On the Track of Loss (Jason Peirce Series #2) Page 3

  Chapter Three

  It had to have been eight in the morning when my Dad was pulling my blanket off of me. "Come on Jason. Get up, we're going down the street to help our new neighbors with some heavy lifting." I groaned and pulled a pillow over my head, which was then tugged away and all of a sudden I found myself on my feet. How he did that I never found out, but it certainly got my attention.

  "And when did I get volunteered for moving duty?" I stretched and started moving, getting a pair of jeans out of my dresser and an old T-shirt from the closet.

  "Last night when I was getting back from dropping Wendy off at home. Wait till you see the car their daughter drives. It's tiny."

  He walked out of my room as I started changing. A few minutes later we were walking toward the moving truck. "I saw the car last night. I went for a run while you were out."

  As we approached the house, we were greeted by a man in his late thirties or early forties.

  "Hello again Edward, as promised, we're here to help." My dad shook his hand and gestured to me. "This is my son, Jason. Jason, this is Edward Shelton."

  "Nice to meet you, sir." I said as we too shook hands.

  "You look to be about my daughter's age Jason. Seventeen? Eighteen?"

  "Seventeen. I'm a junior at Rim of the World."

  "Oh yes, the high school. Carolyn will be enrolling there on Monday. Is it a good school?"

  "The best school in the county," My Dad cut in, "and one of only two on the mountain."

  We started into the trailer and got a glimpse of our project. There was an upright piano, a sofa set, table and chairs, and kitchen appliances. The hardest part would be the piano.

  "Okay, Jason, lets tackle the sofas first." Dad talked as if we had a choice. The sofas were in front of everything else.

  "Sure."

  Mr. Shelton led us into the mostly empty house and had us set the sofa against a wall, out of the way. Then we were introduced to the other two thirds of the family. Cynthia Shelton was a beautiful woman. Slightly shorter than her daughter, with long silvery hair and light green eyes.

  Carolyn was sitting at the counter with a bowl of cereal when we set the sofa down. She looked to be waking up still. She was dressed in pajama bottoms and a T-shirt with some band's picture on the front of it. Our eyes met and she grinned a bit as I looked away quickly. She obviously recognized me. Her mother approached to shake our hands and thank us for the help. She and Carolyn went back to eating before getting ready for more work.

  Dad started out the door to bring in more stuff while I just stood there. I wanted so bad to say something, to talk with this strikingly beautiful girl. I felt my mouth open, and the start of a word escaped my lips when I realized just what I was thinking. I would like to have found myself on a date with Carolyn. But I was dating Wendy. Could I be that much of a jerk?

  I pushed the thought from my head and turned to help my dad. The next hour was strenuous, and I kept my mouth shut unless I was asked a question. I replied quickly and continued working. When all of the heavy furniture and appliances were in the house and situated to Mr. and Mrs. Shelton's liking, I tried to excuse myself to get back home. Then my dad volunteered me again. This time to give Carolyn a tour of the mountain. The places where kids hang out, and where to get a decent lunch for a few dollars.

  "Yeah, I'm showing our new neighbor around. So I'll see you at school on Mond- Tuesday. I'll be down the hill Monday. Okay, talk to ya later." I pressed the "End Call" button on my phone as I stepped out of my Crown Victoria, back at the neighbor's house. I had made plans to hang out with my best friend, Jeff. Plans that were rendered obsolete by my Dad. The front door opened as I approached and Carolyn stepped out in a royal blue polo and dark blue jeans. I found myself gawking a few seconds later as she brushed by heading to my car. How could someone look so good in such concealing clothes? It was at that point that I realized it would be a difficult day.

  When I got control of my limbs again, I walked back to the car and we drove off.

  "Where are we going first?" She asked while checking her make-up in the visor mirror. When she flipped it closed and looked over at me I answered.

  "I ah... I was thinking I'd show you the main shops in Crestline first, then the Arrowhead Village." Carolyn leaned back in her seat and put her sunglasses on.

  "Sounds like a plan. So Jason, tell me a bit about yourself." I couldn't understand why I couldn't get comfortable, she seemed as comfortable as can be. But if I really thought about it, it had to do with my conflicting feelings. But how could that be? I hardly knew this girl and yet I was thinking that I had feelings for her. At that point all I knew was that she was beautiful.

  As I started driving I let myself open up a bit. I told her where I came from, where my dad came from. I didn't tell her about my mom, it just felt too soon. When we found ourselves next to Lake Gregory, Carolyn was talking a bit about herself.

  "So, I know you saw my Smart Car. What did you think? I just got it. My parents took me to England a few years ago, and that's where we first saw them. I absolutely adored them, they're just so… cute."

  "Well… I did see you drive it out of the truck, and I remember thinking, 'wow, that's tiny,' and then you got out of the car, and I think you know the rest." I felt my face growing red as I recalled my sudden fall when Carolyn had caught me staring at her the night before.

  "Oh, was that you? Do you trip often?" She started laughing at me as I pulled into the parking lot of the Oak Trunk. It wasn't a mean laugh, more like she was teasing me, like a friend might do.

  "Alright, changing subjects now. This is the Oak Trunk, it's mostly an arts and crafts store, but they have killer jaw breakers if you ever find yourself craving sugar. The Post Office is right next door, and the hardware store is just across the street." I had stopped to point out each store, and seeing that she nodded understanding where I was saying each store was, I pulled out to continue the tour.

  "Okay, how about groceries, and gas?"

  "Both are just down the street by the lake, I'll show you those now." We passed a McDonald's, then the Goodwin's grocery store and 7/11 gas station at the same corner as the lake. We turned up Lake Gregory Drive towards Rim of The World Highway. When we got there I made a small detour away from the Arrowhead Village to show her the Cliffhanger Cafe. "It used to be a full restaurant, and then it was a fake hotel for a while when they filmed a movie up here. Now the owner lives above the cafe and keeps it as a local getaway. It's a nice place to just relax." I pulled into a turnout and let cars pass by so I could turn around. We continued up the mountain, passing Rim of the World High School. I drove through the main drag of Blue Jay and showed Carolyn the small theater before turning around and taking the long way to The Village. I could have cut through the side streets and got there much faster, but I figured Carolyn would need to know the basic routes first.

  "Any fun shops here?" We were walking through the parking lot in front of the villages large, round Mexican restaurant.

  "Well, in the upper village," I gestured to our left and up, "there is a pizza place with a little arcade. It's okay, but definitely not the best. There is a small park up ahead, and some go carts too. The toy shop right in the middle is pretty cool. Depends on what you like, I guess."

  We walked through the village for a while and had lunch at the McDonald's. Then it was time to head home.

  "Today was fun. Thanks for the tour, Jason. Sorry I intruded on your plans, though." She got out of the car and leaned against the door, looking through the open window. "I'd like to hang out some more sometime. What are you doing tomorrow?"

  "Oh... Tomorrow I'll be doing basically the same thing we did... Just with my girlfriend." Was it just me? Or did Carolyn's mood seem to drop a bit? I must have been imagining it.

  "So, you aren't single then?" She didn't sound put off or anything, so I shook my head. "Well, let me know if that changes. Okay?" With that, she spun around and walk into her house.