G is for Gerry (Men of ALPHAbet Mountain)

Dee snickered under her breath, but I pretended not to hear it as I followed her.

We went around the house, and I caught sight of Gerry just as the sun faded behind the mountain, giving the sky a wonderful purple color. Hobbling over to where a bunch of chairs had been set up, I sat down in one, and Dee went ahead a little to a cooler nearby. She came back with a wine cooler and a soda and held them both up to me.

“I’ll take the Coke, thanks,” I said.

Dee shrugged and handed it over, cracking open the wine cooler for herself.

“You good here?” she asked. “I want to go say hey to one of the girls.”

“I’m good.” My gaze floated over to where Gerry was helping carry a massive tree limb. When I looked back to Dee, she was watching him too.

“I bet you are,” she teased. “See you in a few.”

As Dee wandered away, Gerry’s eyes caught mine, and he smiled brightly. Once the limb was laid on the bonfire, he walked over and grabbed a beer from the cooler and sat down in one of the chairs beside me.

“Hey there,” he said. “How goes it?”

“It goes well,” I said. “Those are some big tree limbs you were carrying.”

“Might as well have chopped the whole tree,” he said, laughing. “All the boys like showing off and grabbing bigger and bigger limbs. I happened to get lucky with that one.”

“Impressive at any rate. I’d help, but…”

He laughed.

“You have a wonderful sense of humor,” he said.

“I have to,” I said. “Still getting used to all this.”

A couple of small children ran by, screaming like heathens, before being shooed away by Finn. He was manning a grill nearby and took the opportunity to tell Olly and his new friends to avoid running near the fire or the grills.

“Well, how is that coming?” he asked. “If you don’t mind.”

“I don’t actually,” I said. “I’m trying to be more open about it. A lot of people, myself included, get really self-conscious about it. Like it makes us less pretty or undesirable.”

“I can understand that,” he said, his eyes boring into mine, “but I hope you know you have nothing to worry about in that regard.”

I couldn’t help the big smile that crept across my face.

“Thank you,” I said. “That’s very sweet.”

“It’s the truth,” he said. “Though, I don’t want to creep you out or anything. I don’t want to come off as a sketchy old man.”

“Not at all. You’re not that old. You’re what? Thirty? That’s so young still.”

“Thirty-one,” he said.

“Oh, well, you know, that one year, that kills it,” I laughed.

He laughed too and scooted his chair a little closer.

“Well, if you don’t mind,” he said, “then I don’t mind telling you that you are by far the most beautiful woman here. I was struck by that when I first saw you.”

“I think I also struck you with my crutch,” I joked. He laughed. “But thank you. That means a lot.”

“I don’t want to sound presumptuous or like I am saying you can’t, but would you like me to get you something from the grill when they are done cooking? Finn said it would only be a few more minutes,” he said.

I appreciated that gesture. He was acknowledging that I might want to do it myself, that I might be sensitive about people doing things for me. Which, to be honest, I kind of was, but something about the way he asked, the way he offered, there was no pity or sense of duty to a person with a disability. He just seemed like he wanted to help me get a plate because he was being a gentleman.

“That would be nice,” I said. “Whatever Finn makes I think I’m good with.”

He laughed.

“I am the same way. He is my best friend here, aside from Wendy. I will let that man make me any food he wants and happily eat it,” he said. “Hold on, it looks like a queue is forming. I will return. Is there anything specific you would like?”

I shook my head, and he smiled, standing. As he walked away, I felt my heart thud in my chest. He was tall and well-built and sexy as all hell, but he was also so tender. He had that manly sense to him, the kind of guy that would build a barn in his backyard just for the fun of it, but he also had a softness to him that seemed reserved for me. Plus, his accent and formal way of speaking were charming.

It made my knees weak.

I giggled at myself for my own joke, and when he came back, we sidled up closer together as we ate. Time passed, and the purple sky gave way to black night and stars. The fire roared and provided warmth as well as light, and while my sister had disappeared into the crowd of people, I never felt alone. Gerry stayed right by my side, flirting and talking with me the entire night.