hannah says, tossing a warning look Molly’s way before meeting me at the bottom of the ladder. ‘Okay, now we have to decorate the stage, then set up the pie stand, and last but not least make the toffee apples.’

My mouth falls open. ‘What?’

‘I’m kidding.’ She takes my arm and lifts it, moving into my side and settling it across her shoulder. She looks up at me. ‘Thank you for your help.’

‘I hardly did a thing.’ I push my mouth into her hair and start walking us back to my truck. ‘And it was mostly for selfish reasons.’ I open the passenger door. ‘I want you to myself tonight so I can put right whatever went wrong last night.’

She pushes back a strand of hair, thoughtful while she does. ‘I’d like that,’ she says, climbing into my truck. I shut the door and get in the other side, settling my hand straight on her knee and squeezing. I realize now that things didn’t really go wrong. Hannah wanted to stay at home because she had somewhere she wanted to be early this morning. But of course, I’m not supposed to know that. And really, I’m not just going to put things right. I’m going to put things straight. I hope she’s ready.

The journey is quiet, but this time it’s not uncomfortable. I often wonder what she’s thinking, and I know she’s wondering the same about me. Is she even close? Has it crossed her mind? I pull to a stop and brace my arms against the wheel for a few moments before breathing in and letting myself out. I feel her eyes follow me around the front of the truck until I’m at her door. I open it and extend my hand.

She leaves me hanging for a few beats before she takes it, slipping down and moving aside for me to close the door. I start walking, and Hannah lets our arms reach full length before she starts to follow. ‘Where are we going?’ she asks, looking back at the cabin.