I shook my head, feeling small.
Vic smiled, and the darkness dissipated from his eyes. “Well then, maybe you should decide if you want to find out.”
It was actually perfect timing that Vic asked me when he did. Isn't it great how that works? The first time I'd had off since I started working was the time Vic was going to the cabin. Serendipity and all that jazz. It was a belated Labor Day, or at least that's what Bethany told me. Bethany had been making me work federal holidays and overtime without pay, which I'm 99 percent sure is illegal, so this was her way of getting me off the lawsuit line. She gave me a weekend off. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
I tried to pack light, and failed miserably. I'm a horrible over-packer. It's the anxiety. I can't help but want to pack every single thing. What if there's a hurricane? What if there's a tornado? What if there is light rain? I need to pack for every contingency; if I don't, then I just stress about it for the entire trip. So, for my three-day weekend with Vic, I packed a large suitcase. I could already hear what he was going to say.
“Are you planning on moving in?”
I shook my head, that really sounded like Vic!
“Shit, Lennox, if we were taking a plane we'd have to buy an extra ticket for that bag.”
Wait, that really sounded like Vic.
I turned around, hands on hips. Vic was actually in my apartment, mocking me.
“Hey! I thought we agreed you had to knock before you barged in. You know, in case...” I trailed off weakly.
“In case you're naked?” Vic asked, wiggling his eyebrows.
I folded my arms, frowning. “You're early.”
“And you're not naked,” Vic replied, pretending to pout. Or, at least, I think he was pretending to pout.
“I'm so sorry to disappoint you,” I replied, sarcasm dripping.
Vic winked. “There are ways you can make it up to me.”
I rolled my eyes and finished zipping up my suitcase.
“I'm not carrying that for you.”
I stuck my tongue out at him. “This isn't my first rodeo.”
“Could've fooled me.”
We made it down to the car. Vic wasn't kidding when he said he wasn't going to carry my suitcase. I wasn't kidding either. When you’re a chronic-over-packer, you learn to carry your own shit. My suitcase was cumbersome and very heavy, but I managed it. I did trip over it a few times, but I got it to the car. Vic laughed at me the whole way.
“Shut up!” I snapped, as I shoved the suitcase into his car. Vic drove a black, sporty Subaru SUV. You don't see many Subarus in California. The climate and terrain generally doesn't call for the type. I love them though. They're so much fun to drive in the snow and across rough terrain. It made me wonder where Vic drives that he needed one.
“Hey, watch it, it's not my baby's fault you're crazy,” Vic said. I raised my eyebrow at him. His baby? “My car,” He explained, touching the exterior of his car tenderly.
Of course. His “baby” is his car. For emphasis, I shoved my suitcase even harder into the trunk. Vic gave an exaggerated gasp.
I shut the trunk, and climbed into the passenger seat. “Your cabin is an hour away?”
“Sick of me already?” Vic replied, turning on the car.
I nodded. “It's a possibility.”
“I'll just have to change that,” Vic murmured.
For the first half hour, Vic and I listened to the new Arctic Monkey's album. It's one of my favorites, so I zoned out, watching the scenery change at a rapid pace against the window. When I got bored looking out of the window, I tried to convince Vic to play a game with me.
“What kind of game?” Vic asked suspiciously.
“A spelling game,” I replied. Nothing too serious like the Never Have I Ever game with Lissie. This was an easy game. One person starts by saying a letter, and each person takes turns adding another letter to spell a word. It keeps going until one person gets stumped. I love it.