Entry for Home Sweet Home Contest

Title: Unfinished Business

Characters: Sookie, Eric and others

Word count: 11,808

Pen name: pfloogs72

Beta: Miss Construed

Disclaimer: Of course thsee characters all belong to Charlaine Harris. I only wish they were my creation!

a/n Graydon, Kansas doesn't actually exist - it's an amalgamation of the town my grandparents grew up in and another town in SE Kansas where I spent a bit of time visiting in college.

"Sookie," my mother's voice broke the stubborn silence that had filled the car since mile marker five. I kept my eyes trained on the fields that seemingly spread to the horizon. The endless stretches of crops were broken only by the occasional huddle of trees, a weathered farmhouse or a grain silo.

"Sookie!" My sullen attitude had finally broken my mother's patience. I winced slightly at her sharp tone and turned to look at her profile. "This summer visit is very important to your grandmother."

I sighed heavily and looked back out the window. "I know. It's just…"

"Your friends will still be in Kansas City when you get back. Two and a half months without Amelia and Tara won't kill you."

I sighed again and crossed my arms over my chest. I loved my Gran to pieces, but two and a half months seemed like an eternity when you were seventeen, especially when those two and a half months were spent living in a speck of a town in the middle of the prairie.

It really wasn't the prospect of a summer in Graydon that bothered me. It was the thought of missing the summer with my friends - days at the pool, weekends at Amelia's lake house. Tara, Amelia and I had become thick as thieves over the last year, and I figured it would have probably been my best summer on record.

Then there was Sam. Sam and I had been buddies since grade school, but recently it seemed we might be heading toward something more than just friends. I wasn't yet sure that I even wanted anything more than friendship with him, but by the time I returned in August it could be a moot issue. This was high school after all. Absence didn't make the heart grow fonder; it was just an opportunity for somebody else, and I could tell the new girl, Tanya Grissom, was an opportunist.

"Stop focusing on what you'll be missing and start thinking about what you will get to do." Her hand patted my knee reassuringly. "Gran won't be around forever. This time is special. Plus, your cousin Hadley is chomping at the bit to see you. She's got lots of friends in Graydon."

Of course Mom was right; I knew I needed to shift my outlook. Nothing was changing the fact that I was going to spend the summer in Graydon. I could either make myself miserable or try to make the most of my weeks there.

"Sorry I've been such a brat, Mom." Defeat rang through every word that passed my lips. "I'll be….fine."

"I know you will, honey." The turn signal clicked and Mom carefully edged onto the exit ramp for the rural two lane highway that would take us the rest of the way to Gran's. "Your father and I will be back to take you home before you know it."

I managed to suppress the "humph" that was itching to escape and turned my attention back out the window. The geography was changing; flat stretches of earth began to ripple and eventually gave way to the gentle rolling hills of southeastern Kansas. The miles of road between the interstate and Graydon were familiar to me after years of visiting Gran for a few weekends a year or the occasional week during the summer. My trips had become less frequent when I entered high school, but the details were permanently etched in my mind.

The wheat fields on either side of the road entranced me. The grasses undulated in the hot winds and shone golden in the late afternoon sun.

"Wheat's looking good," my mom observed. Both my parents had been raised in Graydon, the children of farmers. Mom looked at the fields and saw a livelihood; I saw a landscape.

"It's pretty," I agreed.

It was my mother's turn to "humph." I knew she loved Graydon, but she'd left as soon as she could, earning an education degree in college and settling permanently in Kansas City. She wasn't the only one who fled to carve out a life elsewhere. Only a handful of her friends had stayed in Graydon. Earning a living from a family farm was an increasingly difficult prospect.

Mom grew up in the heyday of small town life. A drive down Main Street today bore painful evidence of a community in decline. Two more stores had shuttered their windows since our last visit, most likely unable to compete with the Walmart that had opened up two towns away.

After passing through town, we drove another ten minutes down a single lane before turning onto a dusty gravel road. The ditch that ran along either side of the road was choked with weeds and wildflowers. Yellow and white butterflies flitted among the flowers, and I knew from the hours my brother Jason and I had spent exploring these ditches when we were younger that they were crawling with grasshoppers three inches long.

A mailbox that had faded from bright red to a light pink on top listed to the side. 'Stackhouse' had been repainted on the side in Gran's shaky scrawl. My grandfather had died six years earlier and Gran did the best she could to maintain the house, but it was more than she could handle herself. Mom stopped the car so I could collect Saturday's mail before we entered the long driveway. The quick blast of heat that enveloped me when I stepped out of the car reminded me to savor the last few moments of air conditioning.

We bumped carefully down the rutted dirt driveway past an expanse of grass bound on one side by a thick stand of trees that bordered a creek, and pulled underneath one of the shade trees that stood sentry around the modest white house that was showing its age. The heat in the car became stifling the moment mom turned off the engine. She turned to me and smiled.

"You ready, honey?"

I pressed my lips together and nodded. "I am." The sight of that old mailbox made me realize how much I could do to help Gran; things she would probably be too proud to ask anybody else to help her with. Buoyed by virtuous thoughts, I pulled my two bags from the back seat and bumped the door shut with my hip. The sound of the worn metal springs of the screen door creaked from the front of the house before slamming shut. Gran's white hair was tucked into a braided bun and she wore one of her thin cotton housedresses covered in a floral apron.

"Oh, it's so good to see you two!" She rushed down the sidewalk to hug my mom, and then gathered me with fierce strength into the softness of her ample frame. "I'm so happy you'll be with me all summer, Sookie dear."

"Me too, Gran."

"Get inside! Get!" She swung a dishtowel to herd us more effectively. "There's lemonade and ice tea in the fridge and supper will be ready in half an hour."

I could smell Gran's heavenly fried chicken before I crossed the threshold. I'd definitely be getting three square meals a day while I was under her roof. Two hours later I was stuffed to the gills and had finished putting the last of my belongings away in my Aunt Linda's childhood room. I rejoined my mom and Gran in the living room to watch an old rerun of Murder, She Wrote before we all turned in early.

Despite my exhaustion, it took me over an hour to fall asleep as I adjusted to the room. The absolute darkness deprived my sense of sight, but left all the others in a heightened state. The slightly musty floral scent of the house coupled with the nighttime sounds of the country and the oppressive heat would take some getting used to. Eventually the constant hum of the attic fan lulled me to sleep.

"Rise and shine, sleepy head!" Gran crowed from behind the closed door. "We leave for church in an hour."

The morning zoomed by. After a hearty breakfast and a tearful goodbye with Mom, Gran and I were planted on her favorite pew at church. While the rest of the town seemed to be decaying, the little church seemed to be thriving and remained untouched by time. The walnut wooden pews were worn smooth from nearly a hundred years of use, and the smell of lemon polish combined with the yellowed hymnal pages drudged up sense memories from countless Sunday mornings spent here with Gran. Even the minister was the same. William T. Compton, Sr. had addressed the congregation from the same spartan pulpit for as long as I could remember.

A glance around yielded a crop of faces I recognized. I received many friendly smiles and reddened a bit, realizing my appearance in Graydon for the summer was probably considered news. From the corner of my eye, the discreet wave of a hand caught my attention. I flashed a quick polite smile at the familiar face, but groaned internally and turned my attention back to the sermon.

After the closing hymn and the benediction, Gran lead the way as she always did to the meeting room underneath the sanctuary for coffee and lemonade. Progress was slow as Gran stopped to say hello every few feet and reintroduce me for the billionth time to her friends. My cheeks were sore from smiling by the time I had a paper cup of lukewarm lemonade in hand. A tap on the shoulder interrupted my sip.

"Hey, Sookie."

I drew in a deep breath, forced a smile and prepared myself to turn around.

"Hi, Billy." The minister's son had always been friendly to me, more friendly than I'd like.

"Billy!" My Gran gushed. She'd always thought Billy was the cat's pajamas. "You know my Sookie is staying with me for the whole summer, don't you?"

"I'd heard," the corner of his mouth tugged up into a smile and his eyes flitted over to me. I fidgeted and gave an uncomfortable smile in return.

"So," I began, searching for small talk, "How was football this year? It is football you play, right?"

His face beamed with pride and I instantly wished I'd asked about the weather instead. After listening to him carry on about football for a good three minutes, with my Gran interjecting glowing compliments, he was called away by his father to help with some chore.

I clutched the now limp cup of lemonade and slugged back a big gulp, imagining a summer of ice cream socials at the church with Gran playing matchmaker.

Even though it wasn't even ten in the morning, the sun beat down on me relentlessly. Trickles of sweat ran down my neck and my t-shirt was damp. I attacked the weeds with an old trowel, hoping to get through one flowerbed before Gran returned from town with more garden stakes.

"Almost done here, Gran." I called to the heavy footfalls behind me. When she didn't answer I turned around and swallowed a shriek at the male figure looming about ten paces behind me. A rush of adrenaline propelled me to my feet, the trowel still firmly in my grasp. I knew my trowel wouldn't help me much, and I probably wouldn't be able to outrun him to the house.

"Is Mrs. Stackhouse around?" he asked. I relaxed a bit at the fact that the stranger knew Gran and took a closer look at his face. His large frame belied his youth; he was probably my age or maybe just a little bit older. I relaxed a little more and drew the back of my hand that clutched the trowel across my forehead to push the hair out of my eyes and wipe away the drops of sweat.

"She should be back any minute. Can I help you?" I asked. I'm sure Gran would have been appalled by my unfriendly tone.

"Just dropping something off for her." He ran a skeptical eye over me as though he was deciding whether or not I could be trusted. I must have passed the test because he pulled a folded envelope out of his back pocket. Rather than hand it to me though, he drummed the edge of it against his other hand and squinted against the sunshine. "I haven't seen you before. You work for her?"

At this I laughed. "I'm her granddaughter, Sookie. Just visiting for the summer, although I think my visit will entail a lot of work."

He nodded his understanding, but didn't smile. "Can I leave this with you then?"

I let the smile fade from my face to match his neutral expression. "Sure." I took the envelope from his outstretched hand, folded and tucked it in my back pocket, then walked back over to the flowerbed. "I need to get back to work."

"Me too. Maybe I'll see you around."

"Hey, what's your name?" I asked just as he was turning to leave.

He cast a glance back. "Eric. Eric Northman."

"See you around, Eric." I turned back to the work at hand and heard his footsteps retreating, then the sound of an engine turning over. After ripping out a few more weeds I sat back on my heels and rolled his name through my head trying to remember mention of Eric Northman. After visiting for years I thought I was familiar with most people in town, if not by sight, at least by name; but I was certain I'd never heard of him before. I recalled the intense blue eyes framed by a halo of tousled blond hair lightened by days in the sun. I'd definitely never seen him before either. I would have remembered.

When Gran got back I was in the kitchen trying to rehydrate with some iced mint tea.

"I finished weeding that first bed, just taking a break before I start on another."

She passed by and patted my shoulder. "Thank you, dear. Don't overdo it. I'll make an early lunch for us before you head back out."

I jammed my hands in my back pockets and leaned against the counter, watching her bustle around the kitchen. My right fingers slid down the forgotten envelope.

"Oh, this is for you." I held the crumpled envelope out to her.

She eyed it then ripped the end with a paring knife to withdraw a check. After studying it for a second she looked up at me.

"Did Jim Northman bring this by?"

I shook my head. "Eric did."

Her eyes narrowed. "I wish I'd been here when he came. I don't like the thought of you alone with him."

I screwed up my nose and asked her with a smile, "Why?"

She tut-tutted and turned to dig something out of the refrigerator.

"He's new in town, Sookie. There's talk about him. You don't need to get tangled up with the wrong sort." She answered from the depths of the refrigerator.

I didn't want to ask her any more since it clearly agitated her. Better to ferret the information out of Hadley tomorrow night.

"What's the check for?"

"I agreed to lease the land south of the house to the Northmans when they moved here a couple of years ago. Gives me a little income."

"Do they live close?"

"Half mile or so down the road."

Her head poked out from behind the refrigerator door and she studied me with narrowed eyes. "Why?'

"Just curious. I was surprised when I met Eric that I'd never heard his name before."

Gran shrugged her shoulders. "The whole family keeps to themselves."

I couldn't see how Eric could develop a reputation if the family kept to themselves, but I'd learn more tomorrow.

"So?" Hadley asked, her face lit up with excitement. "Are you ready to cruise the Belt?"

I raised a skeptic eyebrow in question. "The Belt?"

Her shoulders sank in feigned resignation. "Sookie! The Belt Highway. You've driven it million times."

"You mean out west of town? Where the car dealership and the Circle K are?"

She nodded her head. "That's where everybody goes on the weekends."

"But what do you do there?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Hang out, drink. See who's around. Just whatever. Kids drive in from the towns close by to cruise the Belt."

I don't know what I expected a night out with Hadley to be, but it wasn't this.

"I'm sure Billy Compton will be there," she said in a singsong voice.

"Why would I care about Billy being there?"

She gave a sharp huff and looked at me incredulously. "Hello! He's totally hot and will probably be captain of the football team next year. I think he's into you too. He asks about you all the time."

I looked out the window in the dark and rolled my eyes. Suddenly I dreaded going out and felt trapped in Hadley's car. I wished I'd insisted on driving Gran's car too.

"Well, you're going to be getting a lot of attention tonight whether you like it or not. Everybody loves fresh blood, you know."

I squirmed in my seat at the thought of being the focus of attention. Hadley was positively gleeful at the prospect of taking me around. She never was one to shy away from attention, and tonight I was apparently her ticket for the spotlight.

All too soon we were pulling into a vacant lot just beyond the reach of the fluorescent lights of the Circle K. About twenty cars were lined up, and kids were gathered in groups that I imagined were divided along the social strata of Graydon. A pick up blared the music of a Wichita radio station throughout the lot. Hadley dragged me by the hand to a small group that immediately engulfed us. I was acquainted with everybody there, but knew some better than others. More people migrated over to us and soon we were the nucleus of a large chattering cell. I glanced over to Hadley who couldn't have been happier.

An arm slung around my shoulder and a can of beer cracked open near my ear. "Here you go, Sookie."

I wasn't a big drinker, but I took the beer thinking it would help me get through the evening. I shimmied out from under Billy's arm and maneuvered to lean against a nearby car a more comfortable distance from him.

"Thanks, Billy." I said and took a sip of the icy beer.

He leaned against the car next to me and I scooted a few inches away from him. Mercifully one of his teammates punched him on the arm and Billy gave chase. Hadley took his place and nudged me in the ribs.

"See? I told you."

I forced a stream of air through my lips and took another sip.

"Wow, I guess everybody's out tonight." Hadley and nodded her head in the direction of a small group of guys on the outskirts of the larger group. At that instant the tallest of the bunch turned his head and caught my eye. My stomach fluttered when I recognized Eric. I quickly looked away and took another sip.

"That's Eric Northman," Hadley whispered in my ear.

"I know. He dropped something off for Gran yesterday."

She raised an eyebrow at me and took a drink of whatever was in the plastic cup clutched in her hand.

"Why the look?" I asked.

"I'll tell you later," she promised.

"Who are those guys with him?"

"I think there names are Clancy and Chow or something like that," she said. "I can't remember where they're from. Not here."

It seemed to me that xenophobia was running rampant in Graydon. Either that or Eric had a nasty habit of eating puppies for breakfast. I glanced back to the trio. Eric was leaning casually against the hood of a beat up old black pick-up truck drinking a beer. His eyes flicked back to me and once again I quickly looked away. My heart pounded at being caught stealing a glance.

My attention was pulled back to Billy who returned to reclaim his spot next to me. Hadley gladly obliged and made space for him. The sound of doors slamming caught my ears and I looked up to see Eric and his friends loading into the pick up. Disappointment crept over me when they pulled out of the lot and he didn't so much as look back once.

"Good riddance," Billy sneered and Hadley giggled. Billy crushed the can in his hand and flung it across the lot. I remained silent but checked my watch and sighed at the long evening ahead.

I turned down Hadley's further invitations to cruise the Belt, but did go with her and some of her girlfriends to the pool a few times, and out to the local equivalent of Dairy Queen. Time with her was much more enjoyable when guys were out of the picture.

I'd fallen into a daily pattern of helping Gran in the garden in the mornings before it got too hot, then working on projects around the house or running errands. In the afternoon we'd start preparing dinner, or I'd do something with Hadley. After dinner we'd settle in for another rerun of Murder, She Wrote, listen to a Royals baseball game on the radio, or we'd read.

On the nights Gran turned in early, I'd drag her cassette radio and an old quilt out to the front lawn to listen to music and look at the night sky. Tonight I was listening to James Taylor and was focused on picking Orion's Belt out from the blazing field of stars in the inky sky.

A twig snapped just a few inches behind me, and the bottom dropped out of my stomach in fear. I jumped to a sitting position and a hand clapped over my mouth to stifle the scream that had started to escape before I recognized my visitor.

"Sweet Jesus, Eric Northman," I whispered in a harsh tone. My heart threatened to beat its way out of my chest and I lay back down and ran my hands through my hair in an attempt to recapture my calm. "You scared the living daylights out of me."

"Shhhh." Eric held his finger to his mouth. "May I?" he pointed to the empty bit of quilt next to me.

My heard pounded nervously. Excitedly. I hesitated for a moment thinking of Gran inside the house and the untold stories Hadley had only hinted at. Then I scooted over to make room. Eric stretched out to full length, legs crossed at the ankles and hands behind his head like a pillow.

We lay side-by-side in the grass; between us sat the awkward silence that accompanies two people with a non-existent comfort level. For those first couple of minutes I didn't hear the crickets, I didn't see the stars; I was only aware of my breathing; Eric's breathing; his insignificant movements; his body in relation to mine. After a while I realized the awkwardness had turned to a comfortable silence.

A bat swooped over us and I couldn't help but let out a strangled shriek of surprise. I looked at him sheepishly and let out a nervous bubble of laugher. I didn't know what he was doing here and I certainly didn't know how to act.

Eric held a finger to his mouth. "If your Gran found me here she'd skin me alive," he whispered.

I laughed softly. "Yours isn't the only hide she'd have."

"If I were Billy Compton…."

"If you were Billy she'd roll out the red carpet for you."

Eric muttered under his breath.

"If you were Billy I would have gone inside two songs ago," I confessed. I looked over and thought I detected a hint of a smile on his face before I turned back to the sky.

Eric pointed to a satellite moving across the sky. I nodded that I saw it too. We watched its progression until it blipped behind a tree, and I screwed up the courage to ask him the question at the forefront of my mind.

"Why are you here?"

I turned my head to look at him and he met my eyes. He seemed to be trying to figure it out himself and he shrugged.

"You're different than the others."

I searched the sky for clues to help me navigate this conversation. "How do you know that?"

I didn't see him do it, but I knew he'd shrugged again. "Just do."

"You don't know me."

"I want to."

I stared at the stars, unsure of what to say or do, and waited cowardly for the moment to pass. It was still hanging in the air like a fog when he reached for my hand. His fingers threaded through mine, thick callouses rough against my skin.

My hand laid limply in his while my heart pounded from the simple touch. I didn't know what I should do, or maybe more accurately, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do.

I didn't have to worry about it much longer. The front porch light flipped on. I pulled my hand back from Eric's as Gran's voice called to me from behind the screen.

"Sookie? You okay?"

"Fine, Gran. I'm coming in."

I whispered. "I gotta go."

"I'll see you later."

I gathered the quilt and radio to my chest and when I was halfway to the house turned around. Eric had disappeared. A wave of dread hit me as I crossed the threshold, afraid that Gran had seen Eric.

"I thought I heard something outside," explained Gran.

I laughed. "That was me. A bat swooped down and scared me. Sorry to wake you up."

"You city girls,"Gran laughed and shook her head. "Scared of a bat."

We turned out the lights and then I kissed her wrinkled cheek before heading to my room. "Good night, Gran."

I replayed the last twenty minutes or so in my mind, remembering the way Eric's rough skin felt against my palm. For a moment I worried about the warnings of Gran and Hadley's gossip. I pushed the troublesome thoughts from my mind and turned on my side, pulling a pillow into a hug against my chest and fell into a deep sleep.

It rained the next night, and Eric didn't show the following. I had stayed out until my eyes were drooping, only to head back to the house feeling a bit crushed and foolish.

On the third night, Gran went to sleep early again, but I opted to read in my room rather than set myself up for more disappointment after two nights of no-shows. I was thoroughly engrossed in a chapter when a scratching sound behind me broke my concentration. A squint toward the window revealed Eric's face. He was scratching the screen with an object I couldn't make out.

"What are you doing?" I whispered.

He held up the object so I could see it was a cassette and without a word vanished from sight. I clicked off the bedside light and threw a bra and shorts on in the dark, then crept down the hallway and grabbed the quilt and radio before easing myself out the front door as quietly as I could.

I could just make out Eric's figure in the darkness where we'd watched the stars a few nights ago. The corner of his mouth twisted into a grin when I was close enough for him to see the quilt and radio in my arms.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Hope I didn't interrupt your book at a good point."

I laughed quietly. "Nah."

He took the quilt from my arms and spread it across the grass.

"Thanks. So…you brought music?" I looked at the cassette in his hand and sat down with my legs crossed in front of me.

"Maybe. This is so old it might crumble to dust in the radio. I dug it out of the basement." He settled next to me on his side, propped himself up with an elbow and fiddled with the radio. The sounds of Van Morrison drifted quietly around us but never loud enough to overpower the night chorus of crickets, bullfrogs and the occasional owl.

I asked him about moving to Graydon and he asked me about life in Kansas City and my summer with Gran.

"You probably know more about this town and the people than I do, even though I've been here two years."

I thought about the attitudes I'd witnessed in Hadley, Billy and even my own Gran. "I don't imagine it's been easy to relocate here."

A bitter laugh escaped his throat. "Has anybody told you anything about me?"

The awkwardness of the situation put me on edge and I didn't know how to answer him. I traced the pattern of the quilt with my index finger and thought about how to proceed. "Not really." I took a deep breath and let it go before continuing. "But they've hinted that there's gossip."

"There was a lot of talk in my last town and it followed me here. I guess we didn't move far enough away."

I swallowed hard. "What's the talk?" I barely got the question out. Immediately I stammered, "I'm sorry, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"I'd rather tell you myself than have you hear it from someone else." He smiled with an expression I couldn't quite read.

"So?" I asked to prompt him. My mind raced with the unsavory possibilities.

I watched him spin a blade of grass between his fingers. His brow furrowed in concentration.

"A girl in my high school got pregnant. Pam's one of my closest friends."

I realized I wasn't breathing. "Did she have the baby?"

He nodded and a smile softened his face. "A little boy named Luke."

"And everybody thinks you're the father."

He nodded again.

"Why didn't you tell them you're not?" As soon as I said it I realized he very well could be the father. I opened my mouth to try to smooth over my words but he stopped me.

"I'm not the father," he said following my thought process.

"Then, why not say something?"

He shook his head. "It would make things even harder on Pam than they already are. The father was an ass...skipped town. If anybody asked me outright I'd probably tell them the truth." He picked another blade of grass and tossed it to the side. "Nobody ever asked."

"Is that why your family moved here?" The timing of their move probably hadn't helped matters.

"No," He shook his head. "My father had an good offer on our land and there was a tract my father wanted here so we moved. I suppose that's one reason I didn't bother setting the record straight."

I nodded my understanding and lay back on the quilt, contemplating what he'd told me. My estimation of him shot through the roof. He rolled on his back and looked at the sky, his hands clasped over his stomach.

A good amount of silence passed before either of us spoke again.

"Are you going to that lake party Saturday night?" I asked, moving onto lighter conversational ground.

He laughed and dropped his head to look at me. "I don't know. You?"

"I was thinking about it. I'm not too keen on cruising the Belt, but this might be better. At least that's what I'm telling myself."

"Same play, different scenery."

I shrugged my shoulders. "You're probably right, but Hadley's been begging me to go." I yawned loudly and realized how tired I was. "I'd better go to sleep."

"I'd walk you to the front porch if I didn't think your Gran might be waiting for me inside with a pitchfork."

I laughed and gathered the quilt and radio. "I think I'll make it to the front porch just fine." I walked a few feet then waved goodbye over my shoulder. "Goodnight." I whispered in the direction of his shadowy figure.

"I'm so glad you're finally coming out with us," Hadley practically shouted over the car stereo as the car tore down the highway toward the lake. We were wedged in the back seat of her friend Caroline's tiny hatchback. I smiled back at her and laughed at the giddy enthusiasm of everybody in the car.

Caroline pulled into an empty space under a tree. By the number of cars already parked, it looked like this was the party of the summer. Caroline popped the trunk and Hadley pulled two packs of some lemonade alcohol drink from beneath a blanket.

"You ladies ready?" Hadley asked with a gleam in her eye.

Caroline and Holly grabbed a four pack of the drinks and forged a path through the woods toward the sounds of the party. Hadley hooked an arm through mine and we followed behind. I wasn't quite prepared for what met us when the path opened onto a clearing at the edge of the lake.

"Wow." I said as I took in the scene in front of me.

There were more even more people that I'd imagined, and a good number of them were on their way to being thoroughly bombed. Couples were sneaking off into the woods to do lord only knows what, and a few people were skinny dipping in the lake.

"You can't say we don't know how to throw a party," said Hadley.

I raised my eyebrows and nodded in agreement. "You can say that again."

She grabbed my sleeve and squealed, then dropped her voice to a whisper as if there was any doubt in my mind why she'd squealed. "There's Hoyt!" Hadley had developed a major league crush on Hoyt Fortenberry over the summer. I knew he was the big reason she'd been so excited about the party. I spotted Hoyt through the crowd and was pleasantly surprised to see him talking to Eric.

Hadley dragged me in Hoyt's direction. Eric looked up and smiled when he caught sight of me, a smile that didn't escape Hadley's attention. She turned to me with a questioning look.

"Why is Eric Northman smiling at you?"

I shrugged. "We're friends."

Any concern Hadley may have had for me melted away as she neared Hoyt. I was relieved to see the interest between Hadley and Hoyt seemed to be mutual. Soon they were in their own little world, leaving me with the chance to talk to Eric.

"Glad you decided to come." I smiled. I was shooting for confidence, but couldn't stop myself from nervously peeling the label off my bottle in shreds.

"You convinced me." He was nothing if not self-assured.

I rolled my eyes. "I didn't do much convincing."

"Okay." He laughed under his breath and looked way. "I guess you just gave me the right incentive."

I hoped my blush was hidden in the darkness. Eric looked around and pulled me out of the way of a guy on the verge of vomiting.

"Don't want you to end up as collateral damage."

"Thanks."

"It's only going to get uglier around here." Eric's face darkened and he looked over my shoulder. "Quickly," he added.

"Hey Sookeh," Billy's voice slurred and he slung his arm over my shoulder. "Is Northman bothering you?" His mouth was only a couple of inches from my face; the alcohol on his breath nearly knocked me over.

I ducked out from underneath his arm. "I'm just fine, Billy."

"Cause all you have to do is say the word. I'll kick his ass."

I gave Eric a half smile. I was sure Eric could handle Billy when he was sober; sauced Billy didn't have a prayer.

"That's not necessary, Billy. Why don't you go back to you friends?" I said with feigned sweetness and gave him a little push in the direction of his teammates then turned back to Eric.

"I don't suppose you'd want to get out of here?" Eric asked.

"I'd love to get out of here. Did you drive?"

He nodded his head and took another sip of beer.

"Let me tell Hadley I'm leaving."

After awkwardly interrupting a serious make out session between Hadley and Hoyt, I was tromping back through the woods with Eric to his truck.

"So, where to now?" Eric asked.

"I don't know. This is your town."

I found myself disappointed when it seemed we were headed back in the direction of Gran's. Eric passed Gran's driveway though, and pulled down the driveway that lead to his house.

"Your house?" I asked, suddenly feeling a little nervous and unsure of the situation.

"I want to show you something, but I'll take you home if you want."

"No, no. Show me."

We drove past the house and continued down the gravel drive to an outbuilding made of corrugated tin. Eric pushed the large sliding door open a couple of feet and clicked on a single bulb that provided just enough illumination to maneuver the space. Two hulking combines and some other farm implements crowded the space. Eric reached down for my hand and led me back through another opening to a smaller room and clicked on another light.

Propped up on a huge jack stand was the skeleton of a classic car.

"Whoa," I said admiring the lines that were still apparent despite the deconstructed state of the car.

"Corvette?" I asked.

"Very good." He sounded impressed that I'd recognized it. "It's a '68. I'm rebuilding it."

"Now that's something." I walked around the car to better appreciate what he was doing. "This is a massive project."

"It's a puzzle. I like the challenge. I do the work on the other machines out there, but the Vette is fun for me."

"How long have you been working on it?"

"Almost two years. It's been good to throw myself into it when I've needed a mental distraction."

"Sounds like good therapy." I peeked under the hood. "So will you study mechanical engineering or something like that in college?"

"I'm not going to college."

"Really?" College of some sort seemed to be a fore gone conclusion for the vast majority of students at my high school.

"My dad needs my help to keep things running around here, and if he didn't, I'd probably enlist before I'd go to college."

"So if you don't enlist do you plan to stay in Graydon long term?"

"Hell no." He directed me back to the door and clicked off the light before we passed through the rest of the building and back out into the night air.

He reached down for my hand and led me down a path worn through a sloping field of waist high grass that ended at a stand of trees. With some trepidation I followed him through the woods, but relaxed when they thinned and revealed a creek on the other side.

We settled in the grass and leaned against a huge fallen log. Even though the sun had set hours earlier, the heat still clung to the air. I pulled at the neck of my shirt to provide a little air circulation and lifted my hair up to fan the back of my neck with my hand.

"Is this the same creek that runs through Gran's property?"

"Yep. But I think it's pretty shallow on her land. It pools here…deep enough to go swimming."

"Really?"

"You wanna swim?"

The idea of cooling off in the water sounded amazing, but I wasn't crazy about the idea of swimming in an unknown pool in the dark. Plus there was the minor detail that I had no suit.

"Yeah, I don't know."

"It's perfectly safe. I swim in here all the time."

"Eric, I don't have a suit!"

"So? Wear nothing. Or swim in your underwear."

"Skinny dipping is out of the question."

"Fine. Then swim in your underwear."

"Eric," I protested.

"What? It's like a bikini."

I thought about the lacy white bra and panties I was wearing. "No," I laughed. "It's really not."

Eric stood and took off his t-shirt. "I wouldn't be able to see anything in the dark anyway, but take this." He tossed me the shirt and before I could protest further his jeans were in a pile next to me and he'd disappeared into a splash. He surfaced and stood on the bottom of the creek bed in chest high water.

"Come on, Sookie Stackhouse. Don't be so uptight," he chided me.

"I'm not uptight. And regardless, I don't know how swimming would…."

"Just get your ass in here." He disappeared under the water again and I took advantage of the moment to bury my nose in his shirt and breathe in his scent. I heard a rustling sound in the grass not far from where I sat and in an instant decided I'd rather be in the dark water with Eric than on the creek bank alone with whatever creatures were lurking. I quickly swapped my shirt with Eric's and shimmied out of my jean shorts, then stepped across the flat rocks in my bare feet.

"Where's it safe to jump?" I asked.

"Right there's good. Feet first."

I hesitated for a moment, but another rustle urged me to jump. My feet hit the squishy silt on the bottom and I immediately pushed myself to the surface and treaded water to avoid putting my feet down. I took a couple of strokes so I was a little closer to Eric, then leaned back a bit to float so I wouldn't wear myself out.

"Water's nice, isn't it?"

I'd been so worried about everything else I hadn't even noticed how perfect the temperature was. "It feels great," I admitted, and then thought of something else. "Are there snakes in here?"

"Only nice ones."

"What?" I practically shrieked.

"Well, there aren't water moccasins in here, anything else is non-poisonous and more afraid of you that you are of them."

I highly doubted he could quantify my fear of snakes.

"Just stay close by, you'll be fine."

It could have been a line, and if so, it was a good one. At the moment I didn't care. When a couple of minutes passed without incident I relaxed until I was fully floating on my back with my arms stretched to the sides. I adjusted my position in the water every once in a while with the flick of my hands or a kick. My thoughts drifted back to our earlier conversation.

"You know, I don't want to tell you your business, but you should check out KU. I bet you'd really like Lawrence." I was pretty sure I'd be going to the University of Kansas. Both of my parents had attended, and so far my school search hadn't yielded anything that seemed to be a better fit for me.

"Lawrence is cool. I've been a few times." Eric floated next to me. I was careful to keep at least one ear out of the water so I could hear him. "I don't know about the expense of everything though."

"There are tons of scholarships available. How's your GPA?"

"Adequate."

Whether real or imagined, I felt something brush against the toes of my right foot and in an instant I was clinging onto Eric piggyback style.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god." My arms wrapped tightly around his neck and I tried to climb higher up him.

Eric pulled my arm to loosen the vice grip on his air passages and tried to stifle a laugh, "What happened?"

My heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest and the adrenaline was coursing through my system. "Something got my toes."

He reached down and squeezed both my feet, running his fingers across my toes. "Seems like all ten are present and accounted for."

I smacked his arm. "Something over there touched my toes." I tried to relay the seriousness in my voice.

"It was probably just a fish or something else equally harmless."

I relaxed against the smooth skin of his back but didn't let go. He maneuvered me easily around his side until we were face to face, my arms still encircling his neck and legs wrapped around his waist. My adrenaline rush had subsided, but my heart still beat wildly in my chest. The water lapped between the few inches separating us and I looked up to meet his eyes, unsure of what to do. I had kissed exactly four boys before, but this situation felt completely different.

Eric leaned forward tentatively to press his lips to mine. The taste of creek water from our lips mingled with a taste that was uniquely his. My insecurities were forgotten as the kiss deepened. Soon, any thought that guided my actions was overridden by instinctive urges I didn't know I had. An alarm sounded in my brain at where this would lead. I pulled away and buried my nose in his neck to put on the breaks. His skin still smelled faintly of aftershave or soap and I stayed pressed against him until my breathing steadied.

"You okay?" Eric sounded concerned.

I nodded my head and lifted my head to look him in the eye. "I'm fine." I gave him a little smile to reassure him he'd done nothing wrong. "But I should go home."

He waded through the water with me still firmly attached to him like a chimp.

"You know you're going to have to let go of me if you want to get out of the water," he smirked.

"Fine," I laughed and slid off him. He scrambled up a series of rocks and reached his hand down to help me up. When I'd reached the top of the pile of rocks, he kept a firm grasp on my hand and gently led me back toward our discarded clothes.

With a little difficulty I pulled my shorts over wet skin, then squeezed the water from my hair and turned my back to Eric to swap out shirts while he struggled with his jeans.

"Thanks for the shirt." I wrung the water out as best I could and folded it neatly.

"Any time." Even in the dark I could make out the lean but developed musculature of his chest. He definitely didn't look like the boys from my high school, but in their defense, jobs in Kansas City didn't consist of farm labor. Again he took my hand and led me along the wooded path to the field and back to his truck.

Gravel crunched under our path back to Gran's, and I released a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding when I could see she'd already gone to bed by the few lights that remained on in the house.

"Thank you for being my escape boat from the party," I smiled. "I had a really nice time."

"Can I come by tomorrow night?"

His question unleashed a flurry in my stomach; nervous about the path I seemed to be heading down.

I nodded. "I can't come out until Gran's asleep though. Usually she goes to sleep pretty early, but sometimes she gets a second wind."

"I can be patient."

A shiver ran down my spine, and he leaned forward to brush his lips to mine then pulled back. I wanted to crawl into his lap and kiss him again, but instead pulled the door handle and slid down to the ground. I closed the door behind me as quietly as possible and turned to walk the paving stones to the screen door. Only when I turned and waved did he put the truck in reverse and back down the length of the driveway.

I floated through my nighttime routine, caught in the post-haze of an unexpected evening with Eric. For me, this was unchartered territory. After turning over the events in my head again and again, I fell asleep with a smile on my lips.

I'd been picking cherry tomatoes that were already hot from the morning sun for nearly half an hour, but my mind was on anything but the task at hand. Gran was picking green beans just a few feet away from me. I realized she'd called my name at least twice before I rocked backed on my heels.

"Sorry, Gran. What did you say?"

"Sookie Stackhouse, you're a million miles away today." Not much got past Gran. It made me nervous to keep things from her.

"I guess I'm just thinking about things."

"Well, that's thoroughly vague."

I got back to picking tomatoes and bit my lip to suppress a grin.

"You wouldn't be thinking about a boy, would you?"

My grin was gone and now I was hoping my face was flushed enough from the heat of the day to camouflage my blush.

"Well, I…um," I stumbled through the beginnings of an answer.

Gran chortled at my discomfort and cut me off. "Now we're getting somewhere. I don't suppose you're starry eyed over Billy Compton?"

I released a breath silently, "No, Gran. I'm sorry I know you really like him he's just…"

"Ah, ah, ah," she scolded gently. "No need to apologize for who you like or don't like, Sookie. The heart wants what it wants. You have good judgment."

A patient silence lingered between us as Gran waited to see if I would share my thoughts with her.

"I think I have pretty good judgment too, Gran, although I don't know how thrilled you'll be about this." This. What was this? It seemed crazy to go upsetting Gran when I didn't even know what was going on.

"So what lucky boy has caught your attention, Sookie?"

I swallowed hard and took a breath. "Eric Northman."

Behind me I could hear that Gran set down her gardening basket and knew she was processing the news. I turned back to look at her and sat with my legs crossed, anticipating a lecture.

"You remember what I told you about him don't you, Sookie?"

"Yes, I remember, Gran. We've actually talked about the rumor about him, because it turns out it's just that – a rumor."

Gran sat in contemplative silent for a bit. "Well, I can't pretend he would have been my first choice for you. Not even my second."

"Gran," I wasn't very comfortable talking about this, "it's not like he's even asked me on a date or anything yet."

"Oh, I'm sure we will…he'd be crazy not to, dear. Why don't you have him come over tonight for pie?"

"That seems a little premature, Gran, I…"

"If he's interested in you, he'll have no problem coming for pie." Gran's tone brooked no further discussion.

"Yes, ma'am." I turned back to the tomato vine with pressed lips.

Inviting Eric for an official visit with Gran had been as awkward as I'd expected it would. Yes, I liked him and hoped to spend more time with him this summer, but I felt as though I'd been forced to put the horse before the cart. Eric hadn't seemed bothered by it though.

Eric arrived promptly at the time Gran had specified. Her impeccable manners were on display, but there was an underlying current of skepticism that kept me on a nervous edge. After a couple minutes of small talk, Gran had asked me to serve up pie for the three of us. I left the two of them alone with serious misgivings. The kitchen was close enough for me to just make out snippets of their conversation.

"I'm glad to get to know you a bit better, Eric. I hope you know how important Sookie is to me. She's a good girl and I expect you to treat her that way."

I could feel the deep heat of embarrassment engulf me and wished I could disappear into thin air. I shoveled broken pieces of pie carelessly onto Gran's stoneware dessert plates and strained to hear his response.

"Yes ma'am."

"That better not just be lip service."

I began doling out dollops of whipped cream with a shaky hand.

"No ma'am, it's not." He said a few other things I couldn't make out. I did manage to catch him say, "If it's all right with you, I'd like to ask her out on a date."

The whipped cream spoon clattered to the linoleum tile floor. I winced and hurried to clean up the sticky mess.

"Everything okay in there?" Gran called.

I flushed again. "I'm fine, just clumsy," I called back.

Gran's voice dropped again she resumed her conversation with Eric. "Of course, whether or not Sookie goes is up to her. But that would be fine with me provided you remember what I said."

"Of course."

I'd loaded up a tray with the three plates laden with piles that resembled nothing remotely close to pie and bit my lip, wondering if I could walk back into the room without being beet red. Gran noticed how long I'd been.

"Sookie? Do you need some help?"

"No, I'll just be another second." I threw a stack of paper napkins and three dessert forks on the tray and tried my best to pretend as though I'd heard nothing. Both Eric and Gran looked a little relieved to see me return. Conversation was a bit stilted for the remainder of the evening. Fortunately, a Royals game on the radio provided some easy fodder for conversation, and at the earliest moment he could politely do so, Eric said he should be going home. Gran walked him to the front door with me, and waved goodbye as he slipped into the darkness.

"Well?" I asked Gran as we turned away from the front door.

She gave my shoulder a pat and smiled at me. "Everybody deserves a chance."

It was hardly a ringing endorsement, but it showed she trusted me. As uncomfortable as the evening had been, I was relieved that I was no longer hiding whatever was going on with Eric from Gran.

I stayed up later than usual reading that night hoping I'd hear a tap on my window, but woke early the next morning with my book on my stomach, and the bedside light still on. My brain was bogged down worrying that the previous evening had scared Eric off.

"You have nothing to fret about, my dear."

I yanked the next weed out forcefully. "I'm not fretting over anything, Gran."

"Those weeds you're attacking might think differently." I could hear the smile in her voice despite the fact I couldn't see her face.

When I didn't respond she spoke again. "You know…an old woman's not going to run Eric off if his intentions are in the right place."

I looked over and gave her a grudging smile. "Thanks, Gran."

Gran disappeared inside the house to answer the ringing phone. "Sookie!" she called from within the house. "It's for you!"

I peeled the gardening gloves from my hands and wiped my sweaty palms dry on my t-shirt then followed Gran inside the house. She held her hand over the receiver and whispered, "I told you there was nothing to fret about."

My heart pounded when I realized it wasn't my mother on the phone; it was Eric. Gran winked and slipped out the back door.

"Hello?" I fervently hoped I didn't sound as nervous as I felt.

"Hey. It's Eric."

"Hey. Thanks for coming over last night. Sorry it was so…." I searched for the right word but Eric jumped in.

"I'm glad you asked me over. Plus I think your Gran needed to get something off her chest." I could hear him smiling over the phone.

"Oh." My hand reflexively covered my face in embarrassment. I was glad Eric couldn't see the blush that burned my cheeks.

He laughed, sensing my embarrassment. "Listen, I was wondering if you'd want to go see a movie or something tonight."

"Yeah, I'd love to." I hoped my awkwardness would dissipate when we were together.

"I'll pick you up around six? We can grab a bite before."

"Sounds great. I'll see you then."

Later that day Gran came into my bathroom as I was applying a little light makeup, surveying my cotton sundress and sandals.

"Sookie, dear. Make sure you carry this with you," she held out her hand but from the reflection in the mirror I couldn't see what it was. "It's for your protection."

"Oh, Gran," I flushed and turned to her, then looked down and saw a quarter in the palm of her hand. "A quarter?"

"You should always carry a quarter with you in case you need to call me or somebody else to pick you up."

I laughed at my confusion and Gran's quaint gesture, which in older days must have been a common practice. "Gran," I smiled, "I have a cell phone. I'll take it with me and promise I'll call if anything comes up."

"Oh, I always forget about these modern conveniences," she shook her head, dropping the quarter in her pocket, and looked back at my reflection. "You look lovely, Sookie." With a kiss on my cheek she was gone.

A happy month passed by. Gran and I not only had the flower and vegetable gardens in tip top shape, but we also had tackled a long list of house projects. I was surprised to learn how much I was capable of doing, and felt good that I'd been able to do so much to help Gran. As we worked, Gran would share stories of her life, many of which I'd never heard before.

I saw Eric nearly every day. Sometimes on officially sanctioned dates, sometimes he'd drop by and spend and evening with Gran and me, and sometimes we'd have a clandestine meeting on the quilt in the front yard, although considerably less stargazing was on the agenda than earlier in the summer. On occasion we'd spend an afternoon at the lake or driving somewhere further afield.

The closer I grew to Eric, the more concerned I became with the looming end of summer and my return to Kansas City. I didn't want to think about it though, so rather than face it, I pushed the thought out of my mind whenever it threatened to creep up on me.

To make matters worse, the time had rolled around for the wheat harvest. For small family farms like the Northman's, it meant all hands on deck. Eric's days and evenings would be consumed for the next two weeks straight, leaving us just a week after harvest before I returned home. I'd hoped those first couple of days that I might see him after he'd finished at night, but he was too exhausted to think of anything but sleep.

On the fifth day of harvest, I drove Gran's car out to the field I knew he was working, armed with a thermos of lemonade and a stack of Gran's chocolate chip cookies wrapped in foil. I pulled over on the side of the road when I caught sight of the combine, and picked my way across the stubbled field.

Eric climbed down from the massive green vehicle and strode across the field to intercept me. "What are you doing here?" he caught me around the waist and kissed me before I could answer.

I laughed and brushed an unruly lock from my forehead. "I thought you might want something to drink." He eyed the thermos greedily. "And I wanted to see you," I added shyly.

He stooped to kiss me again. The faint scent of gasoline mingled with the smell of summer on his skin.

"Do you want to ride with me for a bit?"

"Really?"

He grabbed my hand to pull me back toward the combine and helped hoist me into the cab.

"I've been fantasizing about this all week," he smirked.

"A cookie break in the combine?"

"Oh, shut up," he rolled his eyes.

It was good to hear his laughter, comforting to be close to him again. I rode with him for about half an hour until my conscience started to prick thinking of what I still needed to accomplish for Gran.

When we were semi-close to my car Eric idled the engine. He made a move to climb down with me but I stopped him.

"You've got a lot of work to do. I'm fine walking back to my car."

"If you insist." He brushed his lips to mine and I melted into him, trying to store up this memory for the next few days until harvest was over.

"I'll call you tonight if I haven't already fallen asleep."

I crossed the field and waved back when I reached my car, then returned to Gran's. Expecting to find Gran out back, I walked around to the garden behind the house after pulling into the driveway. The abundant zucchini that Gran had planned to pick while I made my delivery were still on the vine.

"Gran?" I called. There was no answer. I swallowed nervously and entered the back door. "Gran?"

My heart began to pound when she still didn't answer me. I raced through the house checking each room until I discovered her lying on her bed at a funny angle. My initial relief lasted only a second; it was erased the moment I saw her sightless eyes.

The next few hours were a blur. After overcoming my momentary inability to think or act, I called the paramedics, my parents, and Hadley's house. The paramedics arrived just as Hadley's family pulled into the driveway. Aunt Linda took hold of the situation and began making necessary calls to Reverend Compton and the funeral home.

My family wouldn't be able to make it until the morning, so I was to sleep at Hadley's for the night. I packed an overnight bag and tried to call Eric. After a couple of attempts I left a message on his voicemail, then helped to lock up the house. I followed in Gran's car and retreated to a spare room under the guise of taking a nap. I needed some time alone to try to process Gran's death.

A call on my cell from Eric awakened me. I'd fallen asleep and it was now dark outside.

"I'm sorry about your Gran, Sookie." I could hear in his voice that the news hadn't been easy on him either. "Is there anything I can do?"

I wanted nothing more to be with him right then, but it wasn't possible. He would, of course, be dropping from exhaustion at any moment, and I needed to be with my family. My eyes welled with tears again and my throat constricted.

"No." I barely got out the single syllable.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I do, but not right now. I know you're tired, and I don't think I can talk about it yet."

He was quiet on the other end of the line. "Okay, but call me if you change your mind."

"I will."

"And let me know about the service. My family wants to come."

"But it's the middle of harvest."

"My family wants to come."

A fresh wave of tears came over me. "I need to go."

"Sookie, I…I'm thinking about you."

"I miss you, Eric."

I cried myself to sleep that night.

The next three days were a depressing whirlwind of activity culminating in Gran's funeral. I talked to Eric every night, but not for more than a couple of minutes. Eric and his parents attended the funeral, both to pay their respects to Gran and in support of me I supposed.

Tears welled in my eyes when I saw Eric at the funeral home. I was deeply touched that he was there with his family. I also knew we were leaving for Kansas City in the morning. My summer in Graydon was over. My time with Eric was over.

That night I drove to Eric's to say goodbye. We promised we'd call, that we'd try to find a way to visit. For a while I actually believed it might work.

Eventually, reality sank in. Without Gran, I wouldn't be going to Graydon with any regularity…maybe only for the odd visit to Hadley's. I was heading into my senior year and then would be off to college. Eric would most likely be enlisting. A future didn't seem possible for us. It tore me up, but I knew I needed to end our relationship. It was the only fair thing for the both of us. To prolong it would only make a break more difficult. The phone call to Eric was awful.

"Friends?" Eric's tone over the phone was icy. "I don't want to be your friend, Sookie."

I wanted more that a friendship too, but under the circumstances I didn't see an alternative. His words stung, and his tone cut me to the bone. The loss of Eric on top of the loss of Gran was more than I thought I could bear.

But my friends and my family were there to prop me up. Tara and Amelia kept my mind on other things, and faithful Sam was there too, steady as a rock. Soon I was swept up in school again. I tried to savor it all, because I knew good things were temporal, that they'd be gone before I knew it.

While I'd managed to make the most of my senior year, to be happy, I never forgot Eric. I seemed too young to put labels on what I had felt and continued to feel, but I knew he had been special, that I'd always carry a piece of him in my heart.

"Are you sure you don't need anything else for you room? We can make one last run to Target before we head back to Kansas City." My mom was delaying leaving me at school.

"I don't think Tara and I can fit one more thing in this teeny dorm room, Mom." I gave her a hug. "Plus, if I think of something Sam can always take me to Target."

Sam had finally worn me down over the summer. We'd been dating for a few weeks. He'd been such a good friend for so long that I felt like I should at least give him a shot. I tried not to compare my feelings for him to what I'd felt for Eric – it wasn't fair to Sam and I didn't see the point in punishing myself – but it was impossible not to feel the difference.

Classes began after I'd been officially living in Lawrence for two weeks. Sam had planned to pick me up after class to run some errands, but class had gotten out early so I'd arrived at our appointed meeting spot with time to kill. I tried to get a little studying in while I waited.

A car pulled up to the curb, but I ignored it since it was much too early for Sam. I stayed focused on my book, but registered the sound of the car door opening and closing.

"Sookie?"

I froze at the sound of my name, at the sound of the familiar voice. I looked up from my book to see the blue eyes I'd given up over a year ago and felt tears threaten my own.

"What are you doing here?" My words were so soft I was surprised he could hear them.

"What kind of question is that for a fellow student?"

I tried to shake off the awkwardness and stood, leaving my books in a neat pile at my feet. "I always knew you'd love Lawrence." I couldn't help but break into a smile.

"Lawrence is great. I still feel guilty for abandoning my parents with the farm, but I had to leave Graydon."

"What are you studying?"

"Mechanical engineering. Somebody told me I should look into scholarships, and it turned out I qualified for all sorts of them."

I smiled again thinking about that conversation, happy to think that he'd remembered at least some of our time together. Suddenly I registered the cherry red Corvette he was leaning against.

"Whoa, it's beautiful."

"Thanks."

"You've done a ton of work on this in the last year."

He shrugged and I remembered he'd mentioned it was therapeutic for him. An uncomfortable moment of silence hung in the air. I kicked at some loose pebbles on the sidewalk and eventually asked him about his classes and the moment moved on. After a few more minutes of small talk we were in a better place. I wanted to reach out to him and slide my hand in his, but that time was done. Plus, I reminded myself, I was dating Sam.

We reminisced a bit, and at one point Eric gave me one of his smiles that made me lose my train of thought. My heart thumped and I smiled back, then recovered my thoughts and finished what I was saying. I wordlessly admonished myself for reacting like this as Sam's car pulled across the street to patiently wait for me.

"I better get going. My ride's here."

Eric looked over at Sam in the driver seat then back to me.

"Who's the guy?" Eric tipped his head in the direction of Sam's waiting car. I glanced over at Sam and gave him a small wave then looked back to Eric.

"That's Sam." I took an uncomfortable breath and chewed my upper lip.

His eyebrow raised in question. "Neighbor? Lab partner?"

I forced myself to look him in the eye to answer. "Boyfriend." It shouldn't be hard for me to say that. Not to anyone.

An amused expression crossed his face and he smiled. "For now."

I should have been indignant and defended my relationship, or come up with some pithy comment about Eric's arrogance, but I didn't say a word. The blush that spread across my cheeks spoke for me instead and I looked away. I should have been ashamed with myself, but I wasn't. Instead a long missing flutter rose in my stomach.

"Well, I should let you go…wouldn't want to keep Sam waiting." He paused for a second then continued, "I imagine I'll see you around."

My eyes flashed back to his and I thought back to meeting Eric for the first time in Gran's garden. The corner of my mouth tugged into a grin and I gave him a quick hug goodbye before gathering my books and crossing the street to Sam.

"See you around, Eric." I called over my shoulder.