Page 61 of Escape
“Oh, I’m so embarrassed,” I whispered, feeling the heat of my embarrassment creep over my skin.
Huck took me by the hand, easing me down the remaining stairs, and said, “Come on. I’ll get dinner put in the oven.”
My body came to an abrupt halt. “What?”
“Are you okay?”
“Did you just say you’ll get dinner put in the oven?” I asked him.
Huck’s brows pulled together, curiosity washing over him. “Yes. I didn’t put it in sooner, because I didn’t know how long you’d be asleep. I figured I’d wait until you were awake to do that, so we could eat it hot together. It should only need about twenty-five minutes. But since I know you’re so hungry, we can start with the salads now. Will that work?”
I didn’t know what to do.
When Huck had offered to wash my hair and help me get dressed, I had assumed that was going to be the extent of his compassion. I didn’t realize it was possible for him to do anything else beyond that to have me struggling to catch my breath.
Tears welled in my eyes as I stared into his handsome face.
Huck took two steps back in my direction, and when he was mere inches away, he spoke. His voice was so soft and filled with concern. “Josie, what’s wrong?”
A tear rolled down my cheek, Huck’s eyes watching it go. That was the moment I was sure I’d witnessed his heart breaking.
“You made dinner,” I rasped.
“Yes. I prepared some chicken, potatoes, broccoli, and salad. Why are you upset?”
I shook my head slowly. “I’m not upset, Huck. I’m… I’m… nobody has ever made dinner for me.”
Huck looked disappointed for a few seconds before determination washed over him. He placed his hand on the side of my face, cupped my cheek, and stroked his thumb over the wet trail left behind by my tear. “Well, I’m sorry to hear that, but I’m glad I could be the first to do it for you. Will you join me?”
My eyes searched his face for an answer to the question in my head. How had everything in my life been so awful, so horrific, except for him? How was it possible I’d gotten so lucky to have Huck in my life? I didn’t find any answers lingering in his gaze, so I decided it was best to respond to his question. “Yes. Yes, I’d love to have dinner with you.”
Without delay, Huck led me out to the kitchen, where he popped the baking dish into the preheated oven, dressed the salad, and urged me toward the table, so we could sit down to start eating while we waited for the rest of the food.
We both took a few bites in silence before I said, “I can’t believe I’m here.”
“What do you mean?”
“That’s a good question. I guess I’m technically referring to me being here in your home, but mostly, I think I’m in shock that I’m sitting across from you, about to have dinner with you after all these years.”
He pressed his lips together, and it quickly became clear it wasn’t because he wanted to stop himself from smiling. Something else had taken over.
“It’s been far too many years, Josie. I hate to think how much time I wasted, and I wish I would have set out to locate you instead of stumbling upon you in a diner a few weeks ago,” he shared.
I hated that he seemed to be carrying this guilt around, and I thought I could find a way to alleviate it by pointing out the positive. “While I can’t say I wouldn’t have loved to have you back in my life sooner, I have to admit that it was a wonderful surprise when you came into the diner that day.”
Instantly, Huck’s features softened, and a smile formed on his face. “I was just as stunned to find you there. It was the best surprise I’ve had in a very long time.”
This was what I wanted. I understood Huck’s frustration about everything—it was just the kind of guy he was. But the last thing I wanted was for him to dwell on the things we couldn’t change.
“I’m so happy to hear that, Huck. It really means the world to me,” I told him. “But do you think it’s sad that I didn’t know how much I missed you until I saw you again?”
He tipped his head to the side, chewing a bite of his salad, and studied me. “It’s been a long time. And you’ve been going through some trying times. I would have been surprised if you told me you hadn’t forgotten about me.”
My lips parted in shock. “I didn’t forget about you, Huck. God, that would be impossible.”
“Pardon?”
I hadn’t gone into this conversation with the intention of telling him this, but after hearing him say what he’d just said, I couldn’t hold back. “I often thought about you over the years,” I revealed. “You were the only person who ever went above and beyond to look out for me and treat me well. I don’t know if you realize the impact you had on my life, Huck, but it was monumental. I’ve spent years hoping I’d experience that level of kindness and compassion, and I never got it. And after a while, I guess I thought I remembered it wrong. Until I saw you in the diner a couple weeks ago. That’s when I realized just how much I needed you back in my life. Nothing felt as good as seeing you again did, and I can’t explain the way it made me feel. All this time, I thought I was searching for the thing that you gave me when we were in high school, and the truth was that it was only you who could make me feel it again.”