Free 186 Miles by Nicole Hildreth Page A

full days.  We
were around each other nonstop.  I was thankful that we both went back to work
tomorrow.  We would be in a routine.  We wouldn’t see each other during the
day.  I worked north, he worked downtown.  A thirty minute drive.  There would
be no lunches spent together.
     
    She
pulled into my drive and put the car in park.  Oh no, this wasn’t over.  
She turned to me.   
     
    “Rachel. 
All jokes aside… this is good .  You need to get your mind off of things.” 
She paused.  “So what if Vince isn’t the love of your life?  You had that.  If this is a distraction to help you, see where it goes.  You don’t have
to marry the guy.  Just … be happy.”
     
    She
smiled at me.  I looked at my lap.  “Okay.”  I pulled the door handle.  “See
you tomorrow at work.  Thanks for driving today.”
     
    “Love
you, bunny.”
     
    “Love
you too.”
     
    *
     
    Vince
was watching television when I cracked the door.  He clicked the remote and
turned it off.  “You need help?”
     
    “I’m
good.  I don’t have that much.”
     
    “Victoria’s
Secret?”
     
    “Yeah,
Lauren made me buy all of this stuff.”  My voice trailed off.  “Perfume and
other stuff.”  I said “stuff” again.  What was wrong with me?  Why couldn’t
I just tell him that I bought slut wear to tempt him with?
     
    “She made you?”  He was smiling at me now.
     
    I
groaned aloud.  “Whatever.  It’s just underwear.  No big deal.”
     
    “Oooh,
let’s see.”  He clapped his hands together.  “Fashion show?”
     
    “No.” 
I turned to the stairs and started up them.
     
    “Don’t
you even want to know how the clinic went?”
     
    Oh
crap.   I had
forgotten about that.
     
    “Oh
yeah, how did that go?” 
     
    “Got
a full screen for everything.  I wasn’t sure what all you wanted me to get, so…
anyway, the HIV test is negative.  They told me while I was there.  The rest of
the stuff takes about 48 hours.  Someone should call me by Tuesday.”
     
    God,
were we talking about this?  
It seemed so intimate.
     
    “Oh,
good.”  What else was I supposed to say?  Great, now we can do it like
bunnies?
     
    “So,
we wait until Tuesday and then I take you out to celebrate.”
     
    “What
are we celebrating?”
     
    “It’s
a sex-a-bration.”  He grinned, proud of his cleverness.
     
    “You’re
an idiot.” 
     
    “Yep,
but you love me.”
     
    “Nope.” 
I started to climb up the stairs.
     
    “Yes,
you do-ooh,” he said in a sing-song voice.
     
    *
     
    On
Monday, Vince left for his new job.  He was so cute; I think he was actually
nervous.  He changed clothes three times.
     
    It
was really hot that morning, so he ended up in a white Distillers t-shirt and dark,
cuffed jeans, but they were both fitted and nice.  Plus, he worked in a
recording studio.  I don’t think they had much of a dress code.
     
    The
morning routine was easy.  Comfortable, even.  It reminded me of my work
mornings with Ryan.  Vince got up, showered and made coffee.  When I came
downstairs, he poured me a cup.  I took it and went back to my room, commencing
with my morning ritual.  Shower, hair, makeup, dress. 
     
    He
caught me staring into my closet and gave his opinion.  “You should wear that
pink one with the white flowers.  You know… the one you wore to my party.”
     
    I
couldn’t believe that he remembered what I wore to a party that was over two
months ago.  It was a little dressier than what I normally wore to work, but I
paired it with a cream vintage cardigan and ballet flats to make it a little
more casual.
     
    He
had a bit more of a commute than I did, so he left a few minutes before me.  I
could tell he wanted to kiss me goodbye.
     
    Although
he had slept in my room again on Sunday night, he hadn’t kissed me.  I could
tell that he was hesitant.  He wanted me to have space if I needed it.  I
wondered if he lay in bed like I did, feeling