Ozzie
Pull out. Put the car in reverse, turn around, and go back to Cherry Falls. I tell myself this over and over. I back up and am about to turn around, but instead I turn back into the spot. I can’t leave her, not with some man waiting for her on the porch. Even if she says he is harmless, I’m not going to take that chance. I get out of the car and stride over to the porch where Ginger is standing on the bottom step of the porch and her ex is at the top.
She looks at me in surprise, and I reach a hand out to her. “I changed my mind. I would like to come in.”
She doesn’t even hesitate. She grabs my hand and pulls me up the porch. “I’m sorry, Greg, that you stopped by uninvited. But as you can see, I already have plans tonight.”
I give him a death look that tells him he’s encroaching on my territory. It’s supposed to be for show, but I swear I can feel it all the way to my toes. It’s like I’m daring this man I just met to look at Ginger again. By the way he’s looking at me and stumbling down the steps, he gets my drift.
Ginger pulls me inside and slams the door behind us. “Oh my gosh, I think you did it. I doubt he’ll come around anymore.” She nudges me in the waist with her elbow. “I owe you one.”
She acts as if I hung the moon for running off her ex-boyfriend, but I did it partly for me. I couldn’t let myself drive away. There’s no way I could have just driven off and gone back to Cherry Falls wondering all night what was happening with Ginger, the flirty woman that seems to have already infiltrated all my thoughts.
I look around her small and cozy cabin and then at her smiling up at me. I know I need to get out of here. Ginger is way too tempting, and I’m a weak man. At least, I’m finding when it comes to her I am.
I hear Greg pulling out of the driveway. “I have to go.”
She looks startled but recovers quickly, looking at me, and I know she can read the look on my face by the way she’s smiling at me. She crosses her arms over her chest, the little bandage on her finger still secure there. “Were you jealous, Oz?”
I put my hand on the door as if doing so is going to keep me steady and on my feet. She probably thinks I’m some kind of caveman, a territorial he-man or something. And usually I’m not... at least I never have been before. But there’s something about her that brings it out of me.
“I couldn’t leave without knowing you were okay. But you’re okay now, so I need to go.”
She just sways back and forth on the balls of her feet. “Okay. Thanks for coming in. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I wave and walk out the door. I don’t even question her comment about seeing me tomorrow. I’m sure she’ll sleep on it tonight and figure out it’s in her best interest to stay far away from me.
I get into my car, and she’s standing on the porch, her arms resting on the railing staring at me. I give her another wave and pull out. The whole way back to Cherry Falls I have to tell myself it’s for the best and talk myself out of turning around.
5
Ginger
I spent the morning at the produce stand with my sister. Of course, Honey interrogated me on everything about last night after she saw my tattoo. I haven’t been able to stop looking at my finger. It’s like my own personal reminder of my time with Ozzie. I don’t know what it is about him that made me react to him the way I did, but it’s all consuming. I want to hug him, kiss him, and even the need to protect him is there too. He seemed upset talking about being in prison before, but it’s obvious there is a story there. I know when he said it, the way he said it, I probably should have just walked out then. Forgot the tattoo and never looked back. But there’s something in his eyes. He may be guilty of whatever he went to prison for, but to me, it looks like he’s tortured himself, possibly punishing himself more than he should have. I don’t know, but it’s a feeling I have that he really wasn’t to blame for whatever. Maybe it’s because I’m so attracted to him and it makes everything all fuzzy and I can’t look at it rationally, but I know that I need to at least get to know him better. I’ve never felt this way about a man. Yeah, I flirt a lot, I’ve had lots of boyfriends, but Ozzie would be different. I just know it.