The summer flew by.
Blake spoke to Ty and Jack again. He and Knox had traded emails. And in the time it took to defrag a hard drive, September was here.
He felt a knot in his stomach all morning as he heaved some more t-shirts and toiletries into his duffle bag. Next, he fished out his climbing gear—gloves, slippers, and canteen—from the back of his closet. His flight to Denver would depart at noon. His friend, Damen, would drive him to O’Hare.
He zipped his bag and dropped it at the front door. He checked his laptop case—tablet, computer, charger, mouse, files, phone charger, pens, and highlighters.
He sucked in a deep breath. Why was he so jacked up? He shouldn’t give one shit about going to Fort Collins. His grandma needed him, so there was no question—he would go. So why the hell did Charlie invade his thoughts now more than ever?
Over the past few years, she’d popped into his mind now and again. Nothing serious. Flashbacks of holding her close after sex—her smell intoxicating. Random women would cross his path and remind him of Charlie—the way a svelte brunette sashayed her hips, a woman at the deli who ordered a turkey-cheese sandwich with sliced gherkins inside, or the sweet citrusy scent of a woman’s fragrance. And when she occupied his dreams, he’d wake up hard with her on his mind.
Nothing really noteworthy. He was so fucking over her, it wasn’t even funny.
A knock came from his door. Damen. No turning back now.
When he arrived at the car rental company at Denver International, he decided to upgrade to an SUV. He’d much rather tool around the mountains in an SUV than a practical sedan. Driving off the lot, he lowered the car window and let the fresh air in.
He inhaled the fresh mountain air and smiled. His first smile in a while.
Seeing the mountains in the distance got Blake’s heart revving for rock climbing.
Climbing had been Blake’s love since his diaper days. His dad would take him to spots near Lace, starting with small hills. As he grew, he and his dad would conquer bigger hills and boulders, working their way up to climbing the mountains. By his teen years, Blake would venture out on his own, and life was good.
Not much rock climbing in Illinois. He grimaced.
After an hour on the road, he pulled into the drive at Rosie’s house. Jack hadn’t lied. The place needed some repairs. Bushes were overgrown, window screens had tears, and flowerbeds were filled with weeds.
“Blake!” his grandma called from the front porch. “How are you? I’ve missed you.”
Blake dropped his duffle bag and swung his arms around the five-one, little dynamo of a grandmother and lifted her off her feet.
“Hi, Grandma.” He kissed her cheek. “How are you feeling? I’ve missed you, too.”
She patted his cheek as he set her down.
“My, how handsome you are.” Then, she flapped her hand at him. “Come. Get your things. Let’s go inside. I want to hear everything.”
Blake hid his smile. He had nothing to tell.
Blake followed his grandmother inside and set his bag down at the foot of the steps.
“Grandma,” he started, “you look good. How are you feeling?”
“Dear, I’m feeling pretty good.” She took a seat at the kitchen table, and he joined her. “Of course, I have medicine to take now until the day I die.” She rolled her eyes. “And I need to make some minor changes to my routine.”
“What kind of changes?” He frowned.
“Well, I need to cut out a lot of red meat and eat more fish. I have supplements that my doctor wants me to take, and I walk several times a week.”
“Grandma, you were always pretty active.” Plus, she was fun and feisty, always seeing the good in everyone.
She smiled. “Yes, but even I’ve slowed down the last few years.”
He nodded.
“I also need to eat less salt and sugar. Not having salt isn’t so bad, but you know how I love my desserts.” She grinned.
“Yes, I do.” Blake recalled times when she’d give him and his cousins popsicles during the summer. They’d eat them outside and Grandma always had at least one, too.
She reached forward and stroked the back of his hand. “You know sweetie, I don’t mind the changes. Life has been good to me. If I can get a few more years, that’s all I can ask. Your grandfather will have to wait.” She chuckled at her own joke.
He smiled, thankful she had survived the heart attack and could sit there with him now, laughing and joking.
“So, you have turned into an exceptional businessman, Blake. I am so proud of you. How is your company?” Her eyes twinkled.
“It’s good. The business is growing. I’d like to get it to the point where I can sell it like last time. We’ll see.” He lifted a shoulder.
“Is it okay for you to be away this long?”
“Sure. I brought my computer. I can work from here.” He would never tell her how hard it was to leave.
“Terrific. I’ll bet you’re excited to see your old friends again. You don’t have to be with me all the time, you know. I want you to make plans, go out, have some fun. Okay?”
“I will, Grandma.”
Seeing friends from college. Yes, that would be a good thing. He was anxious to do some rock climbing, too. Those are the things he’d focus on because just being back in Colorado set his nerves on edge.
His skin prickled thinking about his old girlfriend and knowing how close in proximity they were now.
Charlie had been the love of his life. His one and only love. They’d met their senior year at Colorado State, and the chemistry had been instantaneous. That quickly grew to love. He’d envisioned a future with her. Then she’d cheated and brought everything to a screeching halt.
Get in, get out. Get in, get out.